After Wake Forest won their season opener against the lowly Kennesaw State Owls by one point, first-year Head Coach Jake Dickert said, “Winning ugly is the prettiest way to do it.” Ever since that mediocre victory over two months ago, the Demon Deacons have continued to play with this philosophy in mind.
Somehow, though, it has resulted in wins.
When the SMU Mustangs entered the alumni-packed Allegacy Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Demon Deacons knew that this meeting would be one of their toughest tests of the season. The Mustangs, who made it all the way to the ACC championship last year, had been undefeated against conference teams in their last 20 matchups entering this game. Trying not to be the 21st team to fall victim to SMU’s dominance, Wake Forest came into this one with a chip on their shoulder.
The offense, which previously put up 39 points against Oregon State, struggled coming out of the gates. Backup quarterback Deshawn Purdie was given the start for the second straight week and underperformed immensely, especially under pressure. The sophomore turned the ball over three times against the Mustangs without recording a single touchdown.
“We disrespected the football a lot today,” Dickert said. “A lot of times that gets you beat.”
The only thing that kept the Demon Deacons in this game was their defense. Whether it was the suffocating pressure of the defensive line or the aggressiveness of the secondary unit, this defense refused to let SMU generate offense.
“Everybody is out there to play together,” said defensive back Davaughn Patterson. “As long as I do my job, I know the person next to me will do their job.”
This side of the ball was unquestionably the most impressive feature Wake Forest displayed on Saturday. Every man showed up to the field with a purpose and delivered accordingly. Unlike the offense that showed very little promise, this defense proved that it can shut any team down.
“These guys just played relentlessly,” Dickert said. “They never flinched and found a way. I’m just really proud of this team.”
Following a brutal fumble on a Demond Claiborne rush attempt inside the ten-yard line, the defense was tasked to stop the Mustangs again — this time, with under two minutes to go in the game and the Deacons down by two. Unwavered, they came into the clutch and handed the offense one last chance with just 12 seconds left on the clock.
Kicker Connor Calvert, who missed a 55-yarder earlier in the contest, was given the opportunity to seal this game from 50 yards. With the crowd holding their breath and a silence filling the air, it was up to the redshirt freshman to play hero. Showing no fear, Calvert drilled the field goal attempt with about one foot to spare.
“I was just trying to trust my swing and hope that it would go in,” Calvert said. “I haven’t had a moment quite like this before. Nothing [in my career] beats that game-winning moment against SMU.”
It’s moments like this that not only prove the perseverance of the Demon Deacons but also their trust in one another. A close team is a strong team, and Wake Forest is no exception.
“We never stopped believing in one another,” Dickert said. “We put ourselves in some tough positions, but these guys never stopped. We found a way to win. And it was ugly.”
