Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Ranked 25th By Associated Press
10/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 2006
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Wake Forest debuted at No. 25 in the Associated Press' college football poll this week. The Demon Deacons are ranked for the first time since September 2003.
Wake Forest defeated NC State on the road Saturday to improve to 6-1, its best start since 1979. Saturday's win improved the Deacons' road record to 3-0. Wake Forest is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2002 and for the third time under sixth-year head coach Jim Grobe.
The Deacons join ACC rivals Clemson (12th), Georgia Tech (13th) and Boston College (22nd) in the top 25. Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech are receiving votes.
Wake Forest has now appeared in the AP top 25 on 24 different occasions. The Deacons were top 25 regulars during the D.C. "Peahead" Walker era, cracking the top 25 every year between 1944 and 1950. Wake Forest was absent for the next 29 years before returning for four weeks in 1979. The 1992 Deacons were in the poll twice, including a No. 25 ranking to end the year. In 2003, Wake Forest lasted only one week in the top 25.
The Deacons' highest-ever ranking came on Nov. 6, 1944, when the Deacons peaked at No. 12.
Wake Forest is off to its 6-1 start because of contributions from all three phases of the game. The defense ranks 19th nationally in scoring defense. The offense ranks second in the ACC in passing efficiency and fourth in rushing. Finally, the Deacons' special teams rank 11th nationally in net punting, 25th in punt returns and own four of the 20 longest field goals in Division I-A this year.
Wake Forest has a bye week before returning to the Triangle on Oct. 28 to face North Carolina.
Associated Press Top 25 (10/15/06)
RANK TEAM RECORD PTS LAST 1 Ohio St. (63) 7-0 1623 1 2 Michigan 7-0 1528 4 3 Southern Cal 6-0 1465 3 4 West Virginia (2) 6-0 1459 5 5 Texas 6-1 1355 6 6 Louisville 6-0 1223 7 7 Tennessee 5-1 1179 8 8 Auburn 6-1 1176 11 9 Florida 6-1 1143 2 10 Notre Dame 5-1 1042 9 11 California 6-1 1027 10 12 Clemson 6-1 885 12 13 Georgia Tech 5-1 772 13 14 LSU 5-2 751 14 15 Arkansas 5-1 734 17 16 Oregon 5-1 639 18 17 Nebraska 6-1 555 21 18 Boise St. 6-0 519 20 19 Rutgers 6-0 400 24 20 Oklahoma 4-2 394 23 21 Wisconsin 6-1 366 25 22 Boston College 5-1 330 NR 23 Texas A&M 6-1 127 NR 24 Missouri 6-1 93 19 25 Wake Forest 6-1 83 NROthers receiving votes: Pittsburgh 73, Georgia 63, Iowa 61, Florida St. 30, Miami 17, Virginia Tech 6, Alabama 4, BYU 1, Purdue 1, Tulsa 1.
