Wake Forest Athletics
Notes from the WFU-Northern Illinois Football Game
8/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 29, 2002
The 101st season of Wake Forest football kicked off tonight. Senior quarterback James MacPherson and senior defensive end Rod Stephen served as game captains.
Senior fullback Ovie Mughelli put up his first rushing yards since the 2000 season. With 65 yards in the first half against NIU, he tallied over half of his total (128) from that season. His 55-yard run on the first drive of the game set up Cornelius Birgs' two-yard touchdown run and was the longest rush of Mughelli's career. Mughelli also scored four touchdowns (3-yard and three 1-yard rushes), bringing his career TD total to five.
Nose tackle Montique Sharpe picked up his fourth career fumble recovery. The senior has recorded one fumble recovery every year of his career.
Junior defensive back Daryl Shaw recorded his first career start at the bandit position. Last year's starter at that position, Caron Bracy, started tonight at strong safety in place of Obi Chukwumah, who's been bothered with a hamstring injury.
Junior free safety Quintin Williams recorded his fifth and sixth career interceptions. He also tied a single-game career high with nine tackles.
The first half alone of tonight's game included an unusual amount of not-often-seen plays, including a kickoff return for a touchdown (NIU), a punt return for a touchdown (WFU), a blocked PAT (WFU), a two-point conversion (WFU), a 16-yard punt (WFU), a missed field goal (WFU), a botched kickoff (WFU), and a 51-yard field goal (NIU). The list grew in the second half with a fake punt for a first down (NIU), another forced and recovered fumble (WFU), another two-point conversion (NIU), and another blocked field goal attempt (WFU). And after all that, the game went into overtime.
Two true freshman saw action tonight for the Deacons, including No. 87 Chris Davis and No. 28 Chris Barclay. Davis saw action on kickoff returns and as a receiver, while Barclay played behind Nick Burney and Cornelius Birgs at running back.
Thursday's game marked the fifth straight outing Wake Forest has scored at least 30 points. It was also the fifth straight game Wake's opponents scored at least 30. The Deacs are 3-2 in those games.
With tonight's 42-41 score, the Deacs completed their eighth straight game decided by a touchdown or less. That streak dates back to a 48-24 loss at 15th-ranked Florida State last Sept. 22. Wake Forest's record in those close games is 4-4.
Senior wide receiver/kick returner Fabian Davis had a busy night, including an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was his second career punt return TD and the third-longest punt return in school history.
Wake Forest played its second overtime game in school history, the first being a 27-30 loss against Appalachian State in 1998.
