American college football season
The 2021 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The team was led by eighth-year head coach Dave Clawson , and played their home games at Truist Field at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Demon Deacons clinched the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2006 and appeared in the ACC Championship game against Pittsburgh.
Preseason [ edit ] ACC poll [ edit ] The ACC media days were held on July 26, 2021. In the conference preseason polls, the Demon Deacons were predicted to finish in fifth place in the Atlantic Division.[1]
Atlantic Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place) 1 Clemson 1,028 (146) 2 NC State 804 (1) 3 Boston College 638 4 Florida State 510 5 Wake Forest 472 6 Louisville 462 7 Syracuse 202
Schedule [ edit ] Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance 7:00 p.m. Old Dominion * ACCN W 42–1025,673 September 11 12:00 p.m. Norfolk State * Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ACCNX/ESPN+ W 41–1621,896 September 18 3:30 p.m. Florida State Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ESPN W 35–1429,564 7:00 p.m. at Virginia ESPN2 W 37–1738,699 October 2 12:30 p.m. Louisville No. 24 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ACCRSN W 37–3429,077 October 9 3:30 p.m. at Syracuse No. 19 ESPN2 W 40–37 OT 38,554 October 23 12:00 p.m. at Army * No. 16 CBSSN W 70–5638,019 October 30 4:00 p.m. Duke No. 13 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry ) ACCN W 45–731,613 November 6 12:00 p.m. at North Carolina * [1] No. 9 ABC L 55–5850,500 November 13 7:30 p.m. No. 16 NC State No. 12 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry ) ACCN W 45–4234,503 November 20 12:00 p.m. at Clemson No. 10 ESPN L 27–4881,048 November 27 12:00 p.m. at Boston College No. 18 ESPN2 W 41–1025,854 December 4 8:00 p.m. vs. No. 15 Pittsburgh No. 16 ABC L 21–4557,856 12:00 p.m. vs. Rutgers * No. 17 ESPN W 38–1028,508
Source:[2]
^ The game against North Carolina , a fellow member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , was played as a non-conference game and did not count in the league standings.[3] This was done because the two rivals otherwise only play once every six years due to conference divisional alignment.
Coaching staff [ edit ] Position Name First Year at Wake Head coach Dave Clawson 2014 Asst head coach / Receivers Kevin Higgins 2014 AHC Defense/defensive line Dave Cohen 2014 Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks Warren Ruggiero 2014 Defensive coordinator / Safeties Lyle Hemphill 2017 Special teams coordinator / tight ends Wayne Lineburg 2017 Assistant special teams coordinator / Nickelbacks Ryan Crawford 2018 Running backs John Hunter 2014 Offensive Line Nick Tabacca 2014 Cornerbacks Paul Williams 2020 Linebackers Greg Jones 2016 Source:[4]
Game summaries [ edit ] Old Dominion [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Monarchs 3 0 0 7 10 Demon Deacons 14 14 7 7 42
Statistics
Statistics ODU WAKE First downs 17 20 Total yards 272 352 Rushing yards 145 164 Passing yards 127 188 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 32:19 27:41
Team Category Player Statistics Old Dominion Passing Hayden Wolff 11/17, 88 yards, TD Rushing Elijah Davis 12 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Stone Smartt 3 receptions, 26 yards Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 18/27, 188 yards, 3 TD Rushing Christian Beal-Smith 11 rushes, 74 yards, 2 TD Receiving A. T. Perry 4 receptions, 81 yards, TD
Norfolk State [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 3 6 0 7 16 Demon Deacons 7 17 17 0 41
Statistics
Statistics NORF WAKE First downs 19 22 Total yards 336 413 Rushing yards 141 161 Passing yards 195 252 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 38:39 21:21
Team Category Player Statistics Norfolk State Passing Juwan Carter 19/31, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing J. J. Davis 6 rushes, 42 yards Receiving Justin Smith 5 receptions, 66 yards Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 17/25, 244 yards, TD Rushing Christian Beal-Smith 9 rushes, 60 yards, TD Receiving Jaquarii Roberson 4 receptions, 97 yards, TD
Florida State [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Seminoles 7 7 0 0 14 Demon Deacons 14 13 8 0 35
Statistics
Statistics FSU WAKE First downs 16 27 Total yards 317 484 Rushing yards 91 225 Passing yards 226 259 Turnovers 6 2 Time of possession 20:47 39:13
Team Category Player Statistics Florida State Passing McKenzie Milton 11/16, 119 yards, 2 INT Rushing Treshaun Ward 6 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Ontaria Wilson 3 receptions, 91 yards, TD Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 22/31, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Christian Beal-Smith 19 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving A. T. Perry 7 receptions, 155 yards, TD
At Virginia [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Demon Deacons 10 10 14 3 37 Cavaliers 0 3 14 0 17
Statistics
Statistics WAKE UVA First downs 24 31 Total yards 473 506 Rushing yards 203 99 Passing yards 270 407 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 29:27 30:33
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 17/29, 270 yards, 3 TD Rushing Justice Ellison 13 rushes, 86 yards, TD Receiving Jaquarii Roberson 4 receptions, 91 yards Virginia Passing Brennan Armstrong 33/59, 407 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Mike Hollins 6 rushes, 36 yards Receiving Dontayvion Wicks 8 receptions, 114 yards, TD
Louisville [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 10 7 0 17 34 No. 24 Demon Deacons 10 10 7 10 37
Statistics
Statistics LOU WAKE First downs 25 26 Total yards 517 501 Rushing yards 208 177 Passing yards 309 324 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 34:36 25:24
Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Malik Cunningham 19/26, 309 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jalen Mitchell 17 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Tyler Harrell 1 reception, 75 yards, TD Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 23/40, 324 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Justice Ellison 15 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Jaquarii Roberson 6 receptions, 135 yards
At Syracuse [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 OT Total No. 19 Demon Deacons 3 14 9 8 6 40 Orange 7 14 6 7 3 37
Statistics
Statistics WAKE SYR First downs 21 33 Total yards 426 514 Rushing yards 96 354 Passing yards 330 160 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:10 33:50
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 19/32, 330 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Christian Beal-Smith 17 rushes, 63 yards, TD Receiving A. T. Perry 3 receptions, 137 yards, 3 TD Syracuse Passing Garrett Shrader 15/27, 160 yards, 2 TD Rushing Garret Shrader 29 rushes, 178 yards, TD Receiving Courtney Jackson 5 receptions, 64 yards
At Army [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 16 Demon Deacons 14 14 21 21 70 Black Knights 7 14 14 21 56
Statistics
Statistics WAKE ARMY First downs 22 31 Total yards 638 595 Rushing yards 180 416 Passing yards 458 179 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 17:17 42:43
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 23/29, 458 yards, 5 TD Rushing Christian Beal-Smith 8 rushes, 71 yards, TD Receiving Jaquarii Roberson 8 receptions, 157 yards, 3 TD Army Passing Jabari Laws 9/11, 140 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tyhier Tyler 15 rushes, 104 yards, TD Receiving Isaiah Alston 6 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TD
1 2 3 4 Total Blue Devils 0 0 0 7 7 No. 13 Demon Deacons 14 14 10 7 45
Statistics
Statistics DUKE WAKE First downs 12 29 Total yards 315 677 Rushing yards 160 266 Passing yards 155 411 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 23:55 36:05
Team Category Player Statistics Duke Passing Gunnar Holmberg 10/18, 110 yards Rushing Mataeo Durant 20 rushes, 103 yards Receiving Jalon Calhoun 3 receptions, 50 yards Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 24/37, 402 yards, 3 TD Rushing Christian Turner 10 rushes, 75 yards Receiving A.T. Perry 7 receptions, 116 yards
At North Carolina [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 9 Demon Deacons 10 21 17 7 55 Tar Heels 14 10 10 24 58
Statistics
Statistics WAKE UNC First downs 35 31 Total yards 615 546 Rushing yards 217 330 Passing yards 398 216 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:27 33:33
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 25/51, 398 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT Rushing Justice Ellison 13 carries, 81 yards Receiving Jaquarii Roberson 7 receptions, 111 yards, 2 TD North Carolina Passing Sam Howell 16/26, 216 yards, TD Rushing Ty Chandler 22 carries, 213 yards, 4 TD Receiving Antoine Green 6 receptions, 83 yards, TD
No. 16 NC State [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 16 Wolfpack 6 14 7 15 42 No. 12 Demon Deacons 7 17 7 14 45
Statistics
Statistics NCST WAKE First downs 25 27 Total yards 482 406 Rushing yards 74 116 Passing yards 408 290 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 28:20 31:40
Team Category Player Statistics NC State Passing Devin Leary 37/59, 408 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ricky Person Jr. 8 rushes, 40 yards Receiving Emeka Emezie 10 receptions, 133 yards, 2 TD Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 20/47, 290 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Justice Ellison 17 rushes, 57 yards, 2 TD Receiving A. T. Perry 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
At Clemson [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 10 Demon Deacons 0 10 3 14 27 Tigers 10 7 21 10 48
Statistics
Statistics WAKE CLEM First downs 24 25 Total yards 406 543 Rushing yards 36 333 Passing yards 370 210 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 26:08 33:52
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 27/43, 312 yards, TD, INT Rushing Quinton Cooley 8 rushes, 41 yards, TD Receiving A. T. Perry 5 reception, 113 yards Clemson Passing DJ Uiagalelei 11/19, 208 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kobe Pace 24 rushes, 191 yards, 2 TD Receiving Beaux Collins 4 reception, 137 yards, TD
At Boston College [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 18 Demon Deacons 14 10 10 7 41 Eagles 7 3 0 0 10
Statistics
Statistics WAKE BC First downs 25 9 Total yards 413 182 Rushing yards 177 163 Passing yards 236 19 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 36:13 23:47
Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Sam Hartman 20/32, 236 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Christian Turner 18 rushes, 54 yards, TD Receiving A. T. Perry 4 receptions, 81 yards, 2 TD Boston College Passing Phil Jurkovec 3/11, 19 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Phil Jurkovec 11 rushes, 85 yards Receiving Trae Berry 1 reception, 15 yards, TD
Rankings [ edit ] Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP — — — RV 24 19 16 16 13 10 13 13 21 18 20 15 Coaches — — — RV 25 20 16 15 13 9 13 12 21 18 19 14 CFP Not released 9 12 10 18 16 17 Not released
Players drafted into the NFL [ edit ] References [ edit ]
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