Courtesy GoDeacs.com
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Coach Dave Clawson, his staff and Wake Forest’s student-athletes earned a tough road win in the Demon Deacons regular season finale against Boston College on Saturday, 41-10. The victory clinched the program’s second Atlantic Division title and first since 2006.
Turnovers, stifling defense and excellent offensive execution led No. 18 Wake Forest (10-2, 7-1 ACC) to its fourth road win, seventh Atlantic Coast Conference victory and 10th overall victory this season. Boston College (6-6, 2-6 ACC) was limited to just 19 passing yards, converted just 1-of-10 third downs and the Demon Deacon defense forced three turnovers on Saturday.
Wake Forest earned its trip to Charlotte on Dec. 4 offensively by quarterback Sam Hartman throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for another. Additionally, wide receiver A.T. Perry broke the school record for touchdown receptions in season with 13 as he hauled in a pair on Saturday.
Finally, Wake Forest’s historic offensive season continued on Saturday as the Demon Deacons crossed the 500-point mark for the season. The Demon Deacons are now just the third ACC member institution to achieve that mark in a single season and just the second in the College Football Playoff Era.
Complete ticket information, fan details and all things ACC Championship can be found here. The Demon Deacons are set to face Coastal Division champions Pitt at 8:00 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium with the game set to air on ABC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wake Forest found the scoreboard first as Sam Hartman scrambled for a seven-yard touchdown with 8:31 left in the first quarter.
On their second offensive possession, the Demon Deacons drove the ball 71 yards on 10 plays. highlighted by a trio of completions. Hartman found A.T. Perry twice for 41 yards and Jaquarii Roberson for seven yards on 3rd and 4.
After forcing back-to-back three and outs to open the game, Wake Forest’s defense forced their 25th turnover of the season as Ja’Sir Taylor tallied his second interception of the season, giving the Deacs possession at their own 40-yard line.
Just four plays later, Hartman connected with Perry on a 33-yard touchdown through the air to increase Wake Forest’s lead to 14-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Boston College answered on its ensuing drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to cut into Wake Forest’s lead (14-7) with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
Wake Forest pushed their lead back to double digits (17-7) as Nick Sciba split the uprights on a 45-yard field goal two minutes into the second quarter.
Facing a 4th and 3, Hartman found Brandon Chapman for a four-yard gain to continue the drive.
The Demon Deacon defense made a goal line stand on the ensuing Boston College offensive drive, holding the Eagles to a 23-yard field goal as Wake Forest held a 17-10 lead with seven minutes left in the first half.
Two minutes later, Wake Forest regained possession at Boston College’s 19-yard line after Malik Mustapha recovered a fumble forced by Rondell Bothroyd.
After a Wake Forest interception, the Demon Deacon defense stepped up again on Boston College’s next offensive drive as Mustapha (tackle for loss) and Luiji Vilian (sack) forced Boston College’s third punt of the game at the two-minute mark of the second quarter.
The Deacs went into the intermission break with a 24-10 lead as Hartman found Perry on a 10-yard pitch and catch in the end zone with 10 seconds remaining.
Wake Forest increased their lead to double digits for the second time with a 10-play, 50-yard drive to end the first half.
After Wake Forest’s defense opened the second half forcing back-to-back punts, Sciba connected on his second field goal of the game to increase Wake Forest’s advantage to 27-10 at the halfway point of the third quarter.
The Deacs started in Boston College territory after a facemask penalty on Taylor Morin’s 18-yard punt return.
The Demon Deacons extended their lead to 34-10 as Christian Turner powered his way from three yards out.
A 32-yard catch from Roberson moved the Demon Deacon offense to Boston College’s three-yard line on the play prior to Turner’s rushing score.
On the next play, Mustapha tallied Wake Forest’s second interception of the game to give the ball right back to the Deacs with 2:17 left in the third.
Hartman found Blake Whitehart in the back of the end zone to increase Wake Forest’s lead to 41-10 with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
The Deacs found the end zone for the fifth time of the contest thanks to a 14-play drive, their longest of the game.
The Demon Deacons forced their fourth punt of the second half following the score as Wake Forest regained possession of the ball with 9:41 left. The Deacs maintained possession for the remainder of the game to clinch the 41-10 victory in the regular season finale.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
One day after he signed a contract extension with Wake Forest, Dave Clawson led his Demon Deacon football team to the 2021 Atlantic Division title Saturday afternoon in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Wake Forest will represent the division in the 17th Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Wake Forest, who won the 2006 ACC Championship title, holds the unique distinction of being the only North Carolina school to claim the title in the Championship era. Additionally, the Demon Deacons are the only program from the state to qualify for multiple league title games and is the only North Carolina school to win the Atlantic Division.
Wake Forest is one of six schools to earn multiple berths in the ACC Championship Game and the only school to do so from the state of North Carolina.
Coach Clawson and his staff led the Demon Deacons to a 10-2 record this regular season, which marks the second time in program history that it has won double-digit games. Additionally, this season is the first time in program history that Wake Forest has won seven league games.
STAGGERING STATISTIC
Wake Forest became just the third ACC member institution to score 500 or more points in a single season (Florida State and Clemson) and just the second in the College Football Playoff Era (Clemson):
723 – Florida State (2013)
664 – Clemson (2018)
563 – Florida State (1995)
536 – Florida State (1993)
522 – Clemson (2020)
515- Wake Forest (2021)
513 – Florida State (1992)
511 – Florida State (2000)
Additionally, Wake Forest became just the 82nd team in the college football modern era (Post-WWII) to cross over the milestone of 500 points scored in a single season.
Research above credited to Director of Athletic Communications, Andrew Kovar.
Wake Forest is currently averaging 42.9 points per game, which would be another school-record setting season. Coach Dave Clawson and Warren Ruggiero averaged 36.0 ppg. in 2020, 35.3 ppg. in 2017, 32.8 ppg. in 2018 and 31.8 ppg. in 2019.
Wake Forest and Clemson are the only schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference to average over 30 ppg. over the past four years. The Demon Deacons are well on pace to achieve this mark again, while the Tigers are averaging just 26.5 ppg.
FROM COACH CLAWSON
“I’m so proud of our entire program. We knew what was at stake. This was as big of a game as we have coached and played in. We knew what we had to do across the board. The effort, the execution, all three phases. The defense played one of their best games of the year in our most critical game of the year. Third down stops. Defended the pass game. We got turnovers. Offensively, we put another 40 spot on the board and our special teams were critical. We covered kicks, got some nice returns to really win the field position battle.
“Just a great overall effort by our entire program. We’re thrilled to be the Atlantic Division Champions, but we have a game next week and our goal is to be ACC Champions, so obviously we’re going to have a huge game against an excellent Pittsburgh football team.”
UP NEXT
Wake Forest is set to represent the Atlantic Division in the 2021 ACC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
The Demon Deacons are set to face Coastal Division champions Pitt at 8:00 p.m. ET with the game set to air on ABC. For tickets and more information on the game, visit GoDeacs.com/ACCChampionship.
