Winston-Salem, NC – In a back-and-forth contest that needed overtime to decide the outcome, the Wake Forest football team (2-2, 0-2 ACC) dropped a close contest to No. 16 Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 ACC) on Saturday afternoon inside Allegacy Stadium.
The Demon Deacons recorded nearly 450 yards of total offense, as senior running back Demond Claiborne finished the game with 21 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns while redshirt senior quarterback Robby Ashford completed 14 passes for 222 yards. Seven different Demon Deacons recorded a catch, led by redshirt senior tight end Eni Falayi’s four receptions for 42 yards.
Defensively, redshirt senior linebacker Quincy Bryant and redshirt senior defensive back Nick Andersen paced the Deacs with 11 tackles each apiece while redshirt senior linebacker Dylan Hazen recorded a forced fumble that was recovered by redshirt senior defensive back Karon Prunty.
The Demon Deacons will have their first road of the season next weekend when Wake Forest travels to Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 4 with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. on The CW.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Wake Forest defense held strong on the opening drive of the game, forcing the Yellow Jackets into an early punt.
- Georgia Tech took a 3-0 lead on a 35-yard field goal with 8:09 left in the first quarter.
- The Demon Deacon defense clamped down on Georgia Tech’s final possession of the first quarter, holding the Yellow Jackets inside their own territory before a punt downed inside the 10-yard line.
- Wake Forest broke through the defensive battle with a touchdown early into the second quarter, driving 66 yards in just six plays.
- The drive was highlighted by a 34-yard connection between redshirt senior quarterback Robbie Ashford and redshirt freshman wide receiver Chris Barnes to push the Deacs inside the Yellow Jackets’ 20-yard line.
- On the next play, senior running back Demond Claiborne burst past the Georgia Tech defense for a 16-yard gain before Ashford punched it in on a 4-yard scamper for the first touchdown of the afternoon.
- On Georgia Tech’s ensuing possession, the Yellow Jackets failed to convert on a 4th-and-1 attempt from Wake Forest’s 31-yard line, as redshirt senior linebacker Quincy Bryant burst through for a tackle for loss on Georgia Tech redshirt senior quarterback Haynes King.
- Wake Forest jumped out to a 14-3 lead with 5:53 remaining in the second quarter, as Claiborne dashed ahead for a 27-yard touchdown run.
- On the play prior to the touchdown, Ashford connected with redshirt senior wide receiver Sterling Berkhalter for 39 yards.
- The Deacs would take a 17-3 lead into the halftime break, as redshirt freshman Connor Calvert converted on a 24-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds remaining in the first half.
- The drive was jumpstarted by another 30-plus-yard completion by Ashford, this time for 37 yards to redshirt sophomore Micah Mays Jr.
- Wake’s lead grew to 20-3 on the first drive of the second half, as Calvert hit from 24 yards out once again.
- Wake Forest drove deep into Georgia Tech territory courtesy a 29-yard run from Ashford before a 14-yard connection between sophomore quarterback Deshawn Purdie and redshirt tight end Eni Falayi had the Deacs off the doorstep of adding points to the scoreboard.
- Georgia Tech cut into Wake Forest’s lead with a touchdown with 5:39 remaining in the third quarter with a 13-play, 78-yard touchdown drive.
- The Yellow Jackets added a second touchdown of the frame, cutting Wake Forest’s lead to 20-17 with 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
- The visitors knotted the score at 20 apiece with 9:45 left in regulation, connecting on a 19-yard field goal try.
- Wake Forest once again took back the lead at 23-20, as redshirt senior linebacker Dylan Hazen forced a fumble at Georgia Tech’s 23-yard line before a successful 29-yard field goal try.
- Georgia Tech, however, responded with a field goal of its own with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to send the contest into overtime.
- After the Yellow Jackets scored on their first overtime possession, Claiborne immediately responded with a 25-yard rushing touchdown before Wake Forest’s two-point try to win the game was unsuccessful.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
- Claiborne registered two touchdowns on Saturday afternoon, scoring from 27 yards out in the second quarter to give the Deacs a 14-3 advantage in the second quarter and again in overtime for 25 yards out.
- With the overtime TD, Claiborne surpassed Cade Carney for the most in the CFP era.
CFP Era Career Rushing TDs
| Rank | Name | Career Rushing Touchdowns | Games Played |
| 1. | Demond Claiborne (2022-Pres.) | 22 | 36 |
| 2. | Cade Carney (2016-19) | 21 | 42 |
| 3. | John Wolford (2015-17) | 19 | 35 |
| T4. | Sam Hartman (2019-22) | 17 | 48 |
| T4. | Kenneth Walker III (2019-20) | 17 | 20 |
| T6. | Matt Colburn II (2015-18) | 15 | 47 |
| T6. | Justice Ellison (2020-23) | 15 | 40 |
| 8. | Christian Beal-Smith (2019-21) | 14 | 30 |
| T9. | Kendall Hinton (2015-19) | 12 | 34 |
| T9. | Christian Turner (2021-22) | 12 | 26 |
STAGGERING STATISTICS
- With a four-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Robby Ashford in the second quarter, the Deacs have produced a rushing score in 47 of their last 54 games dating back to Dec. 12, 2020 at Louisville. The only games during this run without a rushing score were in Week 4 vs. Clemson in 2022, Week three at Old Dominion in 2023, week eight at Virginia Tech, week 11 vs. NC State, week three against Ole Miss in 2024, week 9 at Stanford and week 13 at Miami.
FROM COACH DICKERT
“We had the opportunity to win the game and we took it and if I had to do it again, I would make the same decision. Obviously, it’s not the result we wanted but I’m extremely proud of our team and their fight and toughness. One thing that I told the team all week was how tough Georgia Tech was, but we’re a pretty tough team too and I think we showed that. We were right there. We knew in the second half we’d get Georgia Tech’s best, and we did. I thought there were moments where we responded and stayed with it. We had an opportunity to go win a game, and we didn’t. There were a lot of big plays in the game, and that’s what it comes down to every week. I’m really proud of that locker room.” – Jake Dickert
UP NEXT
The Demon Deacons will have their first road test of the season next weekend when Wake Forest travels to Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on The CW.