SOUTH ROUNDUP : North Carolina State Rolls Past Wake Forest

Terry Jordan threw two touchdown passes and Greg Manior ran for two scores as No. 13 North Carolina State matched its most successful regular season with a 42-14 victory over No. 25 Wake Forest Saturday at Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack, 9-2-1 and 6-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, won nine games last season en route to the Peach Bowl, and the 1974 team under Lou Holtz won nine games before reaching the old Bluebonnet Bowl.

N.C. State secured second place in the ACC, enhancing its chances for a game in the bowl coalition. Six bowl scouts, including those from the Orange, Fiesta and Gator, attended the game.

Wake Forest (7-4, 4-4) has secured a spot in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La., on New Year’s Eve.

Wake Forest Coach Bill Dooley, whose team had a six-game winning streak snapped, is leaving the ACC as its winningest coach with 97 victories. He announced before the season that he will step down at the end of the year.

No. 21 North Carolina 31, Duke 28--Mike Thomas teamed with Bucky Brooks on a 20-yard touchdown pass play with 2:06 left as the Tar Heels rallied for an ACC victory over the Blue Devils at Durham, N.C.

The Tar Heels (8-3, 5-3) closed their best regular season since 1983 and were extended a Peach Bowl bid after the game to play Mississippi State on Jan. 2 at Atlanta.

The Blue Devils (2-9, 0-8) lost their 13th consecutive ACC game and 10th in a row to a ranked opponent.

Thomas, a red-shirt freshman who replaced ineffective starter Jason Stanicek early in the second quarter, completed 11 of 18 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns to Brooks.

South Carolina 24, Clemson 13--Freshman Steve Taneyhill completed 19 of 29 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns as the Gamecocks won at Clemson, S.C.

The victory, South Carolina’s first over Clemson in five games, capped an amazing second-half turnaround by the Gamecocks (5-6), who won five of their last six after voting to ask Coach Spark Woods to resign.

Clemson, which lost four of its last five, also wound up 5-6--its first losing season since 1976.

Virginia 41, Virginia Tech 38--Terry Kirby ran for 185 yards in 26 carries at Blacksburg, Va., to became the Cavaliers’ career rushing leader, and linebacker Randy Neal returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

Virginia (7-4) was outgained by more than 200 yards, 573 to 344, but had five interceptions and converted a blocked punt into a touchdown. The victory keeps alive the Cavaliers’ slim hopes for a bowl invitation.

Virginia Tech finished 2-8-1 with eight consecutive losses.

Memphis State 42, East Carolina 7--Steve Matthews threw for 335 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Tigers (6-5) at Memphis, Tenn. East Carolina finished 5-6.