WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina State can vouch for Wake Forest's commitment to improving what was last year's worst rushing offense in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

	Morgan Kane rushed for 147 yards and 3 TDs for Wake Forest.

Morgan Kane led the Demon Deacons' new-look rushing game with 147 yards and three touchdowns, powering Wake Forest to a 31-7 victory over N.C. State (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) on Saturday.

Kane, who came in averaging a league-leading 138 rushing yards, carried 31 times and scored on runs of 3, 1 and 6 yards as Wake Forest (2-1, 1-1 ACC) defeated the Wolfpack (3-2, 0-2) for just the second time in 12 games.

"We're going to make our living running the ball," said coach Jim Caldwell, whose Demon Deacons averaged just 65 yards rushing last year but had 266 on 66 carries Saturday. "People say it's more entertaining to throw the ball. I'm more interested in winning games than being entertaining."

What made Wake Forest's rushing success all the more impressive was that most of it came without right guard Sam Settar, who was sidelined by a sprained left knee and ankle just past the midway point of the first quarter. The injury meant that for the first time since 1997, the Wake Forest offense had to operate without Settar on the field -- a streak of 1,729 consecutive plays.

"Sam's been playing for us forever," said Caldwell, who added that he was unsure how much time the 6-foot-4, 320-pound senior would miss.

The Demon Deacons, who went up 14-0 and stretched it to 24-7 at halftime, also lost reserve tailback Kito Gary. The senior had 30 yards on seven carries before leaving early in the fourth quarter with a fractured left arm.

The Demon Deacons forced two turnovers and converted them into 14 points. Defensive end Kelvin Jones led Wake Forest's defensive effort by recovering two fumbles, both of which produced touchdowns, and getting one of the Demon Deacons' three sacks.

"It was just a blast out there," said Jones, who was credited with five tackles. "Things just worked out like we planned."

N.C. State was coming off a 31-point loss to Florida State a week earlier. Wolfpack quarterback Jamie Barnette had four passes intercepted and lost two fumbles in that game, and he had more problems against Wake Forest, fumbling three times and losing one.

"It can't be contagious," senior wide receiver Ryan Hamrick said of the Wolfpack's ball-control problems. "We have to look after one another and play as a group. We can't be pointing fingers."

N.C. State coach Mike O'Cain had vowed that his players wouldn't overlook the Demon Deacons, but that didn't appear to be the case.

"They forced us to play poorly. They attacked us every which way they could," O'Cain said. "This game can be very surprising and very humbling. Just when you think you've got things where you think you need them, somebody like Wake Forest comes along and shows you that you don't."

Any questions about how Barnette might respond to his troubles against the Florida State were answered when he fumbled on the Wolfpack's first two possessions against the Demon Deacons.

The first fumble set up a 3-yard scoring run by Kane that capped Wake Forest's first possession, a 53-yard drive in which the Demon Deacons set the tone by averaging more than 5 yards per rush.

Barnette's second fumble was recovered by Jones at the N.C. State 4. On the next play, Ben Sankey found tight end Willie Lam alone in the right corner of the end zone to make it 14-0 less than seven minutes into the game.

N.C. State responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 19-yard scoring pass to Rahshon Spikes, but the Wolfpack got no closer.

The Demon Deacons pushed the lead to 17 at halftime and to 24 early in the third quarter when Kane capped a 64-yard drive with a 6-yard burst up the middle.