By Pete Iacobelli

AP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C. — At last, Clemson looked like the powerhouse it was supposed to be this season. Kobe Pace ran for a career-high 191 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers won their 13th straight over No. 13 Wake Forest, delaying the Demon Deacons’ run to the ACC Atlantic title with a 48-27 victory Saturday.

Will Shipley added 112 yards  on the ground with two TD runs and also threw a 2-yard jump pass TD to Davis Allen.

“For us, offensively, it’s our best game of the year,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said.

The Tigers (8-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) played up to their preseason billing against Wake Forest (9-2, 6-1), which has not won at Death Valley since 1998. Clemson, which won its 34th straight at home, also kept its hopes of a seventh straight trip to the ACC title game alive with the stunning rout of Wake Forest (9-2, 6-1). It was the Tigers’ first win over a ranked opponent in four tries this season.

The Demon Deacons entered the game averaging 44.7 points and 498 yards a game. They left with a season low in points and had only 36 yards rushing.

With time running out, chants of “Over-Rated,” rang out through Death Valley. Wake Forest remains in the divisional driver’s seat and can make its first championship game appearance in 15 years by beating Boston College on Saturday.

“You tell me we’re 9-2 and going to Boston College playing for an ACC championship,” Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman said. “I can’t tell you I wouldn’t be excited about it.”

Clemson will seek its seventh straight win over rival South Carolina on Saturday night.

UNC 34, Wofford 14

CHAPEL HILL (AP) — Playing without quarterback Sam Howell, North Carolina ran for 305 yards to beat Wofford, becoming bowl eligible in the process.

Howell, who was a game-time decision, missed the first game of his career due to an upper-body injury suffered against No. 20 Pittsburgh last week. Jacolby Criswell started for the Tar Heels and threw for 125 yards, adding 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Freshman Drake Maye took over after halftime and finished with 89 yards.

The Tar Heels (6-5, 3-4 ACC) never trailed in a Senior Day win where they held the Terriers (1-10, 0-8 Southern Conference) to 242 total yards and rode a ground game that scored three times.

Davidson 45, Drake 14

DAVIDSON (AP) — Aris Hilliard ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns and Davidson clinched its second straight Pioneer Football League title.

Davidson (8-2, 7-1) finished tied with San Diego atop the standings, but Davidson holds the tiebreaker advantage via its 28-16 win over the Toreros on Sept. 25. The Wildcats will learn their FCS playoff fate during today’s selection show.

Western Carolina 52, VMI 24

LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Rogan Wells threw for 408 yards and four touchdowns as Western Carolina handed VMI its third straight loss after breaking into the FCS rankings.

The victory gave the Catamounts three straight Southern Conference road victories in a season for the first time since 1984. Western Carolina (4-7, 4-4) took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter that included Wells’ short touchdown pass to Owen Cosenke and a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown by Daquan Patton.

Seth Morgan threw two touchdown passes for VMI (6-5, 4-4) in the first quarter.

East Carolina 38, Navy 35

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Owen Daffer drilled a 54-yard field goal as time expired to give East Carolina the victory over Navy.

Maquel Haywood scored on a 98-yard kickoff return that gave Navy (2-8, 2-5 American) a 35-27 lead with 8:33 remaining.  East Carolina’s Holton Ahlers answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Snead about three minutes later to tie it. East Carolina (7-4, 5-2) let the clock run before the game-winning kick.

Marshall 49, Charlotte 28

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Rasheen Ali rushed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and Marshall beat Charlotte to remain in the race for the Conference USA East Division title. Marshall (7-4, 5-2) will face division leader Western Kentucky (7-4, 6-1) Saturday with the winner earning a trip to the C-USA championship.

Chris Reynolds was 19-of-34 passing for 176 yards and three scores for Charlotte (5-6, 3-4).

Elon 43, Rhode Island 28: Jaylan Thomas ran for 135 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns and Elon beat FCS No. 25-ranked Rhode Island.  Elon (6-5, 5-3 Colonial Athletic Association) finishes with its first winning record since 2018. Rhode Island’s (7-4, 4-4) two-game win streak came to an end.

Gardner-Webb 35, NC A&T 27: Bailey Fisher threw three touchdown passes and Gardner-Webb scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to defeat N.C. A&T.

Trailing 20-7 early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs (4-7, 2-5 Big South) scored four consecutive touchdowns. North Carolina A&T (5-6, 3-4) was held to 168 yards.

NC Central 34, Delaware State 28 (OT): Davius Richard tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Latrell Collier in overtime as North Carolina Central survived. Delaware State forced overtime when Jared Lewis connected with Trey Gross for a 16-yard TD with 24 seconds left in regulation.

Richard completed 16 of 27 passes for 150 yards with an interception for the Eagles (6-5, 4-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). Lewis was 20-of-34 passing for the Hornets (5-6, 2-3) for 202 yards.

Robert Morris 20, Campbell 17 (OT): Nick Bisceglia kicked a 25-yard field goal to give Robert Morris a 20-17 overtime victory over Campbell. After Bisceglia’s kick, Isaac Riffle missed a 24-yard field goal to end the game.

Campbell (3-8, 2-5 Big South) had a chance to win the game in regulation before being thwarted on the final play of regulation that involved three field goal attempts. Campbell reached the Colonials 17 with two seconds remaining but  Riffle missed on a 34-yarder. An offsides penalty gave him another chance 5 yards closer. He kicked it through the uprights, but Campbell was called for a facemask penalty. Then  Riffle’s 44-yard attempt went wide right and the teams went to overtime.