OXFORD, Ohio (AP) -- Miami University fell to No. 17 Marshall on Saturday, 32-14 at Yager Stadium.
Marshall (5-0 overall, 2-0 Mid-American Conference) controlled a game billed as a showdown between the league's best teams. The Thundering Herd rolled to a 32-0 lead before allowing two late scores by Miami (3-2, 2-1).
Pennington, who was 18-of-35 without an interception, has thrown for 1,569 yards and 14 TDs with only five interceptions.
Miami's Travis Prentice, meanwhile, was held in check most of the game by an aggressive Marshall defense. He finished with 131 yards on 27 carries, but 83 yards came in the fourth quarter.
Prentice had only 18 yards on 13 carries in the first half.
While Pennington and Marshall moved almost at will, the Thundering Herd shut down a Miami offense that had been averaging 416 yards and 28.5 points a game. After three quarters, Marshall had gained 308 yards on 57 plays while Miami had 95 yards on 52 plays.
Marshall finished with 401 to Miami's 350.
Billy Malashevich set a Marshall record with four field goals, connecting from 42, 40, 41 and 31 yards.
Pennington was 10-of-20 for 155 yards in the half, including scoring tosses of 6 yards to Nate Poole and 41 yards to James Williams.
After Malshevich's 41-yard, third-quarter field goal increased the lead to 22-0, Pennington threw a 61-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Williams, who left several defenders grasping for air as he weaved his way to the end zone.
Miami's Mike Bath threw late touchdown passes of 32 yards to Ty Buxton with 4:10 left and 12 yards to Prentice with 21 seconds remaining.
Bath, who started at quarterback, went to the sideline after a hard hit
by Marshall linebacker Andre O'Neal and returned late only after backup
John Schacke sustained a leg injury.
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