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American college football season
The 2021 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The team was led by eighth-year head coach Dave Clawson , and played their home games at Truist Field at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Demon Deacons clinched the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2006 and appeared in the ACC Championship game against Pittsburgh.
Preseason [ edit ]
ACC poll [ edit ]
The ACC media days were held on July 26, 2021. In the conference preseason polls, the Demon Deacons were predicted to finish in fifth place in the Atlantic Division.[1]
Atlantic
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Clemson
1,028 (146)
2
NC State
804 (1)
3
Boston College
638
4
Florida State
510
5
Wake Forest
472
6
Louisville
462
7
Syracuse
202
Schedule [ edit ]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance 7:00 p.m. Old Dominion * ACCN W 42–1025,673
September 11 12:00 p.m. Norfolk State * Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ACCNX/ESPN+ W 41–1621,896
September 18 3:30 p.m. Florida State Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ESPN W 35–1429,564
7:00 p.m. at Virginia ESPN2 W 37–1738,699
October 2 12:30 p.m. Louisville No. 24 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC ACCRSN W 37–3429,077
October 9 3:30 p.m. at Syracuse No. 19 ESPN2 W 40–37 OT 38,554
October 23 12:00 p.m. at Army * No. 16 CBSSN W 70–5638,019
October 30 4:00 p.m. Duke No. 13 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry ) ACCN W 45–731,613
November 6 12:00 p.m. at North Carolina * [1] No. 9 ABC L 55–5850,500
November 13 7:30 p.m. No. 16 NC State No. 12 Truist Field at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry ) ACCN W 45–4234,503
November 20 12:00 p.m. at Clemson No. 10 ESPN L 27–4881,048
November 27 12:00 p.m. at Boston College No. 18 ESPN2 W 41–1025,854
December 4 8:00 p.m. vs. No. 15 Pittsburgh No. 16 ABC L 21–4557,856
12:00 p.m. vs. Rutgers * No. 17 ESPN W 38–1028,508
Source:[2]
^ The game against North Carolina , a fellow member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , was played as a non-conference game and did not count in the league standings.[3] This was done because the two rivals otherwise only play once every six years due to conference divisional alignment.
Coaching staff [ edit ]
Position
Name
First Year at Wake
Head coach
Dave Clawson
2014
Asst head coach / Receivers
Kevin Higgins
2014
AHC Defense/defensive line
Dave Cohen
2014
Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks
Warren Ruggiero
2014
Defensive coordinator / Safeties
Lyle Hemphill
2017
Special teams coordinator / tight ends
Wayne Lineburg
2017
Assistant special teams coordinator / Nickelbacks
Ryan Crawford
2018
Running backs
John Hunter
2014
Offensive Line
Nick Tabacca
2014
Cornerbacks
Paul Williams
2020
Linebackers
Greg Jones
2016
Source:[4]
Game summaries [ edit ]
Old Dominion [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Monarchs
3
0
0
7
10
Demon Deacons
14
14
7
7
42
Statistics
Statistics
ODU
WAKE
First downs
17
20
Total yards
272
352
Rushing yards
145
164
Passing yards
127
188
Turnovers
2
1
Time of possession
32:19
27:41
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Old Dominion
Passing
Hayden Wolff
11/17, 88 yards, TD
Rushing
Elijah Davis
12 rushes, 69 yards
Receiving
Stone Smartt
3 receptions, 26 yards
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
18/27, 188 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Christian Beal-Smith
11 rushes, 74 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
4 receptions, 81 yards, TD
Norfolk State [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Spartans
3
6
0
7
16
Demon Deacons
7
17
17
0
41
Statistics
Statistics
NORF
WAKE
First downs
19
22
Total yards
336
413
Rushing yards
141
161
Passing yards
195
252
Turnovers
1
1
Time of possession
38:39
21:21
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Norfolk State
Passing
Juwan Carter
19/31, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
J. J. Davis
6 rushes, 42 yards
Receiving
Justin Smith
5 receptions, 66 yards
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
17/25, 244 yards, TD
Rushing
Christian Beal-Smith
9 rushes, 60 yards, TD
Receiving
Jaquarii Roberson
4 receptions, 97 yards, TD
Florida State [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Seminoles
7
7
0
0
14
Demon Deacons
14
13
8
0
35
Statistics
Statistics
FSU
WAKE
First downs
16
27
Total yards
317
484
Rushing yards
91
225
Passing yards
226
259
Turnovers
6
2
Time of possession
20:47
39:13
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Florida State
Passing
McKenzie Milton
11/16, 119 yards, 2 INT
Rushing
Treshaun Ward
6 rushes, 48 yards
Receiving
Ontaria Wilson
3 receptions, 91 yards, TD
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
22/31, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
Christian Beal-Smith
19 rushes, 95 yards, TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
7 receptions, 155 yards, TD
At Virginia [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Demon Deacons
10
10
14
3
37
Cavaliers
0
3
14
0
17
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
UVA
First downs
24
31
Total yards
473
506
Rushing yards
203
99
Passing yards
270
407
Turnovers
0
2
Time of possession
29:27
30:33
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
17/29, 270 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Justice Ellison
13 rushes, 86 yards, TD
Receiving
Jaquarii Roberson
4 receptions, 91 yards
Virginia
Passing
Brennan Armstrong
33/59, 407 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
Mike Hollins
6 rushes, 36 yards
Receiving
Dontayvion Wicks
8 receptions, 114 yards, TD
Louisville [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
10
7
0
17
34
No. 24 Demon Deacons
10
10
7
10
37
Statistics
Statistics
LOU
WAKE
First downs
25
26
Total yards
517
501
Rushing yards
208
177
Passing yards
309
324
Turnovers
2
1
Time of possession
34:36
25:24
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Louisville
Passing
Malik Cunningham
19/26, 309 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Jalen Mitchell
17 rushes, 89 yards
Receiving
Tyler Harrell
1 reception, 75 yards, TD
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
23/40, 324 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
Justice Ellison
15 rushes, 67 yards, TD
Receiving
Jaquarii Roberson
6 receptions, 135 yards
At Syracuse [ edit ]
1
2
3
4 OT
Total
No. 19 Demon Deacons
3
14
9
8 6
40
Orange
7
14
6
7 3
37
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
SYR
First downs
21
33
Total yards
426
514
Rushing yards
96
354
Passing yards
330
160
Turnovers
1
1
Time of possession
26:10
33:50
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
19/32, 330 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing
Christian Beal-Smith
17 rushes, 63 yards, TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
3 receptions, 137 yards, 3 TD
Syracuse
Passing
Garrett Shrader
15/27, 160 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Garret Shrader
29 rushes, 178 yards, TD
Receiving
Courtney Jackson
5 receptions, 64 yards
At Army [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 16 Demon Deacons
14
14
21
21
70
Black Knights
7
14
14
21
56
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
ARMY
First downs
22
31
Total yards
638
595
Rushing yards
180
416
Passing yards
458
179
Turnovers
0
2
Time of possession
17:17
42:43
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
23/29, 458 yards, 5 TD
Rushing
Christian Beal-Smith
8 rushes, 71 yards, TD
Receiving
Jaquarii Roberson
8 receptions, 157 yards, 3 TD
Army
Passing
Jabari Laws
9/11, 140 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Tyhier Tyler
15 rushes, 104 yards, TD
Receiving
Isaiah Alston
6 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TD
1
2
3
4
Total
Blue Devils
0
0
0
7
7
No. 13 Demon Deacons
14
14
10
7
45
Statistics
Statistics
DUKE
WAKE
First downs
12
29
Total yards
315
677
Rushing yards
160
266
Passing yards
155
411
Turnovers
1
1
Time of possession
23:55
36:05
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Duke
Passing
Gunnar Holmberg
10/18, 110 yards
Rushing
Mataeo Durant
20 rushes, 103 yards
Receiving
Jalon Calhoun
3 receptions, 50 yards
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
24/37, 402 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Christian Turner
10 rushes, 75 yards
Receiving
A.T. Perry
7 receptions, 116 yards
At North Carolina [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 9 Demon Deacons
10
21
17
7
55
Tar Heels
14
10
10
24
58
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
UNC
First downs
35
31
Total yards
615
546
Rushing yards
217
330
Passing yards
398
216
Turnovers
2
1
Time of possession
26:27
33:33
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
25/51, 398 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Justice Ellison
13 carries, 81 yards
Receiving
Jaquarii Roberson
7 receptions, 111 yards, 2 TD
North Carolina
Passing
Sam Howell
16/26, 216 yards, TD
Rushing
Ty Chandler
22 carries, 213 yards, 4 TD
Receiving
Antoine Green
6 receptions, 83 yards, TD
No. 16 NC State [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 16 Wolfpack
6
14
7
15
42
No. 12 Demon Deacons
7
17
7
14
45
Statistics
Statistics
NCST
WAKE
First downs
25
27
Total yards
482
406
Rushing yards
74
116
Passing yards
408
290
Turnovers
3
3
Time of possession
28:20
31:40
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
NC State
Passing
Devin Leary
37/59, 408 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Ricky Person Jr.
8 rushes, 40 yards
Receiving
Emeka Emezie
10 receptions, 133 yards, 2 TD
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
20/47, 290 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Justice Ellison
17 rushes, 57 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
At Clemson [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 10 Demon Deacons
0
10
3
14
27
Tigers
10
7
21
10
48
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
CLEM
First downs
24
25
Total yards
406
543
Rushing yards
36
333
Passing yards
370
210
Turnovers
3
3
Time of possession
26:08
33:52
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
27/43, 312 yards, TD, INT
Rushing
Quinton Cooley
8 rushes, 41 yards, TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
5 reception, 113 yards
Clemson
Passing
DJ Uiagalelei
11/19, 208 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Kobe Pace
24 rushes, 191 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Beaux Collins
4 reception, 137 yards, TD
At Boston College [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 18 Demon Deacons
14
10
10
7
41
Eagles
7
3
0
0
10
Statistics
Statistics
WAKE
BC
First downs
25
9
Total yards
413
182
Rushing yards
177
163
Passing yards
236
19
Turnovers
1
3
Time of possession
36:13
23:47
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wake Forest
Passing
Sam Hartman
20/32, 236 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing
Christian Turner
18 rushes, 54 yards, TD
Receiving
A. T. Perry
4 receptions, 81 yards, 2 TD
Boston College
Passing
Phil Jurkovec
3/11, 19 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Phil Jurkovec
11 rushes, 85 yards
Receiving
Trae Berry
1 reception, 15 yards, TD
Rankings [ edit ]
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP — — — RV 24 19 16 16 13 10 13 13 21 18 20 15 Coaches — — — RV 25 20 16 15 13 9 13 12 21 18 19 14 CFP Not released 9 12 10 18 16 17 Not released
Players drafted into the NFL [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
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