ATLANTIC COAST : N.C. State Put in Line by Bender

Whenever North Carolina State is in a jam, it seems Geoff Bender always comes to the rescue.

Bender saved the No. 22-ranked Wolfpack one more time on Saturday, running for a touchdown and directing two turnover-aided drives in a 21-13 victory over Georgia Tech at Raleigh, N.C.

“I don’t think it’s any more than any other quarterback can do,” Bender said. “The coaches just do a good job of preparing and it’s just like practice out there. You get the look you want and run the play.”

When the Wolfpack offense failed to move behind injured quarterback Terry Harvey, North Carolina State, 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, went to Bender again.

Bender’s heroics started in 1991, when he came in and led the Wolfpack to victories over North Carolina, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. Last year, he led a comeback from a 21-0 deficit against Duke that fell one point short. Earlier this season he replaced Harvey in a game against Clemson and threw a touchdown pass in a 29-12 victory.

“He’s done it over and over and over,” N.C. State Coach Mike O’Cain said. “Talent-wise, there are quarterbacks out there much better than Geoff Bender. But for a young man who has poise and guts and character, I don’t think there are many like Geoff Bender.”

This time, Bender came in and tossed a 22-yard pass to Eddie Goines late in the first half to set up his eight-yard scoring run.

With N.C. State trailing, 10-7, at the break, Bender directed a pair of drives that ended in one-yard touchdown runs by Carlos King. The first score came after Harvey Middleton fumbled the second-half kickoff and Drea Major recovered.

King’s second score came with 7:55 left in the third quarter and followed a 37-yard interception return by Ricky Bell to the Georgia Tech three.

Georgia Tech fell to 1-3, 0-2.

Clemson 13, Maryland 0--The Tigers shut out the Terrapins for the second consecutive season as Antwuan Wyatt ran for 134 yards in an ACC game at Clemson, S.C.

Clemson (2-2, 1-2) scored all its points off three turnovers by Maryland (2-3, 1-3).

Wyatt, switched from receiver to tailback this week, became the first Clemson rusher to gain 100 yards this season.

North Carolina 28, Southern Methodist 24--The Tar Heels had trouble holding the ball and a big lead against SMU, but backup quarterback Mike Thomas’ 67-yard touchdown pass to Octavus Barnes sealed their victory in Dallas.

The 18th-ranked Tar Heels (3-1), who led, 21-3, in the third quarter, lost four fumbles, one at the Mustangs’ goal line late in the second quarter and another near midfield with 2:59 to play.

But SMU (1-4) wasted a final chance when a holding penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct foul on Coach Tom Rossley forced the Mustangs into a first-and-40 from their 21 with no timeouts left.

The drive ended on downs and North Carolina, which was coming off a 31-18 loss to Florida State, ran out the clock in an unimpressive victory.

Wake Forest 33, Army 27--Rusty LaRue threw for 263 yards, going to 12 different receivers, and scrambled 14 yards for the winning touchdown as the Demon Deacons (2-3) survived Army’s 386-yard ground attack and won at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Army fell to 1-3.

Virginia 37, William & Mary 3--Symmion Willis completed 11 of 15 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for one as the Cavaliers (3-1) rolled to victory over the Division I-AA Tribe (4-1) at Charlottesville, Va.

Duke 47, Navy 14--Spence Fischer set a Blue Devil record by completing 23 of 27 passes as Duke (5-0) won in Annapolis, Md. Fischer, who threw for 286 yards, completed 85 percent of his passes against Navy (0-4), breaking the single-game mark of 81.8 percent, set by Ben Bennett in 1983 and tied by Steve Slayden in 1986.