Wake Forest Demon Deacons at NC State Wolfpack

Claiborne scores three TDs and Wake Forest rallies past NC State 34-30

Claiborne ran for 136 yards on 20 carries with two rushing TDs and one scoring catch. Hank Bachmeier threw two touchdown passes as Wake Forest (2-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) snapped a three-game losing streak.

“Just kind of savor this one,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “I’m tired, I’m shot and I’m really, really proud of our football team. That was special.”

The Demon Deacons converted two fourth-down plays on a 13-play, 65-yard winning drive. Branson Combs intercepted a pass on NC State’s next possession to seal the outcome.

“Gutsy call by them,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said of the Demon Deacons' final-possession gamble. “They made plays and we didn’t.”

CJ Bailey threw two touchdown passes in relief, but NC State (3-3, 0-2) remained without back-to-back wins this year. The Wolfpack lost starting quarterback Grayson McCall when he absorbed a vicious hit in the first quarter and was carted off the field.

It was the second time this year that Bailey replaced McCall, but this time he couldn’t steer the Wolfpack to a comeback victory like he did Sept. 14 against Louisiana Tech.

Bachmeier's numbers were modest, as he completed 16 of 32 passes for 154 yards, but he came up clutch.

“It wasn’t his best statistically game, but he’s the winning quarterback,” Clawson said.

Wake Forest cut into a 30-20 hole when Claiborne ran 32 yards for a touchdown with 8:43 to play. The last drive was full of drama, with Clawson opting to forego a potential tying field goal on the second fourth-down situation.

“My mindset is we’re going to win or lose the game, let’s do it there,” he said. “Today it happened to work out.”

Wake Forest’s Evan Slocum returned the fumble 88 yards to the N.C. State 2-yard line on the play where McCall was injured. The Demon Deacons converted on Bachmeier’s 3-yard toss to Claiborne for a 10-0 lead a little more than six minutes into the game.

McCall exits again McCall scrambled for a gain of about 9 yards before he was hit by multiple Wake Forest defenders including Quincy Bryant, Dylan Hazen and Nick Andersen. While players headed to the other end of the field in pursuit of Wake Forest’s fumble return, NC State medical personnel rushed onto the field as play continued.

McCall, who hadn’t played since exiting with a first-half injury against Louisiana Tech, is in his first season with the Wolfpack after transferring from Coastal Carolina, where he had a record-setting career. He lifted his head briefly when he was on the cart.

“Once he came to, he was talking,” Doeren said.

McCall, whose injury last month was unspecified but who has a concussion history, was back as the first-string quarterback Saturday.

The Takeaway Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons didn’t flinch despite a series of frustrating losses, including close defeats to Virginia and Louisiana. Balanced offense certainly helped with 161 rushing yards and 154 yards in the air.

NC State: The Wolfpack suffered its first loss at home this season. This result marked only the second time in Wake Forest’s last nine visits that NC State lost. The Wolfpack led in numerous statistical categories, including compiling 419 yards of total offense and converting on more than half of their third-down situations.

Up Next Wake Forest: Home Saturday vs. No. 15 Clemson

NC State: Home Saturday vs. Syracuse

Matchup Prediction