Deacs Clip Eagles, 23-13
Game Report Posted: October 26, 2008 15:53
In a tighter-than-expected game, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons held on for a 23-13 win over the Boston College Golden Eagles.
Wake won primarily on the strength of their defense and special teams. The Deacons held the Eagles running game in check, and garnered 8 sacks. Alex Frye also had a key interception. Freshman Pat Wheatley connected on all three of his field goal attempts.
The Deacons scored on a Josh Adams touchdown run in the first half to tie the score at 10 shortly before halftime.
In the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Brett Hodges broke a 13-13 tie by audibling out of a play, then scoring on a 57-yard option keeper, which proved to be the decisive touchdown. After forcing a turnover on downs, the Deacons tacked on another Wheatley field goal.
Wake Chases Away Wolfpack, 35-28
Game Report Posted: November 07, 2008 07:15
In a sloppy, mistake-filled game, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons topped the NC State Wolfpack 35-28.
Although the Wolfpack jumped out to an early lead on Darrell Davis's first of three touchdown catches on the day, Wake responded with a Kevin Harris 1-yard run. A long Wolfpack drive was foiled when Alex Frye picked off a Mike Glenn pass and returned it 80 yards, just short of the end zone. Brett Hodges scored on an option keeper to give Wake a 14-7 lead.
Davis added two touchdown catches in the second quarter to give the Wolfpack a 21-14 halftime lead.
Wake responded with an explosive third quarter. Hodges connected with Marshall Williams for a 16-yard touchdown pass. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Brandon Pendergrass returned a punt 68 yards for a score. After another turnover, Josh Adams ran for a 43-yard score.
In the fourth quarter, disaster nearly struck. As Wake sought to run out the clock, Hodges made an ill-advised pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by linebacker Nate Jarvis with under three minutes remaining. After Wake was forced to punt, NC State got the ball back with a final chance to force overtime. NC State repeatedly called for short passes, and the clock ran out on them.
Deacons Fumble Away Victory, Fall to Noles 28-21
Game Report Posted: October 06, 2008 05:41
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons had ample opportunity to upset the #6 Florida State Seminoles, but could not put them away in the second half.
The Deacons took a 14-7 lead into halftime. Josh Adams opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run. After the Seminoles tied the score, Wake's Brendan Pendergrass took a punt 65 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.
Wake was able to open up a lead in part due to an injury to FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel, who was sacked in the first series of the game by freshman defensive lineman John Holloway. Manuel missed the rest of the first half, but came back to throw three touchdown strikes in the second half.
Wake, after forcing a key punt with about 90 seconds left, had a chance to tie the game. But Pendergrass tried to return the punt, and instead, he fumbled the punt. When FSU recovered the muff, the game was effectively over.
Adding injury to insult, quarterback Riley Skinner suffered a shoulder injury midway through the fourth quarter, and is expected to miss about three weeks.
Deacons Edge Duke in Shootout, 37-35
Game Report Posted: November 12, 2008 06:59
In a wild shootout at Wallace Wade Stadium, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons beat the Duke Blue Devils 37-35 on a 38-yard Shane Popham field goal with a second left to play.
Moments before, the Devils seized a most improbable lead, with Zack Asack throwing a 91-yard bomb to Austin Kelly for a touchdown, giving the Devils a 35-34 lead with 18 seconds left. After the ensuing kickoff, Deacons quarterback Brett Hodges connected with Devin Brown on a 30-yard pass to the right sideline, then followed with a 23-yard pass to Casey Hill to set up the Popham field goal.
The Devils jumped out to a shocking 21-0 first half lead, behind another touchdown strike from Asack to Kelly, Randez James's return of a Josh Adams fumble, and a 52-yard run by Sheldon Bell on a reverse.
The Deacons struck back, behind three rushing touchdowns by Skinner, and another one from Adams, who had 161 yards on the ground for the game.
The game was tied 28-28 after three quarters. Wake added two short field goals by Popham to take a 6 point lead with less than two minutes left. Wake appeared to have the game clinched when Jeff Shelby recovered a fumble near midfield with little more than a minute left. Duke, however, forced Wake to punt, and after two unsuccessful plays, Asack struck gold by connecting on the 91-yard strike to Kelly. But it was not meant to be.
Cavs Conquer Deacons, 31-18
Game Report Posted: November 25, 2008 06:44
The Virginia Cavaliers jumped out to an early lead which they never surrendered, as they prevailed over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 31-18. Wake moved the ball consistently throughout the second half, but failed to put points on the board.
UVA jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead when Peter Lalich connected with Vic Hall for a 40-yard touchdown. After a Wake field goal, Lalich hit Staton Jobe on a quick slant, which he took 79 yards for a score. Wake rallied late in the first half when Riley Skinner hit Devon Brown on a 13-yard comeback route, but Lalich connected with Chris Dalton to set up a third UVA touchdown shortly before halftime.
Wake struggled to run the ball consistently, and fumbled three option pitch plays. Trailing throughout the second half, they opened up the playbook, and Skinner threw for a season high 382 yards. Wake struggled to move the ball in the red zone, however, and their cause was impaired by two shanked field goals by Shane Popham.
Deacons Shell Terps, 28-3
Game Report Posted: September 21, 2008 16:30
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons handily defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 28-3. For the Terps, the day started badly when quarterback Josh Portis was injured in the first quarter and did not return, and the offense struggled mightily behind backup quarterback Chris Turner. Wake was led by tight end Ben Wooster, who had a career-best 67 yards and two first-half touchdowns.
Wake relied upon a balanced passing attack, as quarterbacks Riley Skinner and Brett Hodges completed passes to ten different receivers and did not turn the ball over. Wake opened the scoring late in the first quarter when Skinner hit Wooster on an 11-yard slant route. After a Channing Schofield interception in the second quarter gave Wake excellent field position, Josh Adams ran in for a 13-yard score. Later in the half, after Hodges took over temporarily for a banged-up Skinner, he found Wooster on an 18-yard corner route.
The Deacons extended their lead in the third quarter, as Kevin Harris took a toss 54 yards for a touchdown.
On the day, Wake held Maryland to just 183 yards, and forced four turnovers. The Deacons held all-American wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey to just 20 yards on two receptions.
Tigers Top Deacons, 49-35
Game Report Posted: October 06, 2008 05:31
In a wild shoot-out, the Clemson Tigers defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 49-35. Clemson relied on an explosive big-play passing game and strong special teams, while the Deacons returned two fumbles for touchdowns.
The Deacons drew first blood, with Riley Skinner connecting with Marshall Williams for a touchdown. Clemson's Jacoby Ford returned the kickoff for a touchdown. After Clemson forced a three-and-out, Wake's Hunter Haynes forced a fumble on the punt, which was recoverd by freshman linebacker Dustin Thurman and returned for a touchdown. Yet, Ford answered once again with another touchdown- his second return of the day.
Wake added another defensive touchdown in the second quarter, as defensive end Mike Wilber returned a fumble for a score following a sack.
Although the Deacons largely contained Clemson's vaunted running game, they struggled to stop the Tigers through the air. Ford repeatedly burned the Deacons' secondary for three touchdowns, each on long pass plays.
Wake closed the scoring on the game when Casey Hill took a screen pass 78 yards for a meaningless touchdown in the closing minutes.
Tar Heels Top Deacons, 35-30
Game Report Posted: September 21, 2008 06:16
In a game that started out as a defensive battle, but gradually became a shootout, the North Carolina Tar Heels outlasted the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 35-30. The Deacons relied on the arm of quarterback T.J. Yates, who threw for 426 yards and 4 touchdowns against the beleaguered Deacons' secondary.
The Deacons opened up an early lead behind a 36-yard touchdown run from Josh Adams, who had his strongest game of the season, as he finished the day with 117 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Yates threw for three touchdowns before halftime. After a chip-shot field goal in the closing seconds of the half, the Deacons trailed 21-10.
The Deacons scored quickly at the start of the second half, as Riley Skinner connected with Casey Hill for a 53-yard touchdown. UNC maintained a steady lead throughout the second half, however, as Skinner was unable to consistently move the ball. The Deacons made a valiant comeback effort, led by cornerback Channing Schofield, who picked off a pass and forced a fumble in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Skinner, however, was unable to move the ball, and he was ultimately knocked out of the game with less than a minute remaining.
The Deacons also struggled to stop the Tar Heels' running game, as they allowed them to pick up several first downs on the ground in the closing minutes. The key play of the game occurred with approximately two minutes left, when Jamal Womble ran for a 64-yard touchdown on 3rd and 15.
Backup quarterback Brett Hodges threw a short curl to Hill , who eluded two tacklers and scored an 82-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left. UNC recovered the onside kick, however, and ran out the clock.
Deacons Sink Commodores, 33-18
Game Report Posted: September 19, 2008 05:54
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons topped the Vanderbilt Commodores, easily prevailing 33-18. Wake was led by Riley Skinner, who passed for 2 touchdowns.
Wake jumped out to an early lead when Skinner hit Marshall Williams on a quick slant, and Williams took it 54 yards for a touchdown. Skinner added another touchdown shortly before half, connecting with fullback Mike Rinfrette on a swing pass.
Wake added another touchdown in the third quarter, as Kevin Harris took an option pitch 32 yards for a score, giving the Deacons an insurmountable 30-10 lead. The Deacons focused more on grinding down the play clock in the fourth quarter. Although Vanderbilt added a meaningless touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the score more respectable, the outcome was never in doubt.
The Deacons added four field goals by freshman kicker Pat Wheatley.
Huskers Shuck Deacons, 38-27
Game Report Posted: September 16, 2008 01:58
In a back-and-forth game, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons lost to the #15 Nebraska Cornhuskers, 38-27.
Wake replaced nearly its entire starting defense from last year's 8-5 Humanitarian Bowl championship team. The Deacons' defense struggled, allowing Zac Lee to complete 25 of 37 passes for 286 yards.
Wake was led by quarterback Riley Skinner, who threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns. The Deacons were plagued by a series of dropped passes by their receivers, including four drops by Marshall Williams.
The Deacons took a 27-21 lead shortly after halftime when Josh Adams hauled in a swing pass from Skinner and scampered 8 yards into the end zone. Skinner also threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Harris in the closing seconds of the first half, and a 44-yard bomb to Devon Brown midway through the first quarter.
The Cornhuskers regained the lead after a short touchdown pass from Lee to tight end Ben Cotton. Later in the third quarter, a Skinner pass was intercepted by Rickey Thenarse and returned 38 yards for a touchdown, extending the Huskers' lead to 8 points. The Deacons were unable to respond, going scoreless in the fourth quarter.
One highlight for the Deacons was their pass rush, which garnered six sacks on the game. True freshmen John Holloway and Dustin Thurman had two sacks each.