news-record.com

CHESTNUT HILL, Ma. -- One play.

A "simple sweep" right on a first-and-goal from the Boston College 4-yard-line in overtime.

It didn't have to get into the end zone because there were at least two other plays to follow. Heck, a field goal would have forced a second OT.

But Brendan Pendergrass wasn't where he was supposed to be when Riley Skinner turned to hand him the ball. Skinner, who had led a dramatic Wake Forest comeback with two late drives that forced overtime, decided to try to get what he could, get back to the line of scrimmage. But the ball was batted out of his hands by BC's Isaac Johnson and recovered by Wes Davis.

Game over.

Comeback obliterated.

And while the BC players celebrated near the end zone, all Pendergrass, who earlier in the game had a 76-yard touchdown run, could do was lay on the ground and pound his hand into the field turf.

"It was just supposed to be a simple sweep. I just went the wrong way," Pendergrass said. "I just let my team down."

Pendergrass was right. He did go the wrong way. He didn't hide it. Skinner didn't hide it. Wake coach Jim Grobe didn't hide it.

The kid made a mistake. But, as Skinner was quick to point out, "Bad ball security by me."

This game, which belonged to BC for so much of the day, had completely turned around thanks to Skinner's late heroics. And when BC (3-1) settled for a field goal on its OT possession, Pendergrass personally gained 20 yards on three carries to get the ball to the BC 5, followed by a second-and-inches sneak by Skinner. Wake was clearly about to win.

Then came the play that will be remembered around these parts and Winston-Salem for a long time. "We felt like we had the game already won," said Skinner.

"He basically went the wrong way ... and then Riley's got to take care of the ball," said Grobe, whose team fell to 2-2 with this loss in the ACC opener.

Skinner, who came into the game with seven interceptions and three touchdowns in his career against Boston College, was on his way to another disappointing game against the Eagles.

But he brought his team 67 yards in six plays over 1:23 (a 12-yard TD pass to Chris Givens) -- and then on an 80-yard march, with no timeouts left, that included seven straight completions (interrupted only by a spike) and a 19-yard tying touchdown pass to Marshall Williams with 11 seconds left.

Pendergrass wound up with 97 yards on just five carries, but said he gladly would have traded the 76-yard touchdown for a better result at the end.

"It's almost like it didn't even happen, to be honest with you," he said of the run that tied for the ninth-longest run in school history.

Grobe, while thrilled with the way his kids came back, was not happy with the way the Deacs played most of the day. There were 10 penalties -- the same number as the first three games combined -- missed tackles, blocking mistakes, all kinds of things. He called it "discipline" problems and said that points at the coaches.

Another thing that didn't help Wake was the arrival of BC quarterback David Shinskie. The 25-year-old true freshman, who played the last six years as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, made his first career start and was 18-for-29 for 228 yards, three touchdowns and a Michael Williams interception.

BC went back to the running game, against the Deacs -- Montel Harris and Josh Haden combined for 169 yards on 42 carries.

"Their coaching staff did a nice job," Grobe said. "They really did a good job of running the football. We had a feeling that was going to be their thought."

Wake Forest 0 10 0 14 0 -- 24

Boston College 10 7 0 7 3 -- 27

BC--FG Aponavicius 32

BC--McMichael 50 pass from Shinskie (Aponavicius kick)

Wake--Pendergrass 76 run (Newman kick)

Wake--FG Newman 23

BC--Pantale 4 pass from Shinskie (Aponavicius kick).

BC--Larmond 17 pass from Shinskie (Aponavicius kick)

Wake--Givens 12 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)

Wake--Ma.Williams 16 pass from Skinner (Newman kick).

BC--FG Aponavicius 23.

A--40,892.

Wake BC

First downs 21 21

Rushes-yards 31-142 45-170

Passing 354 228

Comp-Att-Int 25-35-1 18-29-1

Return Yards 13 (-6)

Punts-Avg. 4-39.8 6-43.3

Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0

Penalties-Yards 10-84 7-70

Time of Possession 26:28 33:32

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Wake Forest, Pendergrass 5-97, Adams 11-47, Givens 1-6, Skinner 7-3, Rinfrette 2-2, Brown 5-(minus 13). Boston College, Haden 17-93, Harris 25-76, Shinskie 1-8, Team 1-(minus 2), Tuggle 1-(minus 5).

PASSING--Wake Forest, Skinner 25-35-1-354. Boston College, Shinskie 18-29-1-228.

RECEIVING--Wake Forest, Ma.Williams 12-180, Brown 5-101, Adams 3-36, Givens 2-15, Dembry 1-11, Rinfrette 1-8, Ford 1-3. Boston College, Jarvis 5-66, Gunnell 5-51, Pantale 4-30, Larmond 3-31, McMichael 1-50.