Cent. Michigan 34, W. Michigan 31

11/7/2007 1:02 AM

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - Quarterback Dan LeFevour scored on a keeper from 1-yard out with 12 seconds left, giving Central Michigan a 34-31 victory Tuesday night over Western Michigan, clinching the Mid-Amercan Conference West title.

The Chippewas (6-4, 5-0 MAC) hadn't won at WMU since 1993.

The victory put CMU in the Dec. 1 MAC championship game for the second consecutive year, and clinched a spot in one of three postseason bowl games for which the MAC has an automatic berth.

LeFevour, who tied Jeff Bender's CMU record with his 502nd career completion in the game-winning drive, completed 23-of-38 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a game-high 72 yards and 2 TDs.

WMU (3-7, 2-4) nearly ruined CMU's championship hopes by overcoming a 10-point deficit late in the game, scoring two touchdowns in a span of 33 seconds to take a 31-27 lead on a 15-yard TD run by Brandon West with 1:34 left.

But the Chippewas responded with a 65-yard scoring drive in 1:22, featuring a 39-yard pass to Bryan Anderson that put the ball at the WMU 1-yard line. LeFevour scored two plays later. Anderson had a game-high seven catches for 120 yards.

WMU quarterback Tim Hiller completed 27-of-37 passes for 311 yards, including a 65-yard pass completion to tight end Branden Ledbetter, who had a game-high 124 receiving yards on five catches.

LeFevour, who had not been sacked in the Chippewas' last four games and a Mid-American Conference-low nine times this season, was sacked three times by WMU.

WMU receiver Jamarko Simmons was ejected in the first quarter for kicking at a CMU player.