Nov. 15, 2003

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes

By AARON BEARD
Associated Press Writer

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Cornell Brockington ran 182 yards and four touchdowns, and Dan Orlovsky threw for two scores to lift Connecticut to a 51-17 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday.

Brockington scored on runs of 1, 7, 18 and 50 yards for the Huskies (9-3), who dominated throughout and closed the regular season with five straight wins. Orlovsky completed 24 of 38 passes for 313 yards, and Shaun Feldeisen had 10 catches for 129 yards.

Cory Randolph threw for a touchdown just before halftime and ran for 93 yards for the Demon Deacons (5-6), who need one win to become bowl-eligible and secure a third straight winning season. They close the regular season at home against Maryland on Nov. 29.

Connecticut was 0-4 against teams from North Carolina coming into the game, losing 31-24 to North Carolina State last month on an interception return for a touchdown with 5 seconds left.

The Huskies' return to the Tar Heel state featured no such drama. They scored the game's first 24 points - including a touchdown on their first play from scrimmage - and led 34-14 at halftime. Wake Forest got no closer than 17 points after the break.

The Huskies finished with 536 total yards and converted 14 of 18 third downs to earn their first win in five tries against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. Wake Forest finished with 284 yards.

The Huskies are bowl-eligible for the first time in school history, but they don't have a guaranteed bid since they are an independent. UConn joins the Big East Conference next season.

Connecticut put on a dazzling show in the first quarter, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives and rolling to 239 total yards. They converted their first five third downs - all of seven yards or longer - and held the Demon Deacons to 60 yards.

Orlovsky completed 10 of 15 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the period. He found O'Neil Wilson for a 55-yard score 17 seconds into the game, and connected with Brandon Young for a 17-yard touchdown on the next drive for a 14-0 lead with 10:36 left.

The Huskies pushed the lead to 21-0 when Brockington skipped over one tackler and spun free from another for a 50-yard TD run with 5:42 left in the period.

Orlovsky's only mistake of the quarter came when he overthrew a wide open Jason Williams in the end zone late in the period. Matt Nuzie kicked a 24-yard field goal two plays later, pushing the lead to 24 just 3 seconds into the second quarter.

The Demon Deacons got on the board midway through the second quarter, getting an 8-yard scoring run from Cornelius Birgs with 9:28 left before halftime.

UConn answered with a 33-yard field goal from Nuzie to cap a 60-yard scoring drive. Then, after Allan Barnes intercepted Randolph's pass deep in Wake Forest territory, Brockington had a 1-yard touchdown run for a 34-7 lead with 2:05 left in the half.

The Demon Deacons closed the gap to 20 when Randolph connected with Jason Anderson for a 35-yard touchdown as time expired in the half.