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Adams dominates as Demon Deacons upset Seminoles again

Oct 12, 2007 - 6:34 AM WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Following last season's setback against Wake Forest, Florida State vowed to avenge their first home shutout in 33 years.

Freshman Josh Adams totaled 167 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading the Demon Deacons to a 24-21 upset victory over the 21st-ranked Seminoles on Thursday night in front of a national television audience.

Florida State (4-2) suffered a 30-0 setback to Wake Forest 11 months ago to the day, sending the Seminoles on their way to a disappointing 7-6 record while empowering the Demon Deacons to a 11-3 mark and their first ACC title since 1970 and second in school history.

The blanking ended the Seminoles' 232 consecutive-game streak without being shut out, the ninth-longest streak in NCAA history.

The Demon Deacons (4-2) jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the 8:30 mark of the second period when Adams took a draw play at the 16-yard line, dodged a few tackles and broke away down the right sideline for an 84-yard touchdown run.

"He's just special," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. "The home run, that's what Josh gives you. He's got a lot of potential, and he's going to just get better and better and better. He's got a lot of good speed."

"I said, 'Let's test Florida speed against North Carolina speed,'" Adams said. "I just broke to the right side and took off."

The Seminoles battled back to take a 14-7 halftime lead on a pair of short second-quarter touchdown passes by junior quarterback Xavier Lee.

After the first three drives for each team came up empty to open the second half, Wake Forest tied the game at 14-14 when quarterback Riley Skinner executed a beautiful misdirection fake to the right and found Adams in the left flat for an easy 7-yard TD pass. Adams' 136 rushing yards and 31 receiving yards were career highs.

Skinner finished 19-of-27 for 216 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

As much Adams spurred on the offensive effort, the Demon Deacons' defense stifled Florida State after halftime, keeping the Seminoles off the scoreboard in the final 30 minutes and limiting them to 92 net yards after half. That total included the 76 yards Florida State covered on their final drive of the game as Wake Forest sat back in a prevent defense.

"We have so much confidence in our defense," Skinner said. "They come up in big situations and big games. It's not something we want to just get comfortable with, giving it over to the defense. But it definitely doesn't rattle us and we know we're going to have another shot with them there."

Tied at 14-14 midway through the final period, Skinner found a streaking Kenneth Moore down the middle of the field to give Wake Forest a 21-14 lead. Placekicker Sam Swank followed an interception of Lee on Florida State's next play with a 48-yard field goal to push the advantage to 24-14.

Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden was not thrilled with the lack of execution and self-inflicted damage, including 10 penalties for 76 yards.

"We just didn't execute there at the (end)," Bowden said. "It was penalty after penalty after penalty after penalty. We helped them too much. They've got a good football team, though. They're well-coached and they out-executed us in the second half."

Lee completed 24-of-46 passes for 283 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

After the Demon Deacons jumped out to their seven-point lead, the Seminoles answered back on the ensuing possession when Lee marched Florida State down the field on an eight-play, 67-yard drive. Wide receiver Preston Parker highlighted the march with a 57-yard catch.

Lee, who was flushed out of the pocket by the Wake Forest pass rush on the play, rolled to his right and unleashed a spectacular throw on the run into the waiting arms of his freshman wideout. Parker then capped off the drive with a 6-yard TD reception to knot the contest at 7-7 with 5:46 left in the first half.

Following a three-and-out by Wake Forest on its next possession, Lee fumbled to give the ball right back to the Demon Deacons. However, Wake Forest's momentum was short-lived as senior receiver Kenneth Moore was stripped on the very next play at the Florida State 25.

The Seminoles took full advantage one play later when Lee used all of Greg Carr's 6-6 frame to complete a 50-yard pass to his junior receiver. Both players were rewarded four plays after the big play, with Lee finding an open Carr in the middle of the end zone for a 4-yard TD to put Florida State ahead, 14-7.