Nov 3, 2001

Stats

By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Jason Anderson took a short pass from James MacPherson and went 64 yards for a touchdown with 1:42 left Saturday and Wake Forest ended a 17-game losing streak against Virginia, 34-30.

The Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-4 ACC), who hadn't won in this series since 1983, when Al Groh was their coach, scored three touchdowns in a wild fourth quarter, sending Groh's Cavaliers to their fifth straight loss.

Virginia (3-6, 2-5) had a chance to make one last drive after Anderson's play, but Bryson Spinner's fourth-and-9 pass from his own 21 was knocked away with 1:06 left, giving Wake Forest the win.

The Demon Deacons trailed 23-13 after Spinner's 7-yard pass to Michael McGrew on the second play of the fourth quarter. But the Demon Deacons used some trickery - and a lot of Fabian Davis - to take the lead.

First, Davis threw a 45-yard pass off a fake double reverse to Anderson, setting up Nick Burney's 19-yard scoring run two plays later.

Then, after Wake Forest held, Davis fielded Mike Abrams' punt at his own 38, slipped between two blockers and his 62-yard TD return making it 27-23 lead with 11:17 to play.

Wake Forest had a chance to pad its lead after Ed Kargbo-Okorogie intercepted a ball that slipped from Billy McMullen's hands, but when their offense stalled, Spinner drove Virginia back for the lead.

The 55-yard drive started with a 5-yard pass to Antwoine Womack, the tailback's first action since he was hurt in the season-opener, and ended with Alvin Pearman's catch and fight from 8 yards out for the TD.

Right before the play, Spinner hit McMullen for 20 yards, the receiver going high with Eric King draped all over him and pulling the ball in.

With Scott Stadium loud and spurring on the Cavaliers, the defense forced a third-and-7 for Wake Forest, but MacPherson found Anderson behind his man, and Anderson cut upfield, outracing three defenders for the TD.