The stat lines were decidedly in North Carolina State’s favor. But only one mattered, and it was on the scoreboard at the end of the game. Wake Forest stops its slide with a 34-30 come-from-behind win in Raleigh Saturday afternoon.
Coming Up Big in the Clutch
The game came down to the final drive on offense for Wake. The Deacs had been down 30-20 in the fourth quarter. In total transparency, this article had a different lede being written. A 32-yard touchdown run by Demond Claiborne cut the NC State lead to 30-27.
And then Wake had its moment. On fourth and three at the NC State 26-yard line, Head coach Dave Clawson could have opted for the game-tying field goal. Last week’s effort at that hit the left upright. Saturday Clawson determined he wanted his offense on the field.
Quarterback Hank Bachmeier connected with Deuce Alexander for six yards and the first down. On the next play, it was Bachmeier and Micah Mays, Jr. for 17 yards down to the NC State three-yard line. From there, it was Claiborne again for the rush up the middle and the game-winning touchdown. The score left NC State with only one minute left and no timeouts.
The win stops a three-game losing streak for the Demon Deacons, putting them at 2-3 on the season and 1-1 in ACC play.
It Wasn’t Close to Easy
The stats of the game would have you believe a different story. Perhaps none was more telling than the number of total plays in the game. For three-and-a-half quarters, NC State had nearly double the number of plays on offense that Wake did.
Even while losing their starting quarterback to a brutal-looking, but clean hit, the Wolfpack put up 419 yards of total offense. Wake’s offense had been relatively sufficient through the season’s first four games. The Demon Deacons managed 315 yards of offense, even while struggling to have sustained drives for long stretches. Bachmeier had what was far from his best performance statistically. He was 16 of 32 for 154 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Still, Clawson said he never lacked confidence in his sixth-year quarterback when deciding to go for it on fourth down late in the game.
Wake opened the scoring with a 31-yard Matthew Dennis field goal.
An Early Lead
The Wake defense did little to help itself. Davaughn Patterson was kicked out of the game for targeting on the first NC State series on offense. But it was a few plays later that altered the shape of the game. NC State quarterback Grayson McCall was leveled at the Wake 10-yard line by Quincy Bryant and fumbled the ball.
While McCall lay on the ground, Evan Slocum picked up the loose ball and ran it back 88 yards to the NC State two-yard line.
McCall had to be carted off the field, although he showed movement in his arms.
After the loss of a yard on offense, Bachmeier rolled to his right and hit running back Claiborne in the end zone for the 10-0 lead. It was a lead they could not hold because too much was being asked of a defense that has yet to play consistently well this season.
New NC State quarterback CJ Bailey hit four straight passes on the ensuing drive. After a couple of running plays, he hit former Deac Wesley Grimes with a 24-yard pass to the Wake 17-yard line. The drive stalled and NC State had to settle for a 35-yard field goal. But a scene was set with a Wake defense that was giving up a lot of yards after initial contact.
The Lead Evaporates
NC State settled for a 35-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3. They tied it at 10-10 in the second quarter when Bailey rolled to his right and then threw across his body to Keenan Jackson who had separated from defensive back Zamari Stevenson.
After another NC State field goal made it 13-10 Wolfpack Wake re-took the lead. A terrific catch by Horatio Fields between two defenders in the front of the end zone gave the Deacs a 23-yard touchdown and a 17-13 Wake. NC State added one more 37-yard field goal to make it 17-16 at the half.
While Wake held on to a slim lead, the stats were decisive in NC State’s favor. They had 271 total yards to 143 for Wake. Because of the disparity in total plays, NC State had 22:30 in time of possession compared to 7:30 for Wake.
In the third quarter, Wake added a 40-yard Dennis field goal to go up 20-16.
NC State Up By 10
But Bailey would lead the Wolfpack on 75-yard scoring drive that ended with a 20-yard touchdown run by Kendrick Raphael to the right side. The NC State lead was 23-20 at the end of three quarters.
NC State added to its lead on its first drive of the fourth quarter. Bailey threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Justin Joly, finishing a 62-yard drive that took four minutes and put the Wolfpack up 30-20.
Wake’s answer was perhaps it’s biggest of the year to this point. On fourth and nine and the NC State 48-yard line, there was no choice but to go for it, down two scores. Bachmeier scrambled and then found a seam up the middle for a 16-yard gain. On the next play, Claiborne got his 32-yard touchdown run to put the Deacs within striking distance again.
In the Clutch
After the defense stiffened and held NC State to a three-and-out series, the Wake Forest offense showed a confidence not usually warranted from a 1-3 team.
On fourth and five at midfield, Bachmeier read that NC State was in a Zero Cover defense meaning they were committing all-in on the blitz. He threaded the tight space of defenders in his face and completed a 17-yard pass to Alexander to keep the drive alive.
Later in the series, it was fourth and three completion to Alexander followed by the touchdown run by Claiborne to wrap up the game.
In the Moment
Wake Forest has not had the best run in recent years in one-score games and has already lost two of them this season. The mood of the team post-game was decidedly different on Saturday.
Clawson started his press conference by sending his best wishes to NC State’s McCall for recovery from the apparent head injury.
But then it was on to an obvious sense of relief for the win. “That was one of the best wins we’ve ever had,” he said. “Because of everything that’s happened up to this point.”
Clawson said when it came to going for it on fourth down on the last drive his mindset was, “If we’re going to win or lose the game, let’s win it right there.” He said he was worried about kicking the field goal and leaving NC State with too much time on the clock to kick a game-winner of their own. “It ended up working out. If the ball is tipped, I’m a dumb ass right now.”
He talked about how the game felt like a reward for a team that he said continued to work hard in the face of two tough losses in the last three games. And when it comes to finally coming out on the right side of a one-score game? “It’s about freaking time,” Clawson said. He said he was happy for the players but for himself, “I’m more relieved than happy right now. It’s been a tough stretch for us as coaches, too.
The team returns to Allegacy Stadium next week to face the resurgent Clemson Tigers. Last Word will have more post-game coverage of the win at NC State on Sunday afternoon.
