Deacs Run Away From Rice 41-21

HOUSTON – Wake Forest improved to 2-0 on the season with a 41-21 victory at Rice on Friday night. Jamie Newman led the Demon Deacon offense to its fourth straight game of over 500 yards, tying a school record. Newman completed 21 of 27 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those touchdown throws went to Scotty Washington, who had a career-high 158 yards on seven catches. Kenneth Walker rushed for 125 yards, highlighted by a 96-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, the longest play from scrimmage in school history.

The Demon Deacons won its fourth consecutive road game, dating back to last season, and won its road opener for the fourth straight year.

How It Happened: Wake Forest took the opening kickoff and scored on their opening possession, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Christian Beal-Smith. After a strip sack from Boogie Basham gave the Deacs the ball back, a 7-yard touchdown pass from Newman to Sage Surratt doubled the lead to 14-0. Rice got on the scoreboard with a 1-yard touchdown run from Aston Walter, following a lengthy delay to care for injured Owl quarterback Wiley Green. On the next series, Rice backup quarterback Tom Stewart scored on a 10-yard run to tie the game at 14-14, which was the score at the end of the first quarter.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Washington outjumped the Rice defense for a 25-yard touchdown catch to give the Deacs a 21-14 lead. A 34-yard pass to Jack Freudenthal on the next possession set up a 26-yard field goal from Nick Sciba. Wake Forest held that 24-14 lead at halftime.

Wake Forest's first drive of the second half resulted in a 23-yard field goal from Sciba, who tied the school record with his 14th consecutive made field goal. Newman's 59-yard deep pass found Washington for his second touchdown catch of the night to extend the lead to 34-14 at the end of three quarters.

After the Deacs stuffed Rice on fourth-and-goal with a tackle-for-loss by Justin Strnad, Walker took the next play 96 yards for the longest touchdown run in school history. It was the freshman's first career touchdown and gave him his first career 100-yard rushing game. A late 19-yard touchdown catch by Rice's Austin Trammell made the final score 41-21.

Key Play: After Rice had scored 14 straight points to tie the game after one quarter, Newman connected with Washington for a 25-yard score on the first play of the second quarter to start a run of 27 straight points for the Deacs to seize control of the game.

Stat Leaders: Newman had his third straight 300-yard passing game with his 312 yard performance on Friday. Washington led the receivers with seven catches for 158 yards. Walker had his first career 100-yard rushing game with 125 yards. Traveon Redd led the defense with eight tackles, including his first career sack.

Notes: Dave Clawson recorded his 30th career win at Wake Forest ... Wake Forest has now had 500 or more total offense yards in 13 of its last 28 games … Walker is Wake's first true freshman RB with 100-yard game at Wake since Cade Carney in 2016 … Surratt had his fourth straight game with a TD catch … Wake Forest has scored in 14 straight quarters dating back to the third quarter of the Pittsburgh game on Nov. 17, 2018 … Officially 95 degrees at kickoff, tying the WFU record for hottest game in school history (vs. William Jewell on Sept. 21, 1940 and vs. George Washington on Sept. 18, 1954) … Sciba converted his 14th consecutive field goal, tying the school record set by Jimmy Newman.

Next up: The Demon Deacons return home on Friday, Sept. 13 and will host Big Four rival North Carolina in a non-conference match-up on ESPN starting at 6 pm EDT. Tickets for the North Carolina game are available at HERE.

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Team Stats

Newman J

Players Mentioned

Christian Beal-Smith

Cade Carney

Jack Freudenthal

Jamie Newman

Traveon Redd

Nick Sciba

Justin Strnad

Sage Surratt

Scotty Washington