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NCAA Game Summary - Navy At Wake Forest

Sunday, September 28, 2008

(Sports Network) - Eric Kettani ran for a career-high 175 yards and backup quarterback Jarod Bryant scored the decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter, as Navy pounded out a 24-17 upset of No. 16 Wake Forest at BB&T Field.

The Midshipmen (3-2) finished with 292 rushing yards and attempted only four passes, three of which were completed, on the way to their second straight victory. Navy beat a ranked team for the first time since a 17-13 triumph over Virginia in 1985.

Navy starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada scored a pair of touchdowns before leaving the contest with a hamstring injury. He ran for 30 yards and his two completions in three attempts helped set up Navy's first two scores.

Riley Skinner threw for 270 yards with a touchdown for Wake Forest (3-1), but the last of his four interceptions set up the decisive score for Navy. The Demon Deacons, who committed six turnovers in all, were coming off a 12-3 win at Florida State last week and may have been looking ahead to their ACC matchup with Clemson in two weeks.

"You can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win the ballgame," said Skinner. "I missed some throws, overthrowing people and I tried to force some throws. I just really hurt our team tonight, which I feel bad about because our defense played well in the second half. They gave us chances to score and we didn't come away with the points we needed."

Wake Forest trailed 17-0 at halftime and cut its deficit to seven heading into the fourth quarter. After a Bryant fumble gave the Deacons possession at their own 45 with just under six minutes to play, Skinner gave the ball right back just three plays later when he was picked off by Emmett Merchant with 5:11 remaining.

Kettani then broke through the line for a 57-yard run on the next play, setting up Bryant's four-yard touchdown run for a 24-10 advantage with 3:45 to play.

Skinner followed by engineering a 13-play, 71-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown strike to fullback Mike Rinfrette with 1:14 left.

Navy recovered the ensuing onsides kick and ran out the clock.

"It was a phenomenal job of our kids fighting, scratching and crawling," said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. "Our defense played phenomenal today. Every situation that we put them in, our defense just stepped up."

Skinner's problems began on the very first drive when he was intercepted by Ross Pospisil on the third play from scrimmage. The Midshipmen took advantage and marched 51 yards on eight plays for the first score.

Kaheaku-Enhada's first pass was a 19-yard connection with Cory Finnerty to convert 3rd-and-5 early in the series, and he finished the drive with a four- yard scoring run for a 7-0 lead just over five minutes into the contest.

After a Wake Forest punt, Navy marched 74 yards on 13 plays for another score. Kaheaku-Enhada again made his only pass of the drive a successful one, as he hooked up with Tyree Barnes for 39 yards on 3rd-and-17 to set up a first down at the Wake Forest 16. Three plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, Kaheaku-Enhada scored on a three-yard run for a 14-0 lead.

Marshall Williams then fumbled deep in Navy territory after a reception on Wake Forest's next possession and Skinner was picked off by Wyatt Middleton to end the next Deacon series. The Middies turned the latter turnover into a 35- yard field goal by Matt Harmon for a 17-0 cushion with 4:13 to play in the half.

A 55-yard kickoff return by Devon Brown put Wake Forest in Navy territory to start the next series, but Skinner fumbled on the second play from scrimmage to halt that threat. Wake's next series also ended in a turnover, as Skinner was picked off by Ketric Buffin in the final minute of the half.

Navy then fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and Wake Forest took advantage when Josh Adams scored on a one-yard run. After a Navy punt, the Demon Deacons added a 23-yard Sam Swank field goal to pull within seven midway through the third period.

Game Notes:

Wake Forest managed just 43 yards rushing...Navy outgained Wake Forest 343-313 overall and held a decided advantage in time of possession, 36:43 to 23:11...D.J. Boldin hauled in eight passes for 116 yards in defeat...Wake Forest still leads the all-time series, 6-3.

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