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SPORTS

Skinner wins duel of ACC's elite QBs

Sunday, October 4, 2009
(Updated Monday, October 5 - 2:12 pm)

WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — Riley Skinner equated the buildup to his matchup with super sophomore Russell Wilson to a game early in his career against a budding NFL star.

The efficient, record-setting Skinner won that competition Saturday — with a big assist from Wake Forest's inexperienced secondary.

Skinner threw three touchdown passes to become the Demon Deacons' career leader in a 30-24 victory over North Carolina State, while the defense ended Wilson's NCAA record streak of perfection by intercepting him twice.

"It kind of reminded me back in my freshman year when we were playing against Matt Ryan," Skinner said of facing Boston College and the current Atlanta Falcons quarterback. "It does kind of make you want to play that much better."

The senior did, throwing for a career-high 361 yards, while the Demon Deacons (3-2, 1-1) became the first team to intercept Wilson in more than a year.

Wilson's streak was snapped at 379 attempts when sophomore Josh Bush picked him off in the second quarter. Redshirt freshman Kenny Okoro then intercepted him in the end zone with 2:02 left and the Wolfpack (3-2, 0-1) lost in their first road game of the season.

"I didn't even think about it, to be honest with you," Wilson said of the streak. "I'm going to keep throwing the ball and giving my guys chances."

Chris Givens had eight catches for 113 yards and a TD, and Wake Forest overcame six sacks — they lost starting left tackle Chris DeGeare to a scratched cornea — by exposing N.C. State's shaky secondary.

"Man, we played good up front," said Wolfpack defensive end Willie Young, who had three sacks. "We've got a lot of young guys in the secondary. It's obvious now, we're going to be attacked a lot more often, I think, in the secondary."

Skinner's nifty 25-yard strike to Givens in the back of the end zone on third-and-21 early in the fourth quarter gave Wake Forest a 27-17 lead. It was Skinner's 45th TD, passing Gary Schofield and Brian Kuklick on the school's career list.

Skinner set a career high in yards passing for the third straight game, while completing 31 of 45 passes and overcoming two interceptions and a lost fumble.

"We just feel like if we don't do a better job of letting No. 11 play football, we're not going to be smart coaches," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said.

Wake Forest kept N.C. State in it thanks to a costly mental error by senior defensive end Boo Robinson. He was called for a 15-yard personal foul penalty for pushing and shoving after Wilson's third-down pass fell incomplete. On the next play Wilson's 5-yard TD pass to Toney Baker made it 27-24.

But speedy Lovell Jackson's 80-yard kickoff return set up Jimmy Newman's 21-yard field goal with 4:44 left.

That gave Wilson another shot. Facing third-and-6, a scrambling Wilson dumped a shovel pass to Jamelle Eugene for a 21-yard gain to the Wake 39. But soon after Wilson's pass to the back of the end zone intended for Donald Bowens was picked off by Okoro, making his first career start at cornerback.

"He just threw it behind him," N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said. "If he throws it to the post it might be a different outcome."

Struggling with his accuracy and plagued by some drops, Wilson finished 20 of 43 for 275 yards and two touchdowns passes. He ran for another score.

The first interception, coming on first-and-35 after consecutive penalties, sailed into double coverage. Bush made an easy catch — waiting for the ball to come down to him — for his first career interception.

It was Wilson's second career pick and his first in 14 games, dating to the third quarter against Clemson early last season. He had broken the previous Football Bowl Subdivision record of 325 passes without an interception by Kentucky's Andre Woodson in 2006-07.

Skinner's first two touchdown passes went to Marshall Williams, who had a key drop in the end zone late in Wake Forest's loss to N.C. State last season.

N.C. State 10 0 7 7 — 24
Wake Forest 3 10 7 10 — 30

NCSU—Bryan 4 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)
Wake—FG Newman 27
NCSU—FG Czajkowski 30
Wake—Ma.Williams 4 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)
Wake—FG Newman 23, :16.
Wake—Ma.Williams 11 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)
NCSU—R.Wilson 14 run (Czajkowski kick)
Wake—Givens 25 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)
NCSU—Baker 5 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick)
Wake—FG Newman 21
A—33,921.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs — NCSU 20, Wake 25
Rushes-yards — NCSU 26-104, Wake 35-30
Passing — NCSU 275, Wake 361
Comp-Att-Int — NCSU 20-43-2, Wake 31-45-2
Return Yards — NCSU 40, Wake 101
Punts-Avg. — NCSU 5-39.2, Wake 2-35.5
Fumbles-Lost — NCSU 2-1, Wake 2-1
Penalties-Yards — NCSU 8-85, Wake 9-80
Time of Possession — NCSU 25:45, Wake 34:15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING
N.C. State — Baker 10-42, R.Wilson 7-41, Eugene 9-21.
Wake Forest — Adams 9-36, Pendergrass 8-20, L.Jackson 1-8, Rinfrette 3-2, Brown 1-(minus 1), Team 2-(minus 2), Skinner 11-(minus 33).

PASSING
N.C. State — R.Wilson 20-43-2-275.
Wake Forest — Skinner 31-45-2-361.

RECEIVING
N.C. State — Bryan 6-79, Ja.Williams 5-50, Spencer 4-102, Eugene 2-29, Baker 1-5, Davis 1-5, Graham 1-5.
Wake Forest — Givens 8-113, Ma.Williams 6-72, Brown 6-70, Adams 5-57, Rinfrette 3-22, Pendergrass 2-14, Parker 1-13.

Accompanying Photos

Joseph Rodriguez (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Josh Adams makes the extra effort to give the Deacons a first down in Saturday's game against N.C. State.

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