By the Numbers and Notes: NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wake Forest football team faces off against Raleigh on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Noon p.m.

This historic rivalry has been played continuously since 1910, which is the longest continuous rivalry in the ACC. Additionally, the 115th consecutive meeting is the second-longest in the FBS (Wisconsin-Minnesota have met every year since 1906).

Before the Deacs face the Wolfpack, below are some numbers and notes on the game:

By the Numbers

1910 - The rivalry between the Deacs and Wolfpack is the second-longest continuously played series in college football dating back to 1910 (Minnesota vs. Wisconsin).
54 - Not counting the 2020 COVID season, the Deacs have the fourth-most overall wins in the ACC since 2016, trailing just Clemson, NC State and Miami.
31.0 - Dating back to 2022, Jasheen Davis has recorded 31.0 tackles for loss in the last 19 games and 13.5 sacks. He has at least 0.5 tackles for loss in every game this season and in 22 of the last 23 games.
101 - Wake Forest's 101 passing touchdowns since the start of the 2021 season ranks 10th nationally and second in the ACC.
54 - The Deacs 54 All-ACC honors is tied for the sixth most overall in the ACC since the 2019 season. Additionally, the Deacs have had six or more players in the last seven seasons.

Winning the Third Phase

During the Dave Clawson era, Wake Forest has been the best team in the nation at converting field goals, connecting on 182-of-222 field goal attempts in the last 11 years (82.0 pct.) with the next closest being Stanford at 81.9 percent. That margin has been even highest over the last seven seasons since the start of the 2018 season:

Rk. Team                             FGM      FGA       FG PCT
1. Wake Forest          114         133         85.7
2. UNLV                              91            108         84.1
3. Stanford                      101         121         83.5
4. Miami (OH)               106         127         83.5
5. NC State                     122         147         83.0

This season, Matthew Dennis is 6-of-6 FG and was a perfect 9-of-9 in extra points. Over the course of his career, Dennis is 32-of-40 FG.

Rank                                                                            FGM      FGA       FG%
1. Nick Sciba (2018-21)*                            80            89            89.9
2. Matthew Dennis (2021-Pres.)      32            40            80.0
3. Mike Weaver (2014-17)                         68            89            76.4
4. Sam Swank (2005-08)                            71            93            76.3
5. Jimmy Newman (2009-12)                                   42            58            72.4

Ivan Mora is having his best punting season of his career, averaging 47.3 yards per punt including five punts of 50+ yards. His 42.0 career average ranks fifth in program history.

CAREER PUNT AVERAGE LEADERS
                                                      Years                     Punt Avg.
1. Ryan Plackmeier     2002-05               45.3
2. Chuck Ramsey         1971-73               44.0
3. Dom Maggio                2016-19               43.7
4. Harry Newsome      1981-84               43.6
5. Ivan Mora                     2019-Pres.       42.0

Home Field Advantage

With record-setting crowds, multiple sellouts and the best student attendance in school history, playing at home over the past five seasons has given Wake Forest a huge edge. The Demon Deacons hold a 24-10 (.714) record in home contests since the start of the 2019 season which included a program-record 11-game winning streak spanning from the 2020 to 2022 seasons. The 71.4 percent win rate ranks fourth in the ACC during that time period:

Rank     School                                    Wins     Losses                  Pct.
1               Clemson            34            2               94.4
2               NC State             30            7               81.1
3               Louisville            26            9               74.3
T4            Wake                     24            10            71.4
T4            N Carolina        24            10            71.4
6               Pittsburgh         24            12            66.7
T7            Florida St           23            12            65.7
T7            Miami                    23            12            65.7
T9            Virginia                 21            13            61.8
T9            Duke                       21            13            61.8

Elite Passing Offense

A key to the Deacs scoring success has been the numbers that they have put up through the air in the last four seasons. Wake Forest ranks 16th nationally in passing yards since 2021 and ranks third in the ACC:

Teams                                                      GP          Passing Yds
1 North Carolina            45            12,770
2 SMU                    44            12,737
3 Miami                                  42            12,039
4 Wake Forest                43            11,968
5 Pitt                                         43            11,532

Additionally, the Demon Deacons have found the endzone through the air the second-most in the ACC team since the start of the 2021 season and their 101 passing touchdowns are the 10th most in the country:

                  Teams                                    GP          Passing TDs
1 WKU                   46            154
2 Ohio State                       43            124
3 Alabama                           46            118
4 SMU                    44            117
5 LSU                                       44            114
T6 Georgia                           47            109
T6 USC                                   42            109
8 Oregon                               43            108
9 Tennessee                      43            102
T10 Wake Forest         42            101
T10 Oklahoma                                   43            101
T10 Utah State                                  44            101

WINNINGEST PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA

Since the turn of the century, the Demon Deacons boast a record of 32-26 against UNC, NC State and Duke. In addition, during that time, Wake Forest is 48-26 against all in-state opponents. The Deacs lead the Big Four in winning percentage against each other during that period.
Since the start of the 2016 season, the Deacs are the third-most wins in the ACC not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season:
- Clemson -- 88
- NC State- 58
- Miami- 56
- Wake Forest -- 54
- Pitt- 54
Additionally in the Clawson era, the Deacs recorded the first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh highest win totals in a single five-year period and the current five-year period of 28 wins ranks just outside of this list:
- 38 (2017-21)
- 37 (2018-22)
- 36 (2004-08 & 2006-10)
- 35 (2019-23)
- 34 (2016-20)
- 33 (2015-19)
- 31 (1944-48)
- 30 (1940-44)

VETERAN EXPERIENCE

The 2024 Deacs' have a wealth of experience on the roster this season with 18 players entering their fifth year or higher. This includes 10 players either in their sixth or seventh years:
- DB Capone Blue
- OL DeVonte Gordon
- WR Taylor Morin
- QB Michael Kern
- QB Hank Bachmeier
- P Ivan Mora
- DL Justin Cody
- OL Keagan Trost
- DL Kevin Pointer
- TE Cameron Hite
Coming into the season, this group of 10 sixth and seventh-year guys have combined to play in 350 career games.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE

One of the points of emphasis for the Wake Forest football team is winning the turnover battle. They have been one of the best teams in the country in that category since the start of the 2016 season.
In five of the last eight seasons, the Demon Deacons have finished inside of the top 25 in turnover margin while placing in the top three of ACC in each of those seasons.
Over the course of 2020-22, Wake Forest was +1 or better in turnover margin in 53 percent of games which ranked ninth nationally and fifth in the Power-5.
Over the past eight seasons, Wake Forest has a combined +31 turnover margin. This ranks 25th nationally over that time nationally and second in the ACC:

Rank                                        TO Gained        TO Lost                TO Margin
1. Clemson                         202                           157                           +45
T2. Wake Forest           171                           140                           +31
T2. Cal                                    168                          137                           +31
4. SMU                                                      173                          146                           +27
5. Miami                                171                           152                           +19

SLINGING THE PILL

Throughout his career, Hank Bachmeier has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the country. He has accumulated 9,822 career passing yards in his six seasons playing which would rank second all-time in Wake Forest history. Additionally among active quarterbacks in the country, his career yards ranks seventh in FBS:

Rank                                        School                                                     Passing Yards
1. Dillon Gabriel             Oregon                                                     16,057
2. Will Rogers                                     Washington                       13,669
3. Seth Henigan                                Memphis                              12,103
4. Grayson McCall       NC State                               10,481
5. Alan Bowman            Oklahoma State                              10,326
6. Connor Bazelak       Bowling Green                                   10,281
7. Hank Bachmeier   Wake Forest                    9,822
8. Jaxson Dart                                    Ole Miss                                9,506
9. DJ Uiagalelei                                 Florida State                     9,384
10. Payton Thorne        Auburn                                   9,294

Additionally in 41 career games played, Bachmeier has thrown for 55 career passing touchdowns which would rank fourth in Wake Forest program history and currently ranks 16th among active FBS quarterbacks and 12th among Power-4 quarterbacks:

Rank                                        School                                   GP          Passing TDs
1. Dillon Gabriel             Oregon                                   54            134
2. Will Rogers                                     Washington     48            104
3. Grayson McCall       NC State             45            91
4. Payton Thorne           Auburn                                   46            75
5. KJ Jefferson                                    UCF                         48            74
T6. Dequan Finn            Baylor                    47            66
T6. Cam Ward                                    Miami                    30            66
8. Jaxson Dart                                    Ole Miss              37            65
9. Graham Mertz           Florida                                    49            62
10. DJ Uiagalelei            Florida State   53            61
11. Kurtis Rourke          Indiana                                   41            61
12. Alan Bowman         Okla. St.              44            60
T12. Hank Bachmeier               Wake Forest 42            56
T12. Will Howard          Ohio State         38            56
14. Tyler Van Dyke       Wisconsin         35            55
T15. Chandler Rogers                 Cal                           38            53
T15. Cam Rising             Utah                        29            53

In his first start and first full game with Wake Forest against Virginia, the Murrieta, Calif. native threw for 403 yards and one touchdown as he went 27-of-43 against Virginia inside Allegacy Stadium, four yards short of his career high and just the second time in his career he has thrown for 400-plus yards.
Bachmeier became the fourth quarterback in the Dave Clawson era to throw for 400 yards in a game and his 403 yard tally is the fourth-highest total since 2014.

Rank                                        Date                       Opponent         Passing Yards
1. John Wolford                                Oct. 28, 2017 Louisville            461
2. Sam Hartman                              Oct. 23, 2021 Army                       458
3. Sam Hartman                              Nov. 14, 2020 UNC                        429
4. Hank Bachmeier   Sept. 7, 2024 UVA                         403
5. Sam Hartman                              Oct. 30, 2021 Duke                       402
6. Jamie Newman         Aug. 30, 2019 Utah State         401
7. John Wolford                                Dec. 29, 2017 Texas A&M        400

JD LIVING IN THE BACKFIELD

According to PFF, Jasheen Davis leads the nation in career quarterback pressures with 112 in his Wake Forest career including five in the season-opening win over NC A&T:

Rank                                        School                                   Pressures
1. Tyler Baron                                    Miami                    124
T2. Jasheen Davis        Wake Forest    118
T2. B.J. Green II               Colorado            118
4. Tyler Batty                     BYU                         116
5. Davin Vann                   NC State             113

Additionally, his 199 career tackle for loss yards are the most out of any active FBS player and his 41.0 tackles for loss is fourth among active FBS players.
Overall for the 2023 season, Jasheen Davis has recorded 49 tackles, ranking 10th nationally with 17.0 tackle-for-loss and ranking 25th nationally with 7.5 sacks.
- According to PFF, Davis was 14th nationally with 29 quarterback hurries.
Davis has now recorded at least 0.5 tackles-for-loss in the 22 of his last 23 games.
Over his last 19 games dating back to last season, Davis has collected 31.0 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks.
With 1.0 sack in the season-opener, Davis has now tallied 21.0 sacks in his career and that ranks fourth in program history:

Wake Forest Career Sacks
1. Mike McCrary (1989-92)                       30.0
2. Calvin Pace (1999-02)                            29.0
3. Duke Ejiofor (2014-17)                           23.5
4. Jasheen Davis (2020-Present)    21.0
5. Carlos Basham, Jr. (2017-20)                            20.5

Additionally, Davis has 39.5 tackles for loss and needs just 0.5 tackles for loss to move to eighth in program history:

Wake Forest Career Tackles for Loss
1. Calvin Pace (1999-02)                            54
2. Nikita Whitlock (2010-13)                   49
3. Mike McCrary (1989-92)                       46
4. Aaron Curry (2005-08)                           45.5
5. Fred Robbins (1996-98)                        44
6. Duke Ejiofor (2014-17)                           43
7. Marquel Lee (2013-16)                          42
8. Jasheen Davis (2019-Pres.)                              41
9. Nate Bolling (1998-01)                           40
10. Bryan Ray (1997-00)                             39
11. Kelvin Moses (1994-99)                     37

With 14.0 tackle for loss again in back-to-back season, Davis is in the top 10 in program history for a single season and ranked third in the Clawson era:

Tackles for Loss Since 2014
1 Marquel Lee (2016)                                    20.0
2 Boogie Basham (2019)                            18.0
T3 Jasheen Davis (2023)                           17.0
T3 Duke Ejiofor (2016)                                                    17.0
5 Duke Ejiofor (2017)                                     16.5
6 Rondell Bothroyd (2021)                        16.5
7 Jasheen Davis (2022)                                                14.0

CLIMBING THE CHARTS

In the season opener against NC A&T, Taylor Morin had a career night, posting a career-best 217 all-purpose yards including his first career punt return touchdown.
- Morin was the first Power-4 player to have a punt return touchdown in 2024. Additionally, it marked Wake Forest's first since Sept. 8, 2018 vs. Towson when Greg Dortch had a 60-yard scoring return.
- His 217 all-purpose yards were the sixth most in FBS for week one and marked the first Demon Deacon to finish with 200 or more APY since Matt Colburn against Louisville on Oct. 27, 2018.
Morin followed that up with another strong performance, pulling in seven catches for 91 yards against Virginia. He has now had six or more receptions in the last three games, dating back to last season and his 176 career receptions ranks 11th among active FBS players heading into week three.
After pulling in a career-best nine touchdowns during the 2022 season, which ranked 19th nationally and fourth in the ACC, Morin entered the 2023 season already ranked in the top 10 in school history in receiving touchdowns. He added to his total with a pair of touchdown receptions in the win over Old Dominion:

CAREER RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
1. A.T. Perry (2018-22)                                                    28
2. Ricky Proehl (1986-89)                          25
3. Todd Dixon (1990-93)                             22
4. Cam Serigne (2014-17)                         21
    Red O'Quinn (1946-49)                          21
    Chris Givens (2009-11)                           21
7. Desmond Clark (1995-98)                                    20
8. Kenny Duckett (1978-81)                    19
    Taylor Morin (2019-Pres.)                                    19

Additionally, another strong year in receptions has elevated Morin into the top 10 in school history in total receptions. His 181 currently ranks fifth in school history, holding the most receptions in the Dave Clawson era as he passed former teammate A.T. Perry and Cam Serigne Saturday against Virginia:

CAREER RECEPTION LEADERS
                                                      Years                     Receptions
1. Michael Campanaro             2010-13               229
2. Desmond Clark       1995-98               216
3. Ricky Proehl                                  1986-89               188
4. Taylor Morin              2019-Pres.       187
5. Jammie Deese         1996-99               184
6. Cam Serigne                                 2014-17               174
7. A.T. Perry                       2018-22               171
7. Chris Givens                                 2009-11               163
8. Thabiti Davis               1994-97               161
10. James Brim                                 1983-86               153

Going into the week, Morin ranks fifth in program history and second in the Clawson era in receiving yards just trailing his former teammate A.T. Perry:

CAREER RECEIVING YARDS LEADERS
                                                      Years                     Receptions
1. Ricky Proehl                                  1986-89               2,949
2. Desmond Clark       1995-98               2,834
3. A.T. Perry                       2018-22               2,662
4. Taylor Morin              2019-Pres.       2,543
5. Michael Campanaro             2010-13               2,506
6. Chris Givens                                 2009-11               2,473
7. Wayne Baumgardner            1978-81               2,431
8. Jammie Deese          1996-99               2,348
9. Todd Dixon                                     1990-93               2,300
10. Jaquarii Roberson                 2017-21               2,158

With the help of a strong opening game, Morin continues to solidify himself in the top five in career punt return yards

CAREER PUNT RETURN YARDS LEADERS
                                                      Years Receptions
1. George Coghill          1989-92               1,002
2. Fabien Davis               1999-02               722
3. Taylor Morin              2019-Pres.       657
4. Willie Idlette                                 2003-06               566
5. Tom Fetzer                    1946-48               552

RELIABLE HANDS

With his 9-yard reception in the second quarter against Ole Miss, redshirt junior wide receiver Donavon Greene extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 29 games. That total ranks 15th in the nation entering bowl season and is 13th in the Power-4.

Player                                     Pos.      School                                   Streak
1. Jo'Quavious Marks                 RB           USC                         49
2. LaJohntay Wester WR         Colorado            42
Kyle Williams                    WR         Wash. St.           42
4. Brant Kuithe                                  TE            Utah                        37
5. Jaylin Noel                    WR         Iowa State         36
6. Brennan Presley      WR         Oklahoma St. 35
7. JP Richardson            WR         TCU                         32
Andrew Armstrong      WR         Arkansas            32
Derwin Burgess Jr         WR         Ga. Southern 32
10. Raylen Sharpe        WR         Fresno St.          31
Jordan Moore                   WR         Duke                       31
12. Elijhah Badger        WR         Florida                                    30
Corey Dyches                  TE            Cal                           30
Elijah Sarratt                     WR         Indiana                                   30
15. Donavon Greene                 WR         Wake Forest 29
Kaedin Robinson           WR         App State           29
Money Parks                     WR         Utah                        29
Ife Adeyi                                WR         Sam Houston 29
19. Emeka Egbuka       WR         Ohio State         28

Greene has recorded at least one reception in all 29 career games entering the 2024 season and is coming off one of the best games of his career against Virginia, pulling in a career-high 11 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.
In 2022, the Mount Airy, N.C. native finished second on the team in receiving yards with a career-high 642 yards while also leading the team in yards per reception with a 17.4 yard average in 2022.
He ended the 2022 season with a career-high six touchdown receptions including two multi-touchdown games against nationally-ranked opponents Clemson and North Carolina.
Greene have been some of the most explosive receivers in program history:

Career Avg. Per Reception (min. 75 Rec.)
1. Donavon Greene (2019-Pres.)     18.5 (94/1,735)
2. Jason Anderson (2001-04)                                   18.0 (115/2,066)
3. Wayne Baumgardner (1978-81)    17.24 (141/2,431)
4. Todd Dixon (1990-93)                             17.16 (134/2,300)
5. AT Perry (2018-22)                                     15.9 (171/2,662)

DC1

In the season opener against NC A&T, Demond Claiborne set the tone on the ground with a team-high 135 yards on 17 carries including scoring the first touchdown of the season. He continued his strong play in game two with 128 all-purpose yards (86 RUSH, 14 RCV, 28 KR).
This marked the seventh time in the last 12 games that he has gone for 100 or more all-purpose yards including a career-high 172 APR in the season opener:
- Sept. 28, 2024 vs. Louisiana - 117 APR (94 RUSH, 10 RCV, 13 KR)
- Aug. 29, 2024 vs. NC A&T - 172 APR (135 RUSH, 37 KR)
- Nov. 2, 2023 at Duke - 139 APR (81 RUSH, 58 KR)
- Oct. 21, 2023 vs. Pitt - 137 APR (96 RUSH, 22 RCV, 19 KR)
- Oct. 14, 2023 at Virginia Tech- 100 APR (4 RUSH, 96 KR)
- Sept. 9, 2023 vs. Vandy - 165 APR (165 RUSH)
Claiborne's 96-yard kickoff return in the second quarter against Virginia Tech was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Demon Deacons since Ja'Sir Taylor's 99-yard touchdown in a 42-10 victory over Old Dominion in 2021.
Additionally, it was one of the longest plays in the Clawson era, ranking second:

Rk           Play
1.             99-yd kick return by Ja'Sir Taylor vs. Old Dominion (9/3/21)
T2.          96-yd kick return by Demond Claiborne at Virginia Tech (10/14/23)
T2.          96-yd kick return by Donavon Greene vs. Campbell (10/2/20)
T2.          96-yd run by Kenneth Walker, III at Rice (9/6/19)
5.             83-yd INT by Traveon Redd at Army (10/23/21)

The Deacs have produced a rushing score in 38 of their last 43 games dating back to Dec. 12, 2020 at Louisville. The only games during this run without a rushing score was in Week 4 vs. Clemson in 2022, Week three at Old Dominion in 2023, week eight at Virginia Tech, week 11 vs. NC St. and week three against Ole Miss in 2024.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hank Bachmeier

Capone Blue

Demond Claiborne

Justin Cody

Jasheen Davis

Matthew Dennis

DeVonte Gordon

Donavon Greene

Cameron Hite

Michael Kern

Ivan Mora

Taylor Morin

Kevin Pointer

Wake Forest Athletics