By JOHN RABY
AP Sports Writer

Marshall (6-4, 5-2 MAC) has won the East Division title every year since returning to the league in 1997.

Miami (5-5, 4-3) lost its fourth-straight road game.

Marshall had lost four of its first six games and appeared destined to sit out the postseason for the first time in 10 years. But victories in games that mattered -- Marshall is 5-0 against MAC East Division foes -- gave the Thundering Herd the title-game berth Dec. 2 in Huntington.

The West Division winner will be decided next week between Western Michigan and Toledo.

Marshall's no-huddle offense ran up 37 points and 408 yards in the first half and coasted from there. So did its defense, which allowed 28 points and 285 yards in the second half after holding Miami to just a field goal before halftime.

Leftwich, a sophomore, was 21-of-33 passing for 290 yards. Many of his completions were quick sideline passes and he let his receivers do most of the work. Nate Poole had nine catches for 123 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown.

Sophomore Franklin Wallace, making his third straight start, tied a career high with 116 yards rushing in less than a half of action. He scored on a 55-yard run in the first quarter and took a shuffle pass from Leftwich that resulted in a 70-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter.

Two minutes later, Darius Watts made up for a dropped pass in the end zone a few plays earlier by catching an 11-yard TD toss from Leftwich for a 37-3 halftime lead.

Leftwich also scored on a 1-yard run set up by a 28-yard interception return by Max Yates late in the game.

Miami's Mike Bath, who sprained a knee tackling Yates and did not return, was 19-of-36 for 253 yards. He had a 1-yard TD run in the third quarter and an 8-yard TD toss to Ty Buxton in the fourth.

Marshall's J.R. Jenkins kicked field goals of 29, 21 and 31 yards.