Host Wake Forest became bowl eligible on its fourth try by handling reeling Maryland 31-10.

The Demon Deacons (6-5, 5-3 ACC) led just 10-7 in the third quarter when coach Jim Grobe opted to go for it on 4th down from the Maryland 2. Brandon Pendergrass bulled into the end zone for a 10-point lead.

Pendergrass finished with 125 yards rushing, and Tanner Price threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Wideout Chris Givens set Wake Forest’s single-season record for receiving yards, breaking the mark of 1,053 set by Ricky Proehl in 1989.

The bumbling Terps (2-9, 1-6 ACC) dropped their seventh straight under first-year coach Randy Edsall. They were hurt by two missed field goals, penalties, dropped passes and other miscues.

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown, starting for the injured Danny O’Brien (arm), ran for 110 yards. And right before halftime, he tied the game 7-7 with a 31-yard strike to Justus Pickett. But Wake dominated from that point.