Deacons Direct - Florida State Gameday Blog
9/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 20, 2008
Final - Wake Forest 12, Florida State 3
10:50 p.m. - Everybody breathe. That was a close one, but the Deacs pulled it out. Great job by the defense to force seven turnovers on the night. Kevin Patterson led the effort with two interceptions and a forced fumble. I've got postgame duties to wrap up, so check out the website later for the game story (courtesy of my colleague Chad Crunk) and some postgame notes from Doak Campbell.
10:21 p.m. - It's good! Swank makes a 31-yard field goal to put Wake up 12-3 with 2:07 remaining.
10:16 p.m. - Deja vu. Another interception of the first play of the drive. Aaron Curry intercepted Richardson and returned it to the 11-yard line. Curry looked like he wanted to put the game away himself with a TD. With 2:33 remaining, it's up to the offense to either run out the clock or put some points on the board.
10:15 p.m. - Wake misses another opportunity as Swank's 32-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left. FSU takes over with 2:46 left in the game.
10:12 p.m. - Interception! Kevin Patterson picked off D'Vontrey Richardson on the first play of the Noles' drive. Patterson returned the pick to the FSU 22. Wake has the ball with 4:23 left in the game.
It was Patterson's second interception of the game and the third for Wake on the night. The Deacs have tied their season-high with five forced turnovers, matching the Baylor game.
10:09 p.m. - Wake Forest is going to turn it over to its defense as the offense went three and out on the last drive. FSU takes over at its own 21 with 4:32 remaining in the game.
10:04 p.m. - The Wake Forest offense takes over as the defense stops FSU on downs. Alphonso Smith batted down the Seminoles' fourth-down pass attempt. The Deacons take over at their own 37 with 6:38 remaining in the game.
9:56 p.m. - Wake Forest could not convert the turnover into anything. The Deacons' drive stalled largely due to penalties. Brandon Pendergrass opened the drive with a 37-yard rush to the FSU 25, but the play was called back with a holding penalty. Chip Brinkman was also whistled for a delay of game penalty after kicking the ball after a failed deep pass. The penalties pushed Wake back deep into its own territory. FSU takes over at its own 30 after a Swank punt.
9:51 p.m. - The Deacs got their fourth turnover of the game, as Kevin Patterson stripped Preston Parker on an end around. Michael Carter was there to jump on the ball at the Wake Forest 38. The Seminoles had been driving and were looking to advance deep in Wake Forest territory.
9:46 p.m. - Swank's 48-yard field goal attempt was wide left, giving FSU the ball at their own 31 early in the fourth quarter.
9:42 p.m. - At the conclusion of the third quarter, Wake Forest leads 9-3. The Deacons are looking to tack on three more points as Swank sets up for a 48-yard field goal attempt to start the fourth quarter.
Wake Forest's current offensive drive has been aided by three key FSU penalties. The Seminoles were flagged for a face mask on what would have been a third-down sack of Skinner. FSU followed with an offsides, and then the Seminoles were called for pass interference on D.J. Boldin at the goal line. If not for the interference, Boldin has a solid chance at a TD reception on the deep route.
Penalties have been abundant tonight. Florida State has 11 penalties for 129 yards. The Seminoles have committed four personal fouls, including three in the third quarter. Wake Forest has six penalties for 55 yards.
9:27 p.m. - Wake Forest quickly got the three points back, as Swank nailed a 49-yard field goal with 4:31 remaining in the third quarter. On the drive, the Deacons went 53 yards on six plays in 2:03. The drive was aided by an FSU personal foul on a long pass completion to Ben Wooster.
9:23 p.m. - Prior to Florida State's field goal, Wake Forest had held the Seminoles scoreless for a combined 99 minutes and 22 seconds in Tallahassee. The Deacs pitched a 30-0 shutout in 2006 and had held FSU scoreless the first two and a half quarters tonight.
9:20 p.m. - Florida State is on the board with three points. Wake Forest now leads 6-3 after a 38-yard field goal by Graham Gano. The Seminoles sustained a nice drive, going 63 yards on 10 plays in 3:43. The drive stalled at the Deacon 20, and the Noles settled for a field goal to cut the deficit in half. It was the first field goal Wake has allowed this season.
Defensive end Matt Robinson is quietly turning in a solid performance tonight. After recording a sack in the first half, Robinson had a QB hurry and a pass deflection on the last drive alone.
9:11 p.m. - With his second field goal of the night, Swank took sole possession of third place on the ACC career field goal list. Swank now has 67 field goals in 84 attempts in his four-year career.
9:08 p.m. - The Deacons doubled their point total to take a 6-0 lead with 10:29 remaining in the third quarter. Wake Forest moved the ball well on the drive, going 64 yards on nine plays in 3:06. The drive stalled inside the FSU 20, and Wake had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Sam Swank. Josh Adams had several nifty rushes on the drive.
Halftime Notes - 8:57 p.m.
Here are some notes as the Demon Deacons sit on a 3-0 lead at the break.
- The Deacon defense created three turnovers in the first half, but the offense was only able to convert those into three points. Wake Forest committed two turnovers of its own, fumbling twice in Florida State territory. The second fumble was costly as it came at the two-yard line, forfeiting a chance to put more points on the board just before halftime.
- When the Deacs did not score in the second quarter, it marked the first time this year Wake was shut out in a quarter. Wake Forest had scored 11 consecutive quarters dating back to last season. The 3-0 lead marks the fewest points in a half by Wake Forest since trailing UConn 10-0 at halftime of the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2007.
- Alphonso Smith intercepted a Christian Ponder pass on Florida State's first offensive play of the game. It was Smith's 16th career interception, putting him within one of the Wake Forest record. Ronnie Burgess (1981-84) and A.J. Greene (1985-88) share the mark with 17 picks apiece. Smith has recorded an interception on an opponent's first play of the game three times in the last two seasons (tonight; at Boston College, 2007; at Vanderbilt, 2007).
- Sam Swank converted a 48-yard field goal attempt for the only points of the game. Swank also missed his first attempt of the year, a 27-yarder in the first quarter. The miss snapped a string of 10 straight makes for Swank and was the shortest miss of his career. His previous short was a 28-yard attempt against the Seminoles in 2005.
- With his 48-yard field goal in the first quarter, Swank tied Florida State's Sebastian Janikowski (1997-99) and Virginia's Connor Hughes (2002-05) for the fourth-most field goals in ACC history with 66. Swank has made 66 of 82 career field goal attempts.
- The Deacons lead in most statistical categories. Wake leads in total offense, 164-101. The Deacons have more passing yards, 131-52, but are trailing in rush yards, 33-49. Wake Forest has eight first downs, compared to four for FSU.
- Riley Skinner completed 10 of 15 passes for 131 yards. Josh Adams led the Deacs in rushing in the first half with 37 yards on 11 carries for an average of 3.4 per carry. Marshall Williams led the receiving corps with 57 yards on three catches. 52 of those yards came on one reception. Aaron Curry leads the defense with four tackles, while Matt Robinson has a sack.
- Wake Forest is 0-for-3 in red zone scoring chances.
8:32 p.m. - And the Deacs gave the ball right back. Skinner saw a wide open running lane and took off. He made it to the two-yard line before being hit and fumbling the ball. FSU jumped on the ball and finished out the half with a pair of quarterback sneaks. Wake takes a 3-0 lead into halftime.
8:30 p.m. - The Deacons got their third turnover of the night as Kevin Patterson picked off a Christian Ponder pass. Patterson returned the ball to the FSU 17 putting the Deacs in great field position. It was Patterson's second interception of the season, both coming in the last two games.
8:24 p.m. - Wake Forest had its most fluid offensive series of the night but still came up empty. The Deacons made it to the Seminole 11-yard line and faced a fourth-and-one. Wake originally trotted out the field goal unit but then decided to go for it. Operating out of the shotgun, Skinner's pass attempt was batted down at the line giving FSU the ball. The Deacons used the no-huddle offense throughout the drive. Wake also used the ace tight formation several times, with a running back and two tight ends.
8:14 p.m. - The Deacons are still up 3-0 with 7:16 remaining in the first half. The Seminoles drove into Wake Forest territory for the first time on the night but came up empty in terms of points. Graham Gano's 52-yard field goal attempt was wide left. The FG attempt was the first against the Deacons this season. Both Baylor and Ole Miss only scored touchdowns in those games.
Wake Forest takes over at its own 34 looking to get a spark on offense.
7:58 p.m. - Wake Forest committed its first turnover of the night as Skinner was hit in the pocket and lost the ball as he was attempting to throw. The officials reviewed the play, but the call stood up. Florida State would have had its best field position of the night, but two personal foul penalties on the play pushed the Seminoles back to their own 33.
7:53 p.m. - Redshirt freshman defensive end Tristan Dorty made his collegiate debut on the last defensive series. Dorty saw action on the final third down of the drive. FSU punted and Wake takes over at its own 45-yard line.
7:50 p.m. - After the first quarter, Wake Forest leads 3-0. The Deacons could easily be up by a touchdown or two, but they were unable to take advantage of the two turnovers. Wake's offense has had some trouble sustaining a drive and has had some drives stall inside FSU territory.
Swank's missed 27-yard field goal attempt was the shortest miss of his career. His previous short was a 28-yard attempt against Florida State in 2005.
7:45 p.m. - The Deacons drove deep into Seminole territory but came up empty. Facing a fourth-and-44 Wake punted to the FSU 13.
Marshall Williams' 52-yard reception during the drive was the longest by a Deacon since Jordan Williams caught a 65-yard pass against NC State on Nov. 17, 2007.
7:29 p.m. - Wake Forest came up empty after the turnover. Sam Swank missed a 27-yard field goal attempt, snapping his streak of 10 straight.
Wake Forest looked to have a touchdown as Riley Skinner hit Marshall Williams in the endzone. However, right tackle Jeff Griffin was called for a hold pushing the Deacons back 10 yards. Josh Adams ran right on third down and made it to the 10-yard line before being ridden out of bounds.
7:24 p.m. - Two possessions, two turnovers. Brandon Ghee put his helmet on FSU running back Antone Smith causing a fumble. Aaron Curry was there to jump on the ball and set up the Deacs inside the Seminoles 30-yard line.
7:22 p.m. - With his field goal, Swank tied Florida State's Sebastian Janikowski (1997-99) and Virginia's Connor Hughes (2002-05) for the fourth-most field goals in ACC history with 66. Swank has made 66 of 82 career field goal attempts.
Tonight's Starting Lineups - 7:20 p.m.
With our first media timeout of the night, here is a look at tonight's starting lineups on offense and defense. No surprises on either side of the ball.
Offense:
QB - Riley Skinner
RB - Josh Adams
FB - Mike Rinfrette (split wide)
WR - Chip Brinkman
WR - D.J. Boldin
TE - Ben Wooster (split wide)
LT - Joe Birdsong
LG - Russell Nenon
C - Trey Bailey
RG - Barrett McMillin
RT - Jeff Griffin
Defense:
DE - Matt Robinson
NG - Boo Robinson
DT - John Russell
DE - Anthony Davis
OLB - Aaron Curry
MLB - Stanley Arnoux
OLB - Chantz McClinic
CB - Alphonso Smith
FS - Chip Vaughn
SS - Kevin Patterson
CB - Brandon Ghee
7:18 p.m. - Wake Forest converted the turnover into three points. Sam Swank hit a 48-yard field goal to put the Deacons up 3-0. It was Swank's 10th straight made field goal dating back to last season.
7:12 p.m. - Shades of Boston College 2007 to start FSU's drive. On the first play, Alphonso Smith intercepted Christian Ponder. He returned it to the FSU 45 to set up Wake with good field position.
The interception was the 16th of Smith's career, putting him within one of tying the Wake Forest career record. It was the third time in the last two years that Smith has picked off a pass on an opponent's first play of the game (at BC 2007; at Vanderbilt 2007).
7:10 p.m. - After a 16-yard kickoff return by Alphonso Smith, the Deacons start the game at their own 18. Wake opened the game in a spread formation with fullback Mike Rinfrette and tight end Ben Wooster split wide. Josh Adams joined Riley Skinner in the backfield.
The Deacons went three-and-out on their first drive. FSU takes over at their own 41 yard line.
Coin Toss and Game Captains - 7:06 p.m.
Wake Forest's game captains tonight are linebacker Stanley Arnoux and safety Kevin Patterson. The Seminoles won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Deacons will receive the opening kickoff and defend the south goal.
Teams Take the Field - 7:03 p.m.
Both teams have run out of the tunnel to their respective sidelines. The Seminoles were of course led by Chief Osceola. Wake Forest was greeted by a nice chorus of boos.
Band in Tallahassee - 6:58 p.m.
Wake Forest's band has made the trip to Tallahassee. Wearing their sharp new gold unis, the band is sitting behind the team bench just to the left. Wake Forest band director Kevin Bowen directed the Florida State band as they played the national anthem.
The stadium has filled up as kickoff approaches. Except for one endzone, there is a strong garnet presence in the stadium. One section that appears packed is the Wake Forest visitors section.
Pre-Game Atmosphere - 6:50 p.m.
For being such a hyped game in the state of the Florida, the pre-game atmosphere at Doak Campbell seems to be a bit lacking. As we drove in on the team bus, there were a smattering of tailgaters but none that looked to be in game-crazy mode. Inside the stadium, the stadium is a little over half full with less than 15 minutes before kickoff. Otherwise, Doak Campbell seems to be quite a college football experience. This is my first time here, and I have to say the facility is pretty impressive. If the stands fill up, even better.
Uniform Watch - 6:45 p.m.
As you can see from some of the pre-game photos, the Deacons are going with white pants tonight. Wake went white on white for the Baylor game, marking the first time it has used that combination since the 2007 season opener at Boston College.
Pre-Game Photos Uploaded to Gallery - 6:30 p.m.
I have uploaded several pre-game photos to the gallery link above. I'm a tad late in posting once we got to the stadium. I had some media relations duties to attend to first. Steve Shutt and I have a list of items to accomplish pre-game, including going over pronunciations with internal and external PA, visiting the TV compound, talking with our radio and FSU's radio, going over jersey number and positions with the stat crew, talking with our media in attendance, amidst some other things.
Local Wake Forest media in attendance include Dan Collins of the Winston-Salem Journal and Edward Robinson of the Raleigh News & Observer.
Leaving for Doak Campbell - 4:00 p.m.
The team is set to leave the hotel for Doak Campbell Stadium at 4:30 p.m. The Deacons had an uneventful and hopefully restful afternoon at the hotel. The team ate its pre-game meal at 3:15 and is getting the buses packed up now. We'll check back in once we hit the field and hopefully get a few sideline photos to post.
Storylines to Watch - 1:30 p.m.
Here are some storylines to watch for in tonight's game:
- Tonight's contest is probably the most-anticipated matchup of Wake Forest and Florida State in series history. Each team is looking to make a statement - Wake Forest to prove that it deserves to be the ACC's top-ranked team and FSU to show that it has returned to national prominence and is a contender in the ACC once again. Reading the news clipping coming out of the state of Florida this week, it is easy to see that this game means a ton to the Seminoles. Quarterback Christian Ponder added a little intrigue (as if anymore was needed) when he threw out a non-guarantee guarantee. While articles like that are good for bulletin board material, all of those little motivation tools can be thrown out the window once the game kicks off. Between the lines, it just comes down to which team is better prepared and which executes better.
- The Demon Deacons have won two straight in the series after losing the previous 14 in a row. The only other ACC team to have beaten FSU three times in a row is Clemson, who has won each of its last three meetings with the Seminoles.
- With motivation appearing to be a big factor on both sides, will Wake Forest's 26 Florida natives rise up and stick it to one of their hometown teams once again? The Deacons brought 24 of those Floridians on the trip, comprising over 34 percent of the travel squad.
- Florida State gets a big weapon back tonight in wide receiver Preston Parker who was suspended for the first two games of the season. The Deacon secondary will have to have a big day to neutralize Parker's big-play ability. However, Wake secondary coach Tim Billings said that the Deacon defensive backs had their best practice of the year on Thursday.
- Wake Forest has some weapons of its own on offense. Quarterback Riley Skinner looks to be one of the top signal-callers in the conference this season and is leading the league in passing. Kicker Sam Swank should be considered a lethal weapon with his ability to win a game from seemingly anywhere on the field. The Deacon wideouts have been solid this year, especially D.J. Boldin who matched his 2007 season total with 11 catches against Ole Miss. Wake also packs a speedy one-two punch at running back with Josh Adams and Brandon Pendergrass. Look for the Deacs to try to establish their running game in order to slow down the Seminoles' propensity for pass rushing.
Morning Walk-Through on Tap - 10:00 a.m.
Game day is finally here. Now all the Deacons have to do is hurry up and wait all day for kickoff. The had offensive and defensive meetings at 9:30 this morning. Brunch follows the meetings at 10:15, and then the Deacs will head over to Doak Campbell Stadium for a walk-through at 11:45. Normally Wake Forest does not hold a walk-through at the road stadium, either on Friday or Saturday, but the Deacons are breaking tradition this weekend. The last time Wake played in Tallahassee, the Deacons held a walk-through on the day of the game. The coaching staff feels its beneficial to have the players up and moving around, rather than sitting around in the hotel all day.
Sept. 19, 2008
One More Wake-FSU Connection - 9:00 p.m.
In this week's game notes we mentioned the high school connections between certain Wake Forest players and certain Florida State players. With the Deacons having 26 players from the state of Florida, the connections between the two squads were numerous. However, there is one intriguing high school connection that we mistakenly overlooked.
Wake Forest redshirt freshman offensive lineman Ryan Britt was a high school teammate of Florida State starting quarterback Christian Ponder. In 2005 at Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas, Britt was a junior starting at left tackle while Ponder was a senior quarterback for the Panthers.
Unfortunately, Britt will not be able to face his old 'mate this weekend, as he has been ruled out with a knee injury. Ponder, on the other hand, will be under center for the Seminoles.
Tonight's Movie - 7:15 p.m.
After dinner, the team headed out to see the movie "Righteous Kill". The movie is a crime drama starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Following the movie, the team is scheduled to have a light snack and then lights out at 11:30 p.m.
Team Dinner - 7:00 p.m.
I just added a few photos from the team dinner tonight at the hotel. The dinner spread included fried chicken, pasta, mashed potatoes, carrots, corn and salad. To top it all off, a lavish ice cream bar was available for dessert (also pictured in the photo gallery).
Steve Shutt and I ate at a table that included coaches Tim Billings, Brad Lambert and Ray McCartney, team chaplain Joe Haynes and Billings' wife Lisa. An encouraging snippet from dinner was the discussion between Billings and Lambert about how the defensive backs had their best practice of the year yesterday. Let's hope that preparation carries over to tomorrow night's game.
Florida Natives in Focus - 5:00 p.m.
Wake Forest has 26 Florida natives on its roster, the most of any BCS team not based in the Sunshine State. The Deacons brought 24 of those 26 players on this trip, which means over 34 percent of the 70-man travel squad is returning to their home state.
True freshmen and Florida natives Scott Betros, Ramon Booi and Riley Haynes are on the trip but are unlikely to see action. Redshirt freshman and Naples, Fla. native Junior Petit-Jean is also making his first collegiate road trip.
On Saturday. Wake Forest will play its first game in the state of Florida since the 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl. The Deacs are looking to reverse a trend in the state, as they are just 7-25-1 in games played there.
Here in Tallahassee - 4:30 p.m.
The Deacons have landed safely in Tallahassee and are now settling in at the hotel. The players have some offensive and defensive meetings this afternoon before the team dinner at 5:45 p.m.
The flight was uneventful, lasting just over an hour. No movies to see on this one...just a few re-runs of TV shows. The pre-flight bag search was, in my opinion, the most extensive I've ever seen on an athletics trip. They were pulling out laptops, cell phones and everything under the sun to inspect closely. I guess you can never be too sure about those academic counselors and the like.
On the plane, I felt sort of bad for freshman defensive tackle Ramon Booi. Making his first-ever collegiate trip, Booi was stuck in the middle seat of a three-person row on the plane. All 6-6, 330 pounds of Booi was crammed between seatmates Matt Woodlief and Andrew Wright. And you thought you had it bad on plane trips...
Once we landed in Tallahassee, we had a police escort from the airport to the hotel. Even though it was just a short 15-minute drive, there were two police cars and five officers on motorcycles directing us. It never gets old to see the motorcycles zoom by the bus to go ahead and stop all traffic at the upcoming intersection.
Check out the photo gallery link above for photos from the trip. I'll be updating the gallery throughout our time in Tallahassee.
Blogging the Florida State Trip - 10:00 a.m.
Our bags are packed and we're ready to go. The Demon Deacons are set to leave for Tallahassee at 11:30 a.m. this morning from the Manchester Athletic Center on campus. I'll be on the trip and filing periodic blog updates throughout. I'll also have a camera in tow, so hopefully we'll be able to get some behind-the-scenes images of this trip on the website as well.
We'll be busing from campus to the Greensboro airport, where we'll fly on a US Air charter to Tallahassee. The itinerary has us landing at approximately 2:30 p.m. and then getting to the team hotel an hour later.
Be sure to check back here for updates on the Tallahassee trip.
- Blog posts by Scott Wortman, WFU Media Relations
