Saturday, October 3, 2009

Skinner leads Wake past Pack, 30-24

WINSTON-SALEM - Riley Skinner threw three touchdown passes – two to wideout Marshall Williams – as Wake Forest edged N.C. State 30-24 on Saturday at BB&T Field.

Wake Forest cornerback Kenny Okoro intercepted N.C. State’s Russell Wilson in the end zone with 2:02 remaining to preserve the lead.

N.C. State had a chance to get the ball back, but running back Josh Adams broke four tackle attempts on third down before to get the Deacons a new set of down and allow Wake Forest to run out the clock.

Skinner finished the day 31-for-45 for 361 yards and three touchdowns with a pair of interceptions.

The teams combined for five turnovers in a sloppy first half that ended with Wake Forest ahead 13-10. N.C. State committed seven penalties for 80 yards in the first half, including personal fouls on Natanu Mageo and J.R. Sweezy that led to a Deacons’ go-ahead field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the half.

Wake Forest stretched that lead to 20-10 on an 11-yard pass from Skinner to Williams.

Wilson’s Football Bowl Subdivision-record streak of passes without an interception ended at 379 in the second quarter. Cornerback Josh Bush intercepted Wilson when he threw deep into double coverage with the Wolfpack facing first-and-35.

Wilson hadn’t been intercepted since a game at Clemson on Sept. 13, 2008. He was 20-for-43 for 275 yards with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, but threw two interceptions.

With three touchdown passes, Skinner broke the Wake Forest school record of 45 career scoring passes.

The Deacons improved to 3-2, 1-1 in the ACC. N.C. State (3-2) lost its ACC opener.

-- Ken Tysiac

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