Deacons Direct - Ole Miss Gameday Blog
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 6, 2008
Postgame Wrap Up - 8:45 p.m.
Wow, what a finish. The Deacons pulled out some magic to post a nail-biting 30-28 victory over a talented Ole Miss team. Sam Swank proved that he is one of the best kickers in the country--if not the best in the country. The offense also did a great job of getting Swank in position on the last drive. Riley Skinner going to Josh Adams deep in Ole Miss territory drew a crucial pass interference call to set up Swank for the game-winner. The win gives the Deacs some momentum as they begin ACC play in two weeks at Florida State.
Be sure to check out all of the postgame tidbits on the website. Gary Petit from the Wake Forest Media Relations office took care of the game recap (in lieu of the stock AP story used in the past). We also have some postgame notes, postgame quotes, final stats and an AP photo gallery to view.
Kudos go out to Lynn Enterline, also of the WFU Media Relations staff. With a myriad of kinks to work out in the pressbox before our first game here, Lynn subbed in for me with some good blog notes pre-game.
I also have to give a shoutout to Tivo. Yes, Tivo. We had a Tivo box (HD to boot) installed in our stat booth to help with plays that are difficult to catch with the naked eye. The Tivo came in handy on Wake Forest's first punt where the ball bounded off the Ole Miss player. We were able to go back and view the play in slow motion. With the naked eye, it looked as if the ball glanced off of #8. But the Tivo replay showed it hit off the foot of #12. It might be a minor detail, but you always strive to be 100 percent no matter how small the detail. Thanks to Tivo and thanks to Director of Multimedia James Overstreet for getting the box installed.
That's a wrap for our first home gameday blog. Hopefully for future games we'll be able to streamline some stuff and post some more frequent updates pre- and post-game as we get all of the operational kinks worked out.
7:03 p.m. - Wake Forest 30, Ole Miss 28 (Final)
The Deacons covered the kickoff well, as Hunter Haynes made the stop preventing the Rebels from going anywhere for a possible miracle. The Deacs needed some magic but in the end they pulled it out. Stay tuned for some postgame coverage.
7:01 p.m.
IT'S GOOD! Sam Swank nailed the 41-yard field goal to give Wake a 30-28 advantage with three seconds to play.
7:00 p.m.
The Deacons are setting up for a 41-yard field goal attempt. Holder Ryan McManus made a heads-up play, calling a timeout as the play clock was down to two seconds.
6:57 p.m.
After a pass interference call cost Wake Forest on Ole Miss' scoring drive, the Deacons benefitted from one on theirs. Marshay Green committed the foul on Josh Adams, as Adams was going for a deep ball down the left sideline.
6:56 p.m.
The Deacons have entered Rebel territory. At the 44, Wake needs to pick up some more yards to get into Sam Swank's field goal range. Swank's career high is 53 yards.
6:47 p.m. - Ole Miss 28, Wake Forest 27
Ole Miss took the lead with a touchdown with 1:01 to play. Jevan Snead scrambled in the pocket and found Cordera Eason for a five-yard score. A pass interference penalty on third-and-15 proved costly. The penalty gave Ole Miss an automatic first down and new life on the drive. The Rebels went 80 yards on 15 plays, spanning 7:06. The Deacs take over needing some magic to pull out a win.
6:20 p.m.
Wake Forest drove to Ole Miss territory at the 47 but was forced to punt. Ole Miss fair-caught the punt at the 20-yard line. D.J. Boldin went over the 100-yard receiving mark on the drive. Boldin now has 10 catches for 101 yards. Last season alone, Boldin had 11 catches for 127 yards. The Rebels take over with just over eight minutes to play in the game.
6:17 p.m.
Today's attendance was announced at 31,986 which is just over the listed capacity of 31,500. The attendance is the 22nd-highest figure in BB&T Field history.
6:16 p.m.
Wake Forest held Ole Miss to a three-and-out on its next possession. The Deacons had two would-be interceptions go through their fingertips on consecutive plays. Kevin Patterson almost had his second pick of the day, while Chip Vaughn almost had one on the next play but the ball bobbled out of his hands. Wake takes over at its own 37.
6:10 p.m. - Wake Forest 27, Ole Miss 21
The Deacons responded with a touchdown, as Brandon Pendergrass scored on a 12-yard run. The score was set up by Pendergrass' 20-yard run to the 25 and then a personal foul call that added 13 yards to the run. The Rebels drove Pendergrass too far out of bounds on the call. On the next play, Pendergrass found his way into the right side of endzone. He had 44 yards rushing on the drive, which went 80 yards on eight plays over 2:34.
5:59 p.m. - Ole Miss 21, Wake Forest 20
The turnover proved costly, as the Rebels reclaimed the lead with a touchdown pass from Jevan Snead to Dexter McCluster. Ole Miss needed just two plays to convert Wake's first turnover into points.
5:57 p.m.
The Deacons gave the ball right back to the Rebels, as Alphonso Smith fumbled at the Deacon 30 on his punt return. Wake was called for a block in the back on the return, but it was declined. Ole Miss takes over at the 30 looking to get its first points of the second half.
5:53 p.m.
As the third quarter comes to a close, Ole Miss is facing a fourth-and-17 at its own 27. Ole Miss had a 62-yard reception called back due to a holding call. The play had put the Rebels at the Wake Forest two-yard line.
Chris Paul was honored on field between the quarters. Paul was out on the field with his Olympic gold medal in tow. Paul had a black Wake Forest football jersey on, with his name and number 3 on the back. Apologies to Devon Brown...
5:47 p.m. - Wake Forest 20, Ole Miss 14
Wake Forest re-took the lead with a 24-yard scoring strike from Riley Skinner to Marshall Williams. It was Williams' first career TD catch. The scoring drive lasted 3:05, as the Deacs went 41 yards on seven plays.
Mike Rinfrette converted on fourth down for the Deacs on the drive. Facing fourth-and-inches at the Ole Miss 32, Rinfrette carried the ball for a bruising two yards to extend Wake's drive.
5:41 p.m.
With two field goals today, Sam Swank now has 19 career multi-field goal games. He has had multiple field goals in both games this season (2 FGs at Baylor).
Ole Miss went three-and-out on its possession and punted to Alphonso Smith. Smith returned the ball eight yards to the Rebel 41.
5:36 p.m.
Sam Swank converted another field goal, this time from 27 yards out to cut the deficit to 14-13. The Deacs went 34 yards on seven plays over 2:38. D.J. Boldin had a big third-down catch to put Wake into scoring position. Riley Skinner hit Boldin for a 26-yard reception at the Ole Miss 17. Boldin leapt over two defenders to make the grab. The score was set up by Brandon Ghee's first career interception.
5:28 p.m.
It didn't take long for the Deacs to get another turnover. On Ole Miss' first play, Brandon Ghee intercepted Dexter McCluster at the Rebel 44. The Rebels used McCluster in the Wild Rebel formation, and he rolled to the right to pass. Ghee was there for the interception.
5:22 p.m.
Wake Forest picked up its second turnover of the game, as Kevin Patterson intercepted Jevan Snead at the Deacon 24-yard line. The Rebels were facing third-and-four at the Wake 44, and Snead tried to fit the ball in down the right sideline. Patterson was there to leap and make the easy interception. It was Patterson's fourth career interception.
Here are some halftime notes, as Wake Forest trails 14-10:
- Ole Miss took a 14-10 advantage into halftime. While the Rebels out-gained the Deacons 199-137 in the first half, the Deacs took advantage of the half's only turnover. Ole Miss fumbled the first punt of the game, setting up Wake inside of the red zone. Riley Skinner converted the turnover into points, hitting Kevin Harris with a 14-yard scoring strike just two plays later.
- Both teams are not gaining much on the ground. The Deacs have rushed 17 times for 28 yards (1.6 per carry), while the Rebels have run the ball 10 times for 34 yards (3.4 per carry). Ole Miss has used its "Wild Rebel" formation several times, snapping the ball directly to the running back.
- The Deacons controlled the time of possession in the first half despite trailing. Wake held the ball for 17:47 compared to 12:13 for Ole Miss. Much of the Deacs' possession time was chewed up on their final drive of the half. Wake went 64 yards on 16 plays, covering 7:52. The Deacs got a 21-yard field goal on the drive.
- Sam Swank now has 301 points scored in his career. He is 92 points away from the ACC scoring record of 393 held by Nick Novak of Maryland (2001-04). Swank has booted a field goal in each of his last 12 games, dating back to last season. He has hit a field goal in 36 of 40 career games.
- D.J. Boldin had a strong first half for the receiving corps. Bolding caught four passes for 37 yards. Rich Belton has two catches for 22 yards, Ben Wooster has two for 18 and Kevin Harris has two catches for 15 yards. One of Harris' catches was a 14-yard scoring strike from Riley Skinner.
- Josh Adams has produced most of the offense on the ground, rushing seven times for 38 yards. Brand Pendergrass has three rushes for five yards.
- Riley Skinner is still his accurate self. Skinner completed 14 of 18 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the first half. However, Skinner has been sacked three times for a total of 16 yards.
- Alphonso Smith leads the defense with five tackles, including four solo stops. Chip Vaughn has four first-half tackles and a fumble recovery.
4:52 p.m.
Wake Forest had to settle for a field goal just before halftime to cut the deficit to 14-10. The Deacs made it to the three-yard line but could not punch it in to the endzone. Sam Swank booted the ball through from 21 yards out for the field goal with :01 on the clock. The Deacs went 64 yards on 16 plays over 7:52. Skinner kept the drive alive with a QB sneak for two yards when Wake was facing a fourth-and-inches at the Rebel 44.
4:41 p.m.
The Deacons converted their first third down of the day. Wake was 0-for-5 on third downs before Skinner hit Belton on a seven-yard gain to put the Deacs at their own 47. Wake gained another five yards on an offsides penalty by Ole Miss, putting the Deacons in Rebel territory.
4:38 p.m.
Ole Miss is getting the most bang for the buck on first down thus far. The Rebels are averaging 9.1 yards on first downs, while the Deacs are only averaging 1.8 yards per first down. Wake is back on offense with just under eight minutes to play in the first half.
4:25 p.m. - Ole Miss 14, Wake Forest 7
Ole Miss scored again as Jevan Snead hit Shay Hodge on a 28-yard touchdown pass. Alphonso Smith almost had Snead sacked, but the quarterback eluded the DB and hit Hodge in the endzone. Hodge out-leaped Alex Frye for the ball. The scoring drive went for 83 yards on nine plays, spanning 3:34. This marks the first time this season Wake Forest has trailed.
4:15 p.m.
At the end of the first quarter, Wake and Ole Miss are tied at 7-7. The Rebels held a distinct statistical advantage in the first stanza. Ole Miss had 115 total yards compared to 79 for Wake Forest. The Rebels had more pass yards 101-63 and had six first downs compared to four for the Deacs. Ole Miss, however, had the game's only turnover and committed a roughing the kicker penalty on a punt.
4:10 p.m.
The Deacons get second life on a punt once again. Ole Miss was whistled for roughing the kicker, giving Wake an automatic first down at its own 42. However, the Deacs could not get a first down and were forced to punt again. Nothing happening on this punt. The Rebels take over at their own 17.
4:05 p.m.
Ole Miss answered with a touchdown of their own, as Jevan Snead hit Gerald Harris with a four-yard scoring toss. The Rebels went 94 yards on nine plays, spanning 3:39. Ole Miss benefited from a Wake Forest personal foul early in the drive. The foul put the Rebels close to midfield, and the offense seemed to click after that.
3:56 p.m.
Wake's third offensive drive stalled after four plays. The Deacs made it to mid-field but a false start penalty put them back a few too many yards. Sam Swank helped flip the field, putting his punt at the Ole Miss six-yard line.
3:54 p.m.
Here is a look at Wake Forest's starters. The only change from the depth chart was Michael Carter starting at nose guard in place of Boo Robinson. Safety Chip Vaughn was back in the starting lineup after Alex Frye started in his place at Baylor.
Offense:
QB - Riley Skinner
RB - Josh Adams
FB - Mike Rinfrette
WR - D.J. Boldin
WR - Chip Brinkman TE - Ben Wooster
LT - Joe Birdsong
LG - Russell Nenon
C - Trey Bailey
RG - Barrett McMillin
RT - Jeff Griffin
Defense:
DE - Matt Robinson
NG - Michael Carter
DT - John Russell
DE - Anthony Davis
OLB - Aaron Curry
MLB - Stanley Arnoux
OLB - Chantz McClinic
CB - Alphonso Smith
CB - Brandon Ghee
FS - Chip Vaughn
SS - Kevin Patterson
3:48 p.m.
The Deacons held Ole Miss on their first real offensive possession of the game. The Rebels came within inches of scoring on a long passing play, but Jevan Snead's pass was off the fingertips of his diving receiver in the endzone. Alphonso Smith had a nice return on the punt taking the ball at the nine and returning it to the 29.
3:40 p.m.
Wake Forest got on the board first with a Riley Skinner to Kevin Harris touchdown pass. The Deacons came up short on their first possession and punted when facing fourth-and-one at midfield. The decision was a good one as the punt bounded off an Ole Miss player's foot (#12 Dustin Mouzon). Chip Vaughn was right there to jump on the ball. From there it took the Deacs just two plays to hit paydirt. Skinner hit Harris with a well-placed pass in the left front of the endzone.
Weather Report - 3:33 p.m.
No sign of a tropical storm here. Kickoff will be under sunny skies and 87 degrees. Beautiful day for football. There is a 20 mph breeze out of the northwest, so look for strong kickoffs and field goal attempts out of the North goal.
Coin Toss - 3:31 p.m.
Today's game captains for Wake Forest are Alphonso Smith and Sam Swank. Good timing as each adorn the game program for today as well. Ole Miss won the toss and deferred. Wake Forest will receive the kickoff and defend the South goal (Deacon Hill side of the stadium). Open the Gate - 3:30 p.m.
Wake Forest is starting a new tradition at football games with "Open the Gate". Each home game there will be an honored guest who gets to open the gate and let the Deacons take the field. The inaugural Open the Gate honoree is former Demon Deacon All-American and Olympic gold medalist Chris Paul.
CP has opened the gate and the Deacs have taken the field behind the Deacon on his motorcycle. It's officially game time.
Almost There - 3:25 p.m.
We're almost 10 minutes out from the time of kickoff. The Screamin' Demons are in full force today. There is a strong sea of black across the way from the pressbox. The Ole Miss section is scattered with some red, but it is considerably less than filled. We're still waiting for the teams to take the field. Today's Unis - 2:55 p.m.
Wake Forest is going gold today. The Deacs are wearing black jerseys with gold pants, the same as they did for the first two games of the 2007 season. Ole Miss is in their road whites with gray pants and navy helmets.
Deacon Tower Attendance - 2:40 p.m.
The brand-new Deacon Tower is abuzz with activity for Wake Forest's home opener. Along with the national television production crew, the sixth floor is host to a plethora of media personnel as well as several bowl representatives and NFL scouts. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Chick-fil-A Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl each sent a representative to Winston-Salem for today's game. Some of the visiting media outlets for the Rebels include the Daily Mississippian, Biloxi Sun Herald and Oxford Eagle. More than 50 media members will be on hand to witness the matchup.
It is now approximately 50 minutes till kickoff and the Wake Forest faithful are beginning to fill the seats and the Deacon Hill. The weather is sunny and 86 degrees, quelling any concerns for the time being about adverse weather playing a factor in today's game.
Storylines to Watch - 2:00 p.m.
Here are the storylines to watch in today's game:
- Wake Forest will be gunning for its 400th win as the Deacs are one win shy. The Deacons come in to this weekend's game with an all-time mark of 399-581-33 (.410).
- Wake Forest, the ACC's sole representative in this week's AP poll, faces SEC opponent Ole Miss. The ACC was 0-2 against SEC opponents last week (Alabama 34, Clemson 10; South Carolina 34, N.C. State 0). As a conference, the ACC was 7-4 in season-0pening games (Florida State plays its first opener at home against Western Carolina today at 6 p.m.).
- The Deacons look to extend their five-game home winning streak. Wake has won nine of its last 12 at home and 11 of its last 15.
- On the field, the Deacons and Rebels will face off for just the second time. Ole Miss will be out for revenge after Wake Forest hung a 27-3 defeat on the Rebels during the 2006 season in Oxford.
Miscellaneous Football Clippings - 12:15 p.m.
Here are a few links to get you ready for today's game:
- A Wake Forest tradition begins: Open the gate - Chatham Journal (Sept. 6, 2008)
- New Boldin: Senior receiver has come full circle since arriving at Wake Forest in 2004 - Winston-Salem Journal (Sept. 5, 2008)
- Building Bodies: Strength-and-conditioning coach at WFU is known for intense strengthening workouts - Winston-Salem Journal (Sept. 5, 2008)
- Demon Deacons gobble turnovers - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Sept. 5, 2008)
- Rebs ready for Deacons, Hanna - The Clarion-Ledger (Sept. 5, 2008)
- Eason set to start at back for Rebels - Biloxi Sun Herald (Sept. 3, 2008)
- Deacs look to keep Rebels from running wild - Associated Press (Sept. 2, 2008)
Blogging from the New Deacon Tower - 9:00 a.m.
Back by popular demand, it's the Wake Forest football gameday blog. OK, so maybe not that popular of demand but we're still back. I'll be filing periodic updates from the pressbox in Deacon Tower (see: luxury, life of) today, leading up to and during the Ole Miss game. We're going to try and dodge Hanna, but according to weather.com the rain is supposed to subside in time for kickoff. Let's hope that forecast holds true so we can open Deacon Tower and the 2008 home season (see: seven games!) without a hitch. Again, check back here for more updates this morning and afternoon.
- Blog posts by Scott Wortman, WFU Media Relations
