Before hosting Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) newcomer UC Berkeley, Wake Forest Football Head Coach Dave Clawson said he was optimistic after evening the team’s record on the road.
“This feels different,” Clawson said Tuesday ahead of the matchup. “I think last year, it felt like we were a 4-4 team that was descending, and this feels like a 4-4 team that’s ascending.”
But despite high hopes for their showdown with Cal (5-4, 1-4 ACC), the Demon Deacons (4-5, 2-3 ACC) dropped a crucial midseason matchup on Friday night. While Wake Forest faced the opportunity for a game-winning drive, the Demon Deacons couldn’t recover from early struggles in all phases of their game.
“I don’t think there’s one position group on our whole football team that can say ‘Hey, I did my job today,’” Clawson said after the loss. “It was just bad, sloppy football.”
It was a tough matchup for Wake Forest, who returned home from a successful 2-0 road trip and bye week. Facing a top-ranked Cal defense, the Demon Deacons failed to generate much offense through the first half.
“You just can’t have those lapses,” veteran wideout Taylor Morin said. “Not in the ACC, not playing against a team like Cal.”
Morin (110 YDS, 9 REC) also cited several setbacks on special teams stunting Wake Forest. Uncharacteristically, the Demon Deacons saw running back Demond Claiborne (113 YDS, 23 ATT, 1 TD) fumble a kickoff for a Cal touchdown return, while a field goal attempt from kicker Matthew Dennis was blocked.
Morin explained that when a unit as reliable as special teams begins to fall through, so do other phases of the game.
“I think special teams is a way of generating momentum for your team,” Morin said. “When you’re playing in these close one-score games, you need all the momentum you can get.”
Nonetheless, Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier’s offense finally fell into a rhythm. Bachmeier (274 YDS, 2 TD, 3 INT) managed to surmount seven sacks, six quarterback hits and three interceptions to bring the score back within range for Wake Forest for opportunity at a game-winning drive.
Unfortunately for Wake Forest, Cal’s top-ranked offense came up in a crucial moment, picking off Bachmeier and effectively sealing the game. Cal’s 22 takeaways this season have made them the second-best Football Bowl Subdivision team in turnover margin.
“I had an opportunity there at the end of the game. The guys fought,” Bachmeier said. “It wasn’t all around the cleanest game, but we had an opportunity at the end of the game. Ball’s in my hands, and I can’t do that.”
Having reached four wins with time in the schedule to spare, Wake Forest was in the hunt for a bowl game bid at six wins as recently as this week. But looking at their remaining schedule, a win in Friday night’s match with Cal would have given Wake Forest a much easier path to that threshold.
Now – with just three games left in their schedule – Wake Forest will have to pick up two more wins: either on a road trip to a resurgent North Carolina, traveling to No. 12 Miami or in their home season finale against a dominant Duke Blue Devils defense.
“It’s November, [and] we’re supposed to be playing championship football, playing our best football of the year,” Morin said, “and we came out and … sputtered.”
Wake Forest will have a shot to earn their next win against North Carolina this Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
