WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nick Sciba kicked a 25-yard field goal -- his school-record-tying fifth of the game -- with 4:18 remaining, and Wake Forest beat Florida State 22-20 on Saturday night.
Cade Carney had a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Sam Hartman was 21 of 38 for 308 yards in his first start of the season.
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The Demon Deacons (6-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won a game that had three lead changes in the fourth quarter, snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series and bounced back from their record-setting 62-59 loss to Louisville.
James Blackman put the Seminoles (3-4, 2-3) up 20-19 with his 36-yard touchdown pass to Tamorrion Terry with 11:22 to play.
Florida State had the ball twice after Sciba's final field goal. Ricky Aguayo was wide left on a 50-yard field goal into the wind with 2:13 remaining. After the Seminoles forced a stop and got the ball back with 35 seconds left, Blackman fumbled the final two snaps. He recovered them both, but the last one ended the game.
Cam Akers rushed for 157 yards behind a beaten-up offensive line and scored two touchdowns, rushing 2 yards for a score before taking a slick crossing pass from Blackman 19 yards for another TD for the Seminoles.
Blackman finished 27 of 43 for 280 yards with the two scores for Florida State after coach Willie Taggart played it coy by declining to say whether Blackman or Alex Hornibrook would start against the Demon Deacons.
The second half was played in a persistent shower with Tropical Storm Nestor churning its way across central North Carolina.
THE TAKEAWAY
Florida State: The Seminoles sure didn't look like they have the second-worst total defense in the ACC, allowing 464.5 yards per game. They bowed up and held the Demon Deacons out of the end zone on 13 of their 14 possessions, holding them to field goals five times inside the 10. The offense just couldn't put one more score on the board when it needed one.
Wake Forest: Turns out the Demon Deacons could beat Florida State with a bunch of 3s and only one touchdown. A week after putting up 59 points in a losing effort against Louisville, the Demon Deacons struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone, settling for those five Sciba field goals in addition to the Carney touchdown. Their last three games have been decided by a combined eight points - but this one could have been a lot more lopsided.
UP NEXT
Florida State: Plays host to Syracuse on Saturday.
Wake Forest: Plays host to North Carolina State on Nov. 2.