Wake Forest University
Florida State
Demon Deacons Chop Down Seminoles, 35-30
10/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2011
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | AP Photo Gallery 
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Video Highlights 
| Grobe Postgame Press Conference
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Big stage. Big screen. Big win.
Wake Forest's new, massive and visually compelling video board witnessed a program milestone on Saturday afternoon as the Demon Deacons turned back No. 23 Florida State 35-30 behind two long runs from Josh Harris, two touchdown passes from Tanner Price to Terence Davis, two stifling defensive plays from Joey Ehrmann and five forced turnovers. In the process, Wake Forest improved to 3-0 in the ACC for the first time.
That's first time as in forever. All 59 years worth of ACC play.
"Seems unbelievable that it could be true," coach Jim Grobe said, "but we're happy to where we are right now.
"We've had opportunities to fold our tents. Momentum-crushing stuff. But it tells you a lot about the spirit of this team. The best thing about this football team is that nobody points fingers or worries about it."
After an overtime loss at Syracuse in the season-opener, Wake has won four in a row. Its three ACC wins have come by seven, eight and five points. In all three games, the Deacs have had to sweat it out as leads of 15 or more points have shrunk. None has disappeared altogether. Something else about this 3-0 business: All the games have been Atlantic Division affairs, which are like the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in a first-among-equals way.
"The thing that's so special about this team is that we have no big-name players, but we play as one," outside linebacker Kyle Wilber said. "We're not looking for one (single) person to make plays."
For Wake, the day was worthy of the Daktronics scoreboard, a 3,780-square-foot video display terminal with over 1.5 million pixels brought to life for the first time.
"It's awesome," said cornerback Merrill Noel, author of one of the interceptions.
"Sometimes, I got attracted by it to the point where I forgot I was on the field. But I do love seeing us on it."
The afternoon was a continuous process of keeping the Seminoles at bay.
Ehrmann foiled one drive with an interception and long return that led to a field goal, and he added to a 16-14 lead with an open-field tackle for a safety in the third quarter.
"I had had enough of not doing anything," Ehrmann said, referring to a personal season mitigated by various nagging injuries.
Wake built its lead with the help of a subsequent drive that it extended by going for a first down on fourth and six inches from the FSU 4.
"They're so talented on offense that you can't take anything for granted that (an 11-point lead) is going to hold up," Grobe said.
The possession seemed to be irretrievably interrupted by a holding penalty, but Price overcame it when he fired an 8-yard strike to Davis in the back of the end zone for a 32-17 lead on the second play of the fourth quarter. Declining the probable field goal, which would have made it 28-17, ultimately paid off.
"It was a smart decision," said Davis, an eventual beneficiary. "We had to keep trying to put the game away. Why not go for it when it's fourth and inches in the red zone?"
The Noles again chipped away, and the Deacs led 32-24 when they took over with 12:12 left. Price stared down a third-and-seven and two charging Seminole rushers, escaping long enough to find fullback Tommy Bohanon for a 15-yard gain that kept the drive alive. The possession would consume more than six minutes and end in a field goal, an acceptable result given time and score.
"I just knew how critical it was to get a first down," Price said.
The defense permitted another TD, but it didn't come until the final minute, by which point the Seminoles had used two time outs and were reduced to requiring an onside-kick recovery. Wide receiver Chris Givens, who had 101 more receiving yards on the day, grabbed the bouncing ball and held on.
Four interceptions, a forced fumble and no turnovers by the offense added up to victory. And nobody cared that the turnover margin equaled the victory margin.
"Right now," Noel said, "we are brothers. And nothing is going to tear us apart."
