WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- If Virginia football coach Al Groh had a wish list going into the Cavaliers' game with Wake Forest, it would have included an uneventful afternoon in the kicking game.

Two missed field goals had undermined Virginia in an overtime loss to Miami one week earlier, but nobody could blame a 28-17 loss to Wake Forest on new place-kicker Robert Randolph.

Randolph, a true freshman from Naples, Fla., had a 33-yard second-quarter field goal that was Virginia's lone score before a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

Randolph took over for Yannick Reyering, a former All-ACC soccer player who was 6-of-10 on field goals before Saturday. Reyering was 3-of-7 from beyond 30 yards.

"I was actually informed earlier in the week," Randolph said. "I had been taking all the reps with the first [field-goal] team."

Redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein handled kickoffs for the fourth straight game.

Randolph said he had a scholarship offer from Division I-A New Mexico State last year and took a recruiting visit to the campus in Las Cruces, N.M., but was headed to Division I-AA Georgetown before Virginia invited him to walk on.

"When I was recruited, I was told I would have a chance to play," said Randolph, who earlier had kicked a field goal against North Carolina after an injury to Reyering.

• Another true freshman, scholarship punter Jimmy Howell, averaged 42.8 yards on six punts.

Deja vu

Fifth-year safety Byron Glaspy, who fell down on the touchdown pass that forced overtime in the UVa-Miami game, was the victim again Saturday on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Wake quarterback Riley Skinner to Devon Brown.

Glaspy fell down again Saturday but Brown already had gotten past him.

"I felt like I timed it right," Glaspy said.

Virginia connection

Brown, a redshirt freshman, played running back at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Va., and was the 2006 Northern Region Offensive Player of the Year after scoring 29 touchdowns.

Three current Stone Bridge players are committed to Wake Forest, including twins Patrick and Zach Thompson, son of Stone Bridge coach and former UVa defensive lineman Mickey Thompson.

Odds 'n' ends

For the fifth game in a row, Virginia's opponent scored on its first offensive series as Wake Forest benefitted from a short field after UVa's Keith Payne was penalized for a late hit on a punt return.

Virginia next week

After playing seven games in seven weeks, the Cavaliers (5-5 overall, 3-3 ACC) will have their second open date of the season. They will return to action Nov. 22, when Clemson visits Scott Stadium. The Tigers (4-5, 2-4) were 41-27 losers Saturday at Florida State and will entertain Duke next Saturday.