Road Warriors: Demon Deacons Defeat Stanford to Earn Fourth Victory in Last Five Games

Courtesy GoDeacs.com

By Will Pantages

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Behind a complete team performance of more than 400 yards of total offense and four turnovers forced, the Wake Forest football team captured its fourth win in the last five games as the Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-2 ACC) downed the Stanford Cardinal (2-6, 1-4 ACC) inside Stanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon, 27-24. The contest marked Wake’s first-ever win in the state of California. 

Additionally, the Deacs have now started the 2024 season 3-0 on the road with wins over the Cardinal, UConn and NC State. This fall marks the sixth time in program history Wake Forest has accomplished this feat and just the second in the Dave Clawson era.

Individually, Saturday’s win featured junior running back Demond Claiborne registering more than 200 yards of total offense (127 rushing, 62 receiving, 15 return). Redshirt senior Hank Bachmeier was under-center for the Demon Deacons in his seventh-straight start for Wake and he finished the afternoon 20-of-31 for 245 yards and three touchdowns to three different Deacs. 

The passing attack was a balanced contribution from multiple Wake Forest players, as five different Demon Deacons caught three or more passes led by redshirt freshman Deuce Alexander’s

five catches for 33 yards. Redshirt senior wide receiver Taylor Morin and redshirt freshman wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. each recorded touchdown receptions along with redshirt sophomore running back Tate Carney. Carney and Mays’ receiving scores were the first of their respective careers. Additionally, Morin crossed the 200-reception mark for his career during the game.

Defensively, the Deacs were led by senior linebacker Branson Combs’ 12 tackles along with a sack.In total, Wake Forest recorded five tackles for loss and Saturday’s game at Stanford marked the 10th time in the Dave Clawson era that the Demon Deacons defense forced at least four turnovers in a game. 

The last time Wake Forest accomplished this feat was Sept. 17, 2022 against Liberty inside Allegacy Stadium. 

Redshirt sophomore Matthew Dennis kicker continued his solid season as he is now 14-of-16 after going 2-of-2 including the game-winning kick at Stanford. For his career, Dennis is now 40-of-50 and his 221 career points ranks him seventh all-time in program history. 

Following an open date next weekend, the Demon Deacons return home for their next contest on Friday, Nov. 8 against new ACC member California with kickoff set for 8 p.m. on the ACC Network. Tickets for the matchup with the Golden Bears can be purchased by clicking HERE. For questions or assistance, please contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1 or [email protected]. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Wake Forest won the toss and deferred to the second half. 
• The Demon Deacon defense got off the field quickly, forcing the Cardinal into a three-and-out on the first series of the game. 
• Wake’s first possession stalled out following a pair of penalties. 
• Following a sack by senior linebacker Branson Combs and senior defensive lineman Jasheen Davis, Davis once again got to the quarterback on the next play, forcing an errant throw that was intercepted by redshirt freshman defensive back Davaughn Patterson. 
• Redshirt senior quarterback Hank Bachmeier connected with redshirt freshman wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. just two plays later on a 30-yard touchdown pass to put the Deacs up 7-0 with 8:52 left in the first quarter.
  • The catch marked the first career touchdown for Mays. 
• The Deacs defense held strong to force a field goal attempt from Stanford that sailed wide left to keep Wake Forest up a touchdown. 
• Wake Forest marched 72 yards on nine plays, capped by a 39-yard touchdown reception by redshirt sophomore running back Tate Carney from Bachmeier to grab a 14-0 advantage with less than a minute left in the opening quarter.
  • The 39-yard reception was the longest of Carney’s career and his first receiving touchdown. 
• Stanford cut the Deacs’ lead in half with a touchdown drive to start the second quarter. 
• A strip-sack returned for a touchdown tied the game at 14-14 with 8:58 left in the first half. 
• Redshirt junior kicker Matthew Dennis connected on a 35-yard field goal to give Wake Forest the lead once again at 17-14 with 4:24 left in the second quarter.
  • On the drive, redshirt senior wideout Taylor Morin recorded his 200th career reception with a 4-yard catch across the middle. 
• Keeping momentum with the Deacs, redshirt freshman defensive back Rushaun Tongue jarred the ball loose for junior defensive back Nick Andersen to recover the fumble, giving Wake Forest the ball back on the first play of the Stanford drive. 
• Wake needed just five plays to find paydirt with Bachmeier tossing his third touchdown pass of the first half, finding Morin on an 18-yard reception to give the Deacs a 24-14 lead with 1:59 left in the half.
  • The touchdown reception marked the 20th of Morin’s career and moved him into a tied for seventh all-time and fourth in the Dave Clawson era. 
• A 40-yard field goal from Stanford trimmed the Wake Forest lead to 24-17 at the half. 
• The Wake Forest defense forced another three-and-out on their first drive on the field in the second half. 
• Redshirt sophomore defensive back Zamari Stevenson came up with the Deacs third turnover of the game with his first career interception to set Wake Forest up with a short field. 
• Wake Forest held on to a 24-17 going into the fourth quarter. 
• Stanford tied the game at 24-24 with 8:42 remaining. 
• After a stop from the Wake Forest defense, Morin broke free for a 36-yard punt return to set the Deacs up at midfield with 5:15 left in the contest.
  • Wake Forest would use the short field to ultimately notch the go-ahead points, as Dennis nailed a 23-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining. 
• The Demon Deacons closed out the afternoon in victory formation following Andersen’s first interception of the season. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

With the road win over the Cardinal as well as UConn and NC State earlier this season, the Demon Deacons start 3-0 on the road for the second time under Dave Clawson.

• 2024
  • 34-30 at NC State
  • 23-20 at UConn
  • 27-24 at Stanford
• 2021
  • 37-17 at Virginia
  • 40-37 (OT) at Syracuse
  • 70-56 at Army

Prior to 2021, Wake Forest had only accomplished this feat in 1944, 1946 and 1947.

STAGGERING STATISTICS
Traveling over 2,700 miles, Wake Forest is one of just nine teams to win this season when traveling 3+ time zones. Additionally in the 27-24 win, Wake Forest played in 31st such game this fall.

• Overall: 9-20
• Week 0: 0-2
  • Hawaii 35, Delaware State 14 (at Hawaii)
  • Georgia Tech 24, Florida State 21 (in Ireland)
• Week 1: 0-1
  • Michigan 30, Fresno State 10 (at Michigan)
• Week 2: 0-1
  • Washington 30, EMU 9 (at Washington)
• Week 3: 1-2
  • San Jose State 31, Kennesaw State 10 (at San Jose State)
  • Sam Houston 31, Hawaii 13 (at Sam Houston)
  • Indiana 42, UCLA 13 (at UCLA)
• Week 4: 1-3
  • Stanford 26, Syracuse 24 (at Syracuse)
  • Michigan 27, USC 24 (at Michigan)
  • Florida State 14, Cal 9 (at Florida State)
  • Oregon State 38, Purdue 21 (at Oregon State)
  • Hawaii 36, Northern Iowa 7 (at Hawaii)
• Week 5: 0-3
  • Rutgers 21, Washington 18 (at Rutgers)
  • Clemson 40, Stanford 14 (at Clemson)
  • CMU 22, San Diego State 21 (at CMU)
• Week 6: 2-3
  • Oregon 31, Michigan State 10 (at Oregon)
  • Penn State 27, UCLA 11 (at Penn State)
  • Miami 39, Cal 38 (at Cal)
  • Washington 27, Michigan 17 (at Washington)
  • Virginia Tech 31, Stanford 7 (at Stanford)
• Week 7: 1-3
  • Oregon 32, Ohio State 31 (at Oregon)
  • Penn State 33, USC 30 (at USC)
  • Notre Dame 49, Stanford 7 (at Notre Dame)
  • Pitt 17, Cal 15 (at Pitt)
• Week 8: 3-2
  • Oregon 35, Purdue 0 (at Purdue)
  • UCLA 35, Rutgers 32 (at Rutgers)
  • Cincinnati 24, Arizona State 14 (at Cincinnati)
  • NC State 24, Cal 23 (at Cal)
  • Maryland 29, USC 28 (at Maryland)
• Week 9: 1-2
  • USC 42, Rutgers 20 (at USC)
  • Indiana 31, Washington 17 (at Indiana)
  • Wake Forest 27, Stanford 24 (at Stanford) 
  • West Virginia at Arizona
  • Nevada at Hawaii

FROM COACH CLAWSON

“It was a really good team win. Our entire football team executed. The defense did a phenomenal job of getting turnovers, especially the one at the end. A lot of the turnovers set up our scores. I thought we got decent pressure on the quarterback and we got them off schedule a little bit. Offensively, we executed well enough and we took advantage of some short fields in the first half that were two of our touchdowns. And, guys made explosive plays. Micah Mays, Jr. made explosive plays, Tate – and obviously Demond (Claiborne) is a difference maker for us. There are plays where I think we are going to lose two yards and they turn into 12-and-14 yard plays. The play he made on the screen after the 1st-and-25 was huge. I thought our special teams contributed. Matthew Dennis hit his kicks. Our kicker was perfect and their kicker missed one and that proved out to be the difference in the game. I think you have to give credit to Stanford and Coach (Troy) Taylor after their last four games. That is a team that is still playing hard for their head coach and their staff. They are a good, physical football team. We made a bunch of mistakes. The penalties we had in this game were very uncharacteristic. The turnover, which led to a score, cost us. Football is an imperfect game and you don’t mind making those corrections after a win.” 

UP NEXT
Following an open date next weekend, the Demon Deacons return home for their next contest on Friday, Nov. 8 against new ACC member California with kickoff set for 8 p.m. on the ACC Network. Tickets for the matchup with the Golden Bears can be purchased by clicking HERE. For questions or assistance, please contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1 or [email protected]. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.