0:00 Choice runs a couple times and Clemson clinches the ACC Atlantic with this win
Penalty on WF and Clemson starts at the 37
0:35 The ball is downed at the CLEM 31.
1:23 Colburn on the swing pass is stopped for a loss of 7. Wake will punt
2:05 Colburn gains 6. 3rd and 10
2:43 Wade on the sweep again this time he's stopped for a loss of 6
3:14 Wade on the jet sweep gains enough for the first down
3:45 Colburn on the swing pass gains 4
3:54 Touchback as the ball rolls into the endzone. WF starts at the 20
4:02 Delay of game for Clemson
4:47 Choice again. It's 4th and 3 for Clemson and they'll punt
5:13 False start for Clemson. 3rd and 8 now
6:35 The backups are in for the Tigers as they'll run out the clock. Choice with his third straight run gets it to 3rd and 4
7:01 Clemson rushes for another first
7:10 The punt rolls out of bounds at the 34
7:49 Kyle Kearns is sacked by Clemson and Wake will punt again
8:25 Carney up the middle for a gain of 2. 3rd and 9
9:03 Carney stopped for a 1 yard loss. 2nd and 11
9:34 Carney gets the first at the WF 40
10:13 Carney again. Stopped short of the first. 3rd and 1
10:42 Pass complete to Carney. 2nd and 1
10:50 Touchback
10:50 Gallman scores for the Tigers and the PAT makes it 35-13 Clemson
11:19 Fuller runs up the middle to the 1 yard line. 2nd and goal
11:42 Gallman runs to the right and gets 1st and goal from the 3
12:09 Watson keeps it and gets the first at the WF 22
12:49 Gallman gains another yard. 4th and 1. Clemson will go for it
13:23 Gallman catches the swing pass and brings up 3rd and 2
13:59 Watson runs right for a gain on 1. 2nd and 9
14:21 Leggett carries a defender across the first down line. 1st and 10 for Clemson
14:30 Watson's pass to Renfrow falls incomplete. 3rd and 11
14:55 Gallman stopped behind the line. 2nd and 11
Watson runs right and gets all the way to WF territory to end the third quarter. It'll be 1st and 10 for Clemson at the WF 45 to start the fourth
Gallman gets the first down
1:07 Watson keeps it and runs for 8
1:15 Third longest punt in Wake Forest history just happened
1:15 Maggio with an incredible 80 yard punt, but it rolls into the endzone. CLEM ball at the 20
1:59 Colburn stopped on the draw and Wake will punt it back to Clemson
2:34 Kearns is sacked by Fields. 3rd and 28
2:56 Kearns rolls left for no gain. Holding on WF. 2nd and 18 now
3:35 Jet sweep to Wade for 2 yards. 2nd and 8
3:39 Wake takes over following the punt at their own 33
4:21 Gallman looks to be stopped short and Clemson will punt again. 4th and inches from the 34
4:53 Gallman again for 4 yards. 3rd and 1
5:19 Gallman runs for 5 yards. 2nd and 5
5:25 Scott returns the kick to the 25. 1st and 10
5:30 Weaver's kick is good and Wake cuts the lead to 28-13
5:34 Pass to Wade is incomplete and Wake will attempt a field goal.
:38 Kearns throws to Serigne but it is broken up. 3rd and goal
6:14 Colburn runs up the middle to the 5. 2nd and goal
6:30 Completion to Wade and he breaks a few tackles and gets 1st and goal for WF
6:56 Colburn runs all the way to the WF 41
7:40 Colburn runs left for 6 yards. 2nd and 4
7:46 Bates fields the punt and is stopped quickly. Wake starts at their own 13
7:56 Pass is incomplete and Clemson will punt.
8:32 Gallman stopped for just 1. 3rd and 2 from the 48
8:58 Gallman runs for 7 more near midfield
9:19 Watson completes it to McCloud. 1st and 10
9:26 A low punt is returned and Clemson starts at their own 32
10:13 Kearns is sacked by Watkins and Wake will punt
10:48 Carney stopped fo rno gain. 3rd and 9
11:22 Carney gains 1. 2nd and 9
11:42 A draw to Carney goes for a big gain. 1st and 10 WF at the 42
Gallman has set the Clemson career record for 100 yard rushing games with 16
11:48 The pressure gets to Watson and Wake takes over on downs.
11:54 Watson misses Cain. It's 4th and 8 and Clemson will go for it at the 29 yard line
12:26 Gallman tackled by Banks and now it's 3rd and 8 for Clemson
12:50 Watson tackles Williams for a loss of 1
13:14 Now in Wake territory Watson hits Renfrow for another first
13:35 Another run by Gallman for another first
14:03 Williams with the reception. 2nd and 4
14:27 Gallman again. This time gets the first
14:52 Gallman runs forward for an 8 yard gain. 2nd and 2
15:00 Wake kicks off and Clemson gets a touchback. 1st and 10 from the 25
Halftime Kyle Kearns in his first start is 4 for 13 for 62 yards
Halftime Clemson outgaining Wake 267 yards to 93 yards. Wake Forest only has 4 first downs.
A kneel down by Watson and Clemson will take a 28-10 lead into the break
0:20 Maggio punts and Clemson will start with little time left at their own 12
0:34 Wake Forest timeout. 1 left for the Demon Deacons
1:14. Kearns is hit hard and sacked. Wake Forest will have to punt
1:35 Carney runs right for just 3 yards. 3rd and 7
1:40 Kearns rolls right and throw it away. 2nd and 10
1:47 Punt is fair caught at the WF 49. 1st and 10
1:55 Watson overthrows Renfrow and Wake gets a stop.
2:26 Another completion, this one to Renfrow. 3rd and 6
2:57 Pass to Scott is complete for a gain of 4. 2nd and 15
3:19 Gallman runs right and gains 7, holding on Clemson though. 1st and 19
3:25 Scott returns the kick and is hit hard and stopped at the 18. 1st and 10 Tigers
Play is confirmed. Wake Forest hits the extra point and the score is now 28-10 Clemson leads
3:31 Carney runs once again and gets into the endzone for a Wake Forest touchdown. Play is under review
3:59 Carney gets the first down and is stopped inches from the endzone. 1st and goal
4:43 Carney runs for 3 yards up the middle. 3rd and 2
5:22 Carney gains 5 more. 2nd and 5
5:42 Carney runs to the right, hurdles a player and gets another first. 1st and 10 at the 12
6:09 Kearns finds Serigne for a big gain. Wake Forest 1st and 10 from the Clemson 23
6:18 Watson's pass is batted down and Wake takes over on downs
6:25 Watson's pass nearly intercepted. 4th and 6
7:03 Feaster gains 2 more. 3rd and 6 at the WF 36
7:37 Feaster stopped for just 2 yards
8:12 Deon Cain gets the first
8:40 McCloud gets 6 on the pass. 2nd and 4
8:47 Pass deep is incomplete, but pass interference on Wake keeps the drive alive
9:30 Feaster gains 1. 3rd and 3
9:57 Shovel pass to Leggett for 6. 2nd and 4
10:04 Touchback. Clemson starts at the 25
10:04 Weaver's kick is good. Clemson 28 Wake Forest 3
10:08 Kearns' pass nearly intercepted in the endzone. 4th and 7.
10:15 Kearns overthrows Pike. 3rd and 7
10:37 Carney runs forward for 3 yards. 2nd and 7
10:41 Punt is muffed and Wake Forest catches a much needed break. 1st and 10 from the CLEM 27
11:24 Pass complete to Lewis but short of the first down and once again Wake will punt
11:47 Kearns' pass intercepted by Tankersley. Offsetting penalties allow for a replay of the 3rd and 13
12:26 Colburn is stopped in the backfield. 3rd and 13
12:31 Kearns rolls left and overthrows Claude. 2nd and 10
12:39 Armstrong returns the kick to the 26 yard line
12:44 After a short Gallman run, Watson runs for his second rushing touchdown of the night. Clemson's lead now 28-0.
13:37 Gallman takes it down to WF 4. 1st and goal
13:45 Timeout Clemson. 1 remaining for the Tigers
14:28 Scott catches the pass for a 3 yard gain. 3rd and 3
2nd 14:55 Gallman runs off tackle for 4 yards
0:00 Watson completes the pass to Scott and the quarter ends. Clemson up 21-0 and has the ball with a 1st and 10 from the WF 38
0:30 Williams on the screen 3rd and 2
0:38 Watson overthrows Williams. 2nd and 10
0:42 Clemson takes over at their 48 after the punt
0:52 Kearns' pass to Lewis falls incomplete. 4th and 9
0:58 Pass to Carney falls incomplete. 3rd and 9
1:03 Hines runs right and is stopped for 1 yard. 2nd and 9
1:10 Touchback. WF starts at the 25 needing some points soon
1:10 Watson throws the fade to Williams and he snags it for another touchdown. Clemson is making a statement. 21-0 in the first quarter in Winston-Salem
1:47 Fuller stopped for a loss of 1. 3rd and 4
2:12 Watson keeps it left for 7
2:41 Watson throws behind Williams but he catches it anyway. 1st and 10 at WF 21
2:48 Watson throws deep to Cain but it's overthrown. 3rd and 4
3:18 Fuller runs left for 6
3:40 Watson completes the pass to Cain. 1st and 10 at WF 49
4:10 Another completion. 3rd and 4
4:33 A good open field tackle by Watson. 2nd and 8
4:38 Punt is bobbled by the returner, but he gets it and is stopped. Clemson takes over at the 32
4:47 Kearns is nearly intercepted by Tankersley. 4th and 5
5:25 Colburn again for 2. 3rd and 5
6:05 Colburn runs to the right for 3 yards
6:12 Great return by Armstrong. Wake takes over at their 35
6:20 Clemson attempts an onside kick and succeeds however a player was offsides and they'll rekick
6:22 Deshaun Watson keeps it to the sideline and walks in untouched. Clemson takes a 14-0 lead in the first quarter
6:26 Timeout Wake Forest
6:59 Gallman runs left for just 1. 3rd and goal
7:05 Good coverage for Wake. 2nd and goal
7:30 Gallman gets the 1st. 1st and goal from the 4
7:48 Completion to Williams. 2nd and 1
8:20 Watson finds Leggett for a huge gain and follow it up with a quick run and they're in the redzone
8:28 Clemson tipped the kick and it rolls to the 41. Just 17 yards on the punt. 1st and 10
9:08 Pass complete to Carney, but well short. 4th and 6.
9:16 False start on Wake. 3rd and 14
9:16 Kearns' pass to Lewis falls incomplete. 3rd and 9
9:53 Carney gains 1. 2nd and 9
9:58 Wake punts, but running into the kicker on Clemson keeps the Deacons moving with a 1st down
10:07 Two plays get Wake no more yards and they'll have to punt again
11:06 Kearns' first pass complete 2nd and 6
11:24 Touchback. Wake starts at the 25
11:24 Gallman runs up the middle on the fourth down and takes it all the way to the endzone. Clemson starts strong 7-0
11:38 Watson with another completion, but they are stopped just shy of the first down. 4th and inches
12:15 Pass complete right but is stopped for a loss. 3rd and 5
12:39 Clemson starts near midfield and gets a 6 yard gain
13:30 3 straight runs and Wake Forest will punt
14:11 Another short run for Carney. 3rd and 7
14:50 Kyle Kearns is starting at QB. Short run by Carney 2nd and 9
14:55 Armstrong returns the kick and is stopped before the 20. WF ball at their own 16. 1st and 10
7:03 PM Clemson defers. Wake Forest will start with the ball
6:41 Jessie Bates is tied for 5th in the nation in interceptions. Deshaun Watson should be careful when throwing it near him
6:00 PM ACC Atlantic Division Title is on the line today. With Clemson win, they clinch the ACC Atlantic title. With Wake Forest win, Louisville would clinch the ACC Atlantic.
5:56 PM Nearly an hour until kickoff. ACC Updates: VT 21 ND 24, Duke 14 PITT 56, FSU 35 Syracuse 7, Citadel 0 UNC 41, UVA 17 GT 31, Miami 27 NCSU 13, UCONN 0 BC 30. From Thurs Louisville 10 Houston 36
This game has the potential to be very close. It will be interesting to see how Clemson starts considering how disappointing their loss was to Pittsburgh last week. If they start flat and Wake Forest can jump out to an early lead, then there will be an upset opportunity. However, if Clemson starts with the lead, Wake won’t have the offensive firepower to keep up. This game could very well be decided in the first half and by whoever scores first to set the tone.
Offensively, Wake Forest needs to reestablish the run. Cade Carney has not had a 100-yard rushing game since Wake’s home game against Syracuse on October 8th. Since then it has been up to John Wolford to carry the rushing attack from the quarterback position. Carney and the other Wake Forest running backs need to have a big game against Clemson to take pressure off of Wolford. He needs Clemson to respect the run so he can set up the play action and make some throws downfield. If Wolford is relied upon to pass more and also lead the run game, it could end up being problematic for the Demon Deacons.
Another Clemson player that the Deacons will need to be aware of is WR Mike Williams. He is the most dangerous playmaker on the Tigers offense besides Watson. Williams has 67 receptions and 956 yards already this year and has found the end zone six times. He is Watson’s go-to receiver and with Wake Forest’s secondary fighting the injury bug, he can get open a lot on Saturday and make plays.
If there is any quarterback poised to handle the Wake Forest defense, it’s Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. In what has been seen as a disappointing year, Watson still has 27 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. He also has totaled 378 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Wake Forest has been a good defensive team for a few years now and this year they rank 22nd in the country in points allowed. They are led by a strong front seven and have an excellent pass rush. Their sack leader is Duke Ejiofor with nine this season. Marquel Lee has six from the middle linebacker position. Wake Forest likes to send a lot of blitzes at opposing quarterbacks and Clemson will need to be prepared for the Deacons’ pressure. In addition to their front seven, safety Jessie Bates leads the team in tackles and can make in impact both in the secondary and by stepping up into the box.
Clemson’s race to the College Football Playoff begins in Winston-Salem against a much improved Wake Forest Demon Deacons team, however, Wake has not beaten the Tigers since a 12-7 victory in 2008. In the overall series, Clemson has been in control and hold a 63-17-1 record against the Demon Deacons since 1933. Wake Forest has only beaten one top five teams in their history. In 1946, the Deacons beat the #4 Tennessee Volunteers 19-6. They’ll have the opportunity to add another win on Saturday.
With Louisville’s loss to Houston on Thursday night, the ACC’s chance to make the College Football Playoff rides solely with the Clemson Tigers whose perfect season ended last week at home against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The score was 42-40 with Clemson holding the lead and the ball. The Tigers went for the first down and the win in Pittsburgh territory, but the Panthers made the stop and got the ball back with less than a minute to play. A six play, 34-yard drive gave the Panthers kicker Chris Blewitt an opportunity to hit the game-winning field goal. Blewitt missed a field goal and an extra point earlier in the game but made the 48-yard field goal that mattered most. Clemson fell to 9-1 with the loss, but still controls their own destiny to win the ACC and make the college football playoff.
Wake Forest and Clemson both return to action following losses last weekend. Wake Forest was poised to upset Louisville with a 12-10 lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals scored 34 points in the fourth quarter and Wake Forest fell to 6-4. Throughout the game, Wake Forest’s defense was able to limit Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson and the stellar Cardinals offense, but in the fourth quarter the Cardinals started scoring against a tired defense and the Wake offense couldn’t keep up.
Welcome to VAVEL USA’s LIVE coverage of this week in college football as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons host the Clemson Tigers. My name is Jordan Hansgen and I will be providing minute-by-minute updates, commentary, and results of this game. Kickoff will be at 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, November 19. There will be coverage pregame, during the game and postgame live from BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.