Jake Dickert’s inaugural season in Winston-Salem came to an end not with a boom, but with a bath – a mayo bath, to be precise – as the Demon Deacons took a convincing victory over Mississippi State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 2.
The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and quickly threatened to score after wideout Brenen Thompson received a 51-yard completion on the first play of the game. However, the Deacon defense did what they have done all season long: they bent but did not break, forcing a red zone field goal to open the scoring.
It didn’t take long for the Demon Deacons to take the lead, though, as true freshman defensive back and Greensboro, N.C. native Koredell Bartley immediately punched back with a sensational 100-yard return touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. A 2-point conversion to tight end Eni Falayi later made it 8-3 Deacs.
The two teams traded punts before another strong Bulldog drive was stalled to force another field goal. Wake Forest responded with nine plays and 75 yards, capped off by a high-point 14-yard touchdown reception by tight end Kamrean Johnson to make the score 15-6. Mississippi State hit their third field goal of the game in the second quarter, but the Deacs took a 15-9 lead into halftime.
The second half began much like the first did for Wake Forest, with fireworks from a true freshman. This time, it was promising young wide receiver Jack Foley who snagged a 64-yard touchdown strike from Robby Ashford – his first collegiate reception going for a big score. Ashford rushed for the 2-point conversion, giving the Deacs a 14-point advantage.
After another bulldog field goal, Ashford led another scoring drive, going 11 plays and 75 yards and giving Wake Forest its largest lead of the evening at 30-13. With his team now in the danger zone, Mississippi State freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor needed to punch back.
Despite dealing with injuries, Taylor finished off the next drive with a dive for the goal line on the final play of the third quarter, which after a two-point conversion would make it a 30-20 game. One Wake Forest punt later, and Taylor found wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee over the middle, who broke multiple tackles for a 42-yard touchdown. What was once a very comfortable Demon Deacon lead now became a perilous 30-27 lead.
When the lights were the brightest, Ashford did exactly what he needed to in his final collegiate game. He led a crucial six minute drive that culminated in a one-yard rushing touchdown that should have slammed the door. Unfortunately, a blocked extra point returned for two points made it remain a one-score game at 36-29. Wake Forest needed one more stop.
The defense, assisted by a fumbled backwards pass, forced a three-and-out, and a few plays later, running back Ty Clark took a dump off 62 yards to the house to deal the finishing blow. The Deacs, with a 43-29 victory, became Duke’s Mayo Bowl champions. Quarterback Robby Ashford, with 353 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, was named Most Valuable Player.
With the win, Jake Dickert became the first head coach in program history to win nine games in their first season at Wake Forest.
Asked for one word to describe his inaugural campaign in Winston-Salem, Dickert said “humbling.”
“I mean that,” Dickert said. “I’m just really appreciative of John Currie and this administration for bringing some no-name Division III, small-town kid all the way across the country to a place that was very unfamiliar to me … When you believe you can accomplish something, and you believe in how you do it, and you’re with the right people — just never put a ceiling on yourself.”
