HELLO FROM WAKE FOREST
WINSTON-SALEM - Just arrived at here at Wake Forest and let me be the first to tell you, this is by far the best football weekend of the year so far … at least for me. The weather is absolutely perfect and there were more good looking girls here wearing black and gold than I’ve seen in Clemson or Chapel Hill. I was absolutely amazed by the scenery walking up to this gorgeous setting here at Wake. The reconstruction here at Wake is fantastic. This is going to be a very, very good day.
I’m off to get some grub and then am headed to the field to try and grab some pics so as to accurately display just how good looking everything here is.
Back in a few.
UPDATE AT 3:34 PM
We’re back. Just finished watching Maryland beat Clemson and UVA beat the Heels. This is exactly why the ACC gets ripped to shreds. The teams that lost to William & Mary and barely beat James Madison in overtime just beat North Carolina and Clemson respectively.
LAUGH ON AMERICA. LAUGH ON.
UPDATED AT LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER
On the second play of the game, Wake QB Riley Skinner is sacked and fumbles. The Wolfies recover it at the Wake 33.
After competing two third-and-longs, State QB Russell Wilson finds tight end George Bryan in the end zone to make it 7-0 with 11:12 left to play. However, there’s one thing to keep an eye on - NCSU had a very difficult time rushing the ball in that brief series and had to rely on converting two long third downs. If the Wolfies can’t run the ball, this game will be much, much closer than I thought it would be.
UPDATED AT 2:55 LEFT IN FIRST QUARTER
Wake had a chance to tie the game with a touchdown of its own, but a holding penalty and a pass that was just a tad too high for the open receiver in the end zone made the Deacs settle for a field goal, which they made.
That made it 7-3 in favor of N.C. State with 6:45 left in the first. It looks as though neither team is going to be able to run the ball with much effectiveness.
However, the Wolfpack came right back with a long drive of their own and once again they completed a third-and-long to keep the drive going. Then two plays later, the Wolfpack converted a third-and-10 to give them four conversions on four third downs, and none of them have been shorter than seven yards.
Anyway, faced with their fifth third down, Wake finally held NCSU and the Wolfies wound up kicking a 30-yard field goal with 2:55 left to give N.C. State a 10-3 lead.
END OF FIRST QUARTER, NCSU 10, WAKE FOREST 3
SOME SUPERLATIVES
Best Catch - A Wake Forest fan in the third row beside the end zone with the scoreboard, caught a Russell Wilson pass in the first quarter. The fan was wearing a straw hat, but he didn’t let that impede his vision to make the play.
I have to admit that I’m disappointed in the crowd at the game. I thought there’d be more fans from both sides. This game isn’t even close to being sold out. A shame. Perfect weather and a big game for both teams.
NUMBER OF NCSU DROPS SO FAR - 2
UPDATED AT 10:45 LEFT IN THE SECOND QUARTER
Just some 90 seconds into the second quarter, the Deacs tied the game at 10-10 on Skinner touchdown pass. It was Skinner’s 43rd TD pass of his career, which is one shy of the school record.
On NCSU’s ensuing drive, the Deacs picked up two personal foul calls, one of which was a bogus late-hit call. After one play, the Wolfpack had it at Wake’s 49 because of 30 yards in penalties. However, with a couple of makeup calls, NCSU faced a first-and-35 at its own 36.
On the very next play, Josh Bush intercepted Wilson to end Wilson’s NCAA record of 379 passes without an interception. It was a bad pass by Wilson, who threw it deep, way off line and very wobbly into double coverage. The INT return was some 60 yards. The INT came with 11:20 left in the first half.
But Wake can’t take advantage of the good fortune as it attempts a 35-yard field goal that hits the left upright for a missed attempt.
UPDATED AT 2:00 LEFT IN THE SECOND QUARTER
After the missed field goal, Wolfpack RB Toney Baker fumbled at his own 26. But, five players later, NC State’s Leroy Burgess intercepted a Skinner pass and returned it 40 yards to the Wake 40. That was two straight trips inside the NC State 20 and the Deacs came away with no points.
Speaking of no points, the Wolfies had to punt after the INT.
Wake wound up finally booting a field goal. The Deacs had three straight trips inside the N.C. State 20 and got only three points.
HALFTIME - WAKE 13, N.C. STATE 10
With a break in the action, now’s a good time for our ever popular NAMES OF THE GAME
Wake Forest - Cyhl Quarles, Nikita Whitlock, Dominique Midgett, Gelo (pronounced Jello) Orange.
NCSU - Jack Diaz-Cobo, Ulysses Tuft, Natanu Mageo.
SOME STATS AT HALF
Wilson 10-22-1 for 100 yards; Skinner 17-27-2 for 200 yards
NCSU 7 penalties for 80 yards; WF 4 for 50
SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS
I was just corrected and told that it’s not the Dixie COUNTY Fair next to the stadium but rather the Dixie CLASSIC Fair. …
Also, have any of you guys ever had a puppy that chews everything in site when you’re not around. My Maggie is now chewing the freaking baseboards. I bought some of that spray that’s supposed to taste real bad to the dogs and applied it to the wood. Hasn’t helped, but I keep getting it in my mouth after it gets on my hands. I swear, that’s happened six times already where it’s gone from the bottle, to my hands and somehow wound up on my lips. It really does taste awful, but apparently not to her. Lord only knows what my house is going to look like when I get back from this game.
Getting ready for the start of the third quarter. I’ll keep posting little tidbits mixed in with what’s happening on the field.
NCSU DROP TRACKER - 3
UPDATED WITH 9:57 LEFT IN THE THIRD QUARTER
Wake’s first drive to start the second half didn’t result in anything other than a punt.
A couple of us here in the press box are trying to guess the crowd and we’re saying 30,000 at best.
NCSU punts. Yawn.
NCSU DROP TRACKER - 4 with 9:57 left in third.
UPDATED WITH 4:57 LEFT IN THE THIRD QUARTER
While sitting here, I’m debating on whether or not I want to venture the 90 minutes east to see U2 in concert tonight at Carter Finley, which is the home of the Wolfpack.
Well, the Deacs are showing why they were actually favored in this game and why I should never bet (for entertainment purposes only of course) on any game that ever involves a team from the ACC. The Wolfpack were getting points and now trail 20-10 after Skinner threw his school-tying record touchdown pass with just under seven minutes to go.
However, N.C. State came right back and scored a touchdown thanks to the legs of Wilson, who scored on a 14-yard run. He had a couple of scramble plays that truly showed his athletic ability. He also made some very nice passes. If he was just a few inches taller, he’d have a real future in the NFL and probably be a first-round draft pick in a year or two.
Wake leads 20-17 with 4:57 left in the third.
END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, WAKE 20, NCSU 17
UPDATE WITH 10:05 LEFT IN GAME
Skinner just through a beautiful 25-yard touchdown pass to give Wake Forest a 27-17 lead. It was also the 45th touchdown pass of his career, which is an all-time school record. It was one of the better passes I’ve seen thrown this year.
But this game is far from over. Wilson has shown a lot in the third quarter and he has all the capability to score quickly.
UPDATE WITH 4:57 LEFT IN GAME
Wake had N.C. State stopped on a third-and-goal from the 10 and the Wolfies were all set to kick a field goal to try and cut the lead to 7. But after the play, Wake’s Boo Robinson was called for a personal foul when he got into a scrape with an NCSU player. That gave the Wolfies a first down at the Wake 5. The next play, NCSU scores to cut the lead to 27-24 instead of what would have been 27-20.
But Wake returned the kickoff all the deep into NCSU territory and had it first-and-goal at the 1, but two running plays and a false start made Wake have to settle for a field goal to make it 30-24. So many blown chances for the Deacs. This game shouldn’t be this close.
UPDATE WITH 2:02 LEFT IN THE FOURTH
NCSU has it first-and-10 at the Wake 39 after Wilson just made an incredible play. He avoided two shoulda-been sacks and began running before flipping a shovel pass on the run for a gain of 21 yards. NCSU has no business being in this game, let alone about to take the lead, but that’s what’s probably going to happen. Wake can’t stop them right now.
And just as soon as I type that, Wilson throws his second INT of the game as he overthrew a receiver in the end zone and had it picked off.
UPDATE WITH 1:27 LEFT TO PLAY
Josh Adams, a running back for Wake, took a third down screen pass that should have been for a gain of 1 or 2 yards and kept fighting and broke several tackles to get the first down and end the game. Had DeAndre Morgan made the tackle like he should have, the Wolfpack would have gotten the ball back with about a minute left in the game. Instead, the Deacs are going to leave victorious.
It was a very poor performance by the NCSU defense. I kept telling people that just because NCSU statistically had a good defense didn’t mean it had one. You can’t go by what you do against Gardner-Webb and Murray State.
FINAL
WAKE FOREST 30, NCSU 24