Elon 7, Wake Forest 35

1234T
ELON (2-1)00077
WAKE (2-1)14714035

Final

6:30 PM ET, September 19, 2009
GROVES STADIUM
WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Skinner throws for 289, paces Wake Forest win

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Team Stat Comparison
 
1st Downs1519
Total Yards263426
Passing195294
Rushing68132
Penalties4-352-10
3rd Down Conversions8-199-16
4th Down Conversions0-10-0
Turnovers01
Possession29:0430:56
Air/Ground Leaders
Elon Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Riddle24/4319510
Wake Forest Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Skinner14/2028931
McManus1/4500
Elon Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Shuman1954012
Harris520015
Wake Forest Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Adams1125110
Harris523010
Elon Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Hudgins13113116
Harris347029
Wake Forest Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Williams293180
Givens368154
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERELONWAKE
TD10:09Jordan Williams 5 Yd Pass From Riley Skinner (Jimmy Newman Kick) 07
TD00:49Mike Rinfrette 1 Yd Run (Jimmy Newman Kick) 014
SECOND QUARTERELONWAKE
TD03:20Chris Givens 54 Yd Pass From Riley Skinner (Jimmy Newman Kick) 021
THIRD QUARTERELONWAKE
TD12:19Josh Adams 1 Yd Run (Jimmy Newman Kick) 028
TD04:14Marshall Williams 80 Yd Pass From Riley Skinner (Jimmy Newman Kick) 035
FOURTH QUARTERELONWAKE
TD07:58Terrell Hudgins 13 Yd Pass From Scott Riddle (Adam Shreiner Kick) 735
Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Riley Skinner threw for a career-high 289 yards and three touchdowns, and Wake Forest tuned up for its conference schedule by beating Elon 35-7 on Saturday night.

Not that they needed it, but even the officials helped the Demon Deacons (2-1) in the first meeting in 70 years between the neighboring schools.

Skinner's 54-yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens late in the second quarter came after back judge Tommy Pace inadvertently tripped Elon cornerback Karlos Sullivan near the goal line.

The blooper made it 21-0, and Skinner was through for the night after throwing an 80-yard touchdown to Marshall Williams late in the third quarter.

Never threatened against the Phoenix (2-1) -- a Football Championship Subdivision program -- the Demon Deacons won their second straight. Wake Forest plays at Boston College in ACC opener next week.

Terrell Hudgins caught 13 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for Elon.

Building off its comeback win over Stanford a week earlier, Wake Forest held Elon to 68 yards rushing and dominated special teams.

Gelo Orange's third career blocked kick -- on Scott Riddle's punt -- led to Josh Adams' 1-yard TD early in the second half for a 28-0 lead. Coach Jim Grobe -- who used true freshman Jimmy Newman on extra points ahead of struggling Shane Popham -- soon began substituting freely.

The crowd watching the schools separated by 50 miles included former Wake Forest basketball star and NBA player Rodney Rogers.

Paralyzed after a dirt bike accident late last year, the wheelchair-bound Rogers was given a standing ovation before the game. The 2000 NBA Sixth Man Award winner was mobbed by the Wake Forest players as they ran onto the field before kickoff.

Skinner soon led Wake Forest on two long scoring drives. His 5-yard pass to Jordan Williams made it 7-0 and the Demon Deacons doubled their lead before the quarter was over on Mike Rinfrette's 1-yard plunge.

The most bizarre TD came at the end of the half, when the back judge couldn't get out of the way. After knocking down Sullivan, Pace got up and signaled touchdown.

Sullivan got up and was incredulous, palms pointed to the air. But officials are considered part of the field and Elon's coaches could do nothing.

Riddle, Elon's decorated quarterback, struggled to find time to throw. He was 24 of 43 for 195 yards and was pressured all game by the Boo Robinson-led defensive line.

Elon, which came in ranked No. 11 in the FCS polls, had beaten Davidson and Presbyterian by a combined 97-7.

Wake Forest, however, proved to be too strong and fast for the Phoenix, whose 28-13 loss to South Florida in 2007 was its only other game against a Bowl Subdivision school since they moved to Division I a decade ago.

College Football Scores

Other Scores:

Thursday, September 17th
14 Georgia Tech 17 Final
20 Miami (FL) 33
Saturday, September 19th
Florida State 54 Final
7 Brigham Young 28
19 Nebraska 15 Final
13 Virginia Tech 16
Duke 16 Final
22 Kansas 44
East Carolina 17 Final
24 North Carolina 31
Boston College 7 Final
Clemson 25
Middle Tennessee State 32 Final
Maryland 31
Virginia 34 Final
Southern Miss 37
Gardner-Webb 14 Final
North Carolina State 45
Elon 7 Final
Wake Forest 35