Sept. 20, 2003

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By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Mike Smith ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns and Ben Roethlisberger passed for two more scores, leading Miami University to a 41-21 romp over Colorado State on Saturday.

The RedHawks' pass-oriented offense generated 536 yards compared to 388 for Colorado State and opened up 20-point leads on three occasions in the second half.

Roethlisberger completed 29 of 39 passes for 330 yards, eclipsing 300 yards for the second straight game. The Miami (2-1) defense, meanwhile, held Colorado State, which had been averaging 213 yards rushing, to 39 on the ground.

Bradlee Van Pelt threw for 323 yards and three TDs for Colorado State (2-2).

Early in the third quarter following a Colorado State fumble, Roethlisberger scrambled and threw his second TD pass, a 15-yarder to Michael Larkin, to make it 24-7.

Roethlisberger averted two sacks and completed an 18-yard pass to Martin Nance on third-and-14 to set up Todd Soderquist's 21-yard field goal for a 27-7 lead with 1:20 left in the period.

Colorado State scored just 24 seconds later on the second-longest scoring pass play in school history, Van Pelt's 86-yarder to David Anderson, to cut the deficit to 27-14. But the Rams would get no closer.

On fourth-and-15 from the CSU 29, Roethlisberger ran right on the option and pitched to Smith for a touchdown with 9:19 remaining.

Van Pelt hit Anderson again, on a 16-yarder, to make it 34-21 with 4:59 left, but Miami recovered the ensuing onside kick and Smith bolted 45 yards for his third score.

Roethlisberger completed 16-of-20 passes for 189 yards in the first half to spark Miami to a 17-7 lead.

The RedHawks took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. Roethlisberger threw 22- and 19-yard passes to Nance and a 23-yarder to R.J. Corbin, setting up a 6-yard scoring strike to tight end Dan Tyler.

Late in the opening quarter, Colorado State had only 19 yards of total offense before Van Pelt hit a wide open Joel Dreessen along the left sideline. Dreessen hauled in the pass at the Miami 40 and completed a 68-yard scoring play with 2:28 left in the period.

Barely four minutes later, Miami countered with a touchdown. On third-and-9, Roethlisberger, under pressure, got off a 34-yard pass to Larkin to the Colorado State 10, and Smith scored two plays later from the 5.

Roethlisberger threw a 27-yard pass to Nance, and a personal foul was tacked onto the play, to help set up Soderquist's 27-yard field goal with 3:33 left in the half.