Enquirer news service

Miami RedHawks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was selected as the first-team quarterback on the all-Mid-American Conference team as selected by the league's coaches Sunday.

Roethlisberger, who passed for 3,370 yards and 29 touchdown passes this season, had been second team each of the past two seasons.

Senior linebacker Terrell Jones was named first team for the second time. Also making the first team were defensive lineman Phil Smith and offensive lineman Jacob Bell.

Five players made second team - center Todd Landot, offensive tackle Ben Herrell, tight end Matt Brandt, wide receiver Martin Nance and linebacker Terna Nande.

The nine RedHawks on the first or second teams were the most for Miami since 1997.

The 11-1 RedHawks moved up a spot in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY/coaches polls released Sunday.

Miami, which will play at Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game Thursday, is 14th in AP and 15th in the coaches poll.

Meanwhile, the RedHawks' opponent in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. on Dec. 18 has yet to be determined. No. 19 Texas Christian (11-1) was invited to the GMAC bowl on Saturday despite indicating its preference to go to a different game that doesn't conflict with exams.

TCU athletic director Eric Hyman said that C-USA athletic directors and the conference commissioner will discuss the situation in a conference call and hope to have a resolution in the next few days.

NEBRASKA: Nebraska fired football coach Frank Solich because athletic director Steve Pederson believed the program was slipping in stature compared to its Big 12 rivals.

"I refuse to let the program gravitate into mediocrity," Pederson said Sunday. "We won't surrender the Big 12 to Oklahoma and Texas."

Despite firing a coach with a 9-3 record this season 58-19 career mark, Pederson said he is not running a "win at all costs" program.

He said he did not like the direction the program was taking. Since starting 11-0 in 2001, the Cornhuskers have been 16-12.

Pederson named defensive coordinator Bo Pelini interim head coach for the bowl game. The Huskers' bowl destination has not been determined.

AP Top 25

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 29, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

	Record	Pts	Pvs
1. Oklahoma (65)	12-0	1,625	1
2. Southern Cal	10-1	1,555	2
3. LSU	11-1	1,495	3
4. Michigan	10-2	1,432	4
5. Georgia	10-2	1,327	5
6. Texas	10-2	1,294	6
7. Tennessee	10-2	1,194	7
8. Ohio St.	10-2	1,179	8
9. Florida St.	10-2	1,118	9
10. Miami	10-2	1,070	10
11. Purdue	9-3	893	12
12. Iowa	9-3	805	13
13. Kansas St.	10-3	763	14
14. Miami (Ohio)	11-1	711	15
15. Washington St.	9-3	675	16
16. Florida	8-4	664	11
17. Mississippi	9-3	653	17
18. Boise St.	11-1	511	18
19. TCU	11-1	392	19
20. Bowling Green	10-2	351	22
21. West Virginia	8-4	297	24
22. Oklahoma St.	9-3	277	23
23. Nebraska	9-3	262	25
24. Maryland	9-3	162	-
25. Minnesota	9-3	107	-

Others receiving votes: Utah 82, Pittsburgh 75, Southern Miss. 50, N. Illinois 26, Clemson 16, Virginia Tech 16, Michigan St. 14, Oregon 14, Missouri 10, Virginia 5, Connecticut 4, Arkansas 1.

USA Today/ESPN Top 25

The top 25 teams in the USA Today-ESPN college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, team's records through Nov. 29, points based on 25 points for a first-place vote, through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

	Record	Pts	Pvs
1. Oklahoma (63)	12-0	1,575	1
2. Southern Cal.	10-1	1,506	2
3. LSU	11-1	1,453	3
4. Michigan	10-2	1,370	4
5. Georgia	10-2	1,270	5
6. Texas	10-2	1,243	6
7. Ohio State	10-2	1,138	7
8. Tennessee	10-2	1,129	8
9. Florida State	10-2	1,091	9
10. Miami (Fla.)	10-2	1,052	10
11. Iowa	9-3	842	12
12. Purdue	9-3	799	13
13. Kansas State	10-3	745	15
14. Wash. St.	9-3	698	14
15. Miami (Ohio)	11-1	606	16
16. Florida	8-4	596	11
17. Boise State	11-1	557	18
18. Mississippi	9-3	501	19
19. TCU	11-1	456	17
20. Minnesota	9-3	355	22
21. Nebraska	9-3	337	23
22. Oklahoma State	9-3	317	24
23. Bowling Green	9-3	275	25
24. West Virginia	8-4	157	NR
25. Maryland	9-3	92	NR

Also receiving votes: Pittsburgh 80, Utah 77, Southern Mississippi 52, Northern Illinois 42

Projected BCS matchups

The Associated Press' take, assuming USC and Oklahoma play in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4:

Rose Bowl

Michigan vs. Florida State. The Rose Bowl wouldn't mind if USC got passed by LSU in the BCS standings, setting up the traditional Pac-10 vs. Big Ten matchup. If not, the Rose Bowl will settle for the winningest team (Michigan) vs. the winningest coach (Bobby Bowden) in Division I-A history.

Fiesta Bowl

SEC champion vs. Texas. The Fiesta Bowl will get the first choice if Oklahoma remains first in the BCS. The pick could be Texas to avoid the chance of a matchup between two teams from the Southeast region. The SEC champion will be an attractive choice as well. If Kansas State beats Oklahoma, the Wildcats will take Texas' spot here.

Orange Bowl

Miami vs. Ohio State. The Orange Bowl always likes to have a Florida anchor for its game, and this rematch of last year's title game in the Fiesta Bowl is a good one. The Hurricanes haven't been to the hometown Orange Bowl in nine seasons, and a trip this year will complete a BCS tour for Miami's senior class.

Other bowls

Continental Tire: Pittsburgh will play Virginia.

Insight Bowl: Virginia Tech accepted a bid Sunday. They will play a Pac-10 team.

Humanitarian Bowl: Officials selected Georgia Tech on Sunday. The expected opponent is Boise State.