Wake Forest Football

The Clemson Tigers unexpectedly won the ACC title last year, upsetting Virginia Tech twice in the process.

This year, Clemson is right in the running for a repeat as it heads up to Winston-Salem for a Thursday night date with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7:30 pm ET, ESPN).

The home team has won eight of the past 10 meetings between these teams, and the point spread has been fluctuating between -11.5 and -13 at most shops.

The visiting Tigers opened as 16-point chalk, but that number was steadily bet down during the week.

Clemson opened this season with a 26-19 win at Auburn and followed that performance with victories over Ball State and Furman. But the Tigers then lost their ACC opener to Florida State, 49-37, although they did cover the point spread that day as 14-point dogs.

Since then, Clemson has defeated Boston College by a score of 45-31 and Georgia Tech by a score of 47-31. Last week, the Tigers knocked off Virginia Tech again, this time by a score of 38-17, even though they were out-gained by over 100 yards.

At 3-1 in conference play, Clemson sits in second place in the Atlantic Division, a game (and a tie-breaker) behind the first-place Seminoles.

Wake Forest, meanwhile, began this season with a 20-17 victory over Liberty.  The Demon Deacons opened ACC play with a come-from-behind victory over North Carolina but then got roasted by Florida State, 52-0.

The Deacons then stepped out of conference for a win over Army but returned to ACC play and lost to Duke and Maryland.

Last week, though, Wake picked up a conference road victory with a 16-10 win at Virginia.

At 2-3 in conference play, the Deacons are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, but at 4-3 overall, they're only two victories from bowl eligibility.

Statistically speaking, Clemson has been out-rushed this season by a 202-192 YPG average, while Wake has been out-gained by a 184-121 margin.

On the injury front, Deacons WR Michael Campanaro, who leads the team by a wide margin in both catches and yards (38 and 429, repsectively), has missed the last two games with a broken hand. Fortunately for Wake fans, he will be back in uniform for the Clemson game, according to the Greensboro News & Record.

Clemson has won the last three games in this series. Last year, though, the Tigers had to rally from a 28-14 third-quarter deficit at Death Valley to win 31-28 on a field goal at the buzzer. The Deacons covered that day as 16-point dogs.

Free Pick: Both these teams have some question marks, but we'll go with the team that's shown a little more on defense and take Wake as a home dog.

All odds, stats and trends mentioned courtesy of OddShark.com. Mike Pickett is a Contributor to Bleacher Report.

Florida State has been extremely impressive in two soft matchups, and now the Seminoles will start ACC play against Wake Forest.

Against Murray State and Savannah State, the Seminoles scored 124 points and allowed three. The offensive output is even more eye popping considering the game against Savannah State was called due to weather shortly after the third quarter began. 

The Demon Deacons will carry momentum from their comeback victory over North Carolina into Tallahassee and provide the first real test for a Florida State team with national-championship aspirations. 

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming game.

Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.

When: Saturday, September 15, 12 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Listen: Wake Forest Radio Affiliates, Florida State Radio Affiliates

Betting Line: Florida State -25.5, according to Sports Book

Wake Forest Injury Report (via USA Today)

Zach Thompson—junior defensive end is day to day with an eye injury.

Devin Bolling—junior offensive tackle is day to day with a knee injury.

Neil Basford—sophomore tight end is out for the season with an Achilles injury.

Florida State Injury Report (via USA Today)

Chad Abram—junior fullback is questionable with an ankle injury.

Nick O’Leary—sophomore tight end is questionable with a bruised thigh.

Bryan Stork—junior guard is questionable with a neck injury.

Moses McCrary—senior defensive tackle is questionable with a concussion.

Daniel Foose—sophomore offensive lineman is questionable with back issues.

Josh Gehres—junior wide receiver is questionable with a strained hamstring.

Brandon Jenkins—senior defensive end is out for the season with a foot injury.

Dan Hicks—junior tight end is out for the season after surgery to repair a microfracture in his right knee.

Derrick Mitchell—freshman defensive tackle is out for the season after back surgery.

Mario Pender—freshman running back is out for the season with a groin injury that will require surgery.

BCS/Top 25 Implications

Florida State moved into a tie with Oklahoma for No. 5 in the AP Top 25 this week, but the Seminoles are still untested.

Murray State and Savannah State are both FCS teams, and Wake Forest will be the first team capable of providing the Seminoles with a challenge. If this game is close, Florida State will likely slide down the rankings, even if it wins.

What They’re Saying

ESPN’s Heather Dinich put the Seminoles on “upset watch” and noted Wake Forest’s past success against FSU:

The Seminoles have home-field advantage, but the Deacs have the schedule advantage because they’ve been tested already against FBS competition and are confident from a league win over UNC. FSU looks good on paper with a padded stat sheet after two routs of FCS opponents, but it has struggled with Wake Forest in the past. Wake Forest won, 35-30, last year, and has won four of the past six games in the series. 

Coley Harvey of the Orlando Sentinel notes that the Seminoles who were with the program last season will be supremely motivated against the Demon Deacons:

Last fall, losses in consecutive weeks to Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest spoiled the Seminoles' ACC title hopes and completely dashed their national title dreams. This fall, with some believing those aspirations will be obtained this season, FSU features a September gauntlet that includes the likes of the Demon Deacons and Tigers once again. In order to live up to lofty expectations, the Seminoles must avenge their previous losses to those teams.

Wake Forest Player to Watch: Tanner Price, Quarterback

Tanner Price was clutch against North Carolina. With the pressure on him, he passed for a career-high 327 yards, and while he did not pass for a touchdown, he scored twice with his legs.

His second rushing touchdown came with just over two minutes remaining in the game, capped off a 93-yard drive and put the Demon Deacons up by one point.

Similar heroics will be required for his team to pull off an upset against FSU.

Florida State Player to Watch: Bjoern Werner, Defensive End

Werner came into the 2012 season slimmed down and more agile, and he showed how disruptive he could be in the Murray State game, racking up four sacks.

With another sack against Savannah State, he is now the nation’s leader in that category. Werner will be a nightmare for the Wake Forest offensive line on Saturday.

Key Matchup: Florida State Defensive Ends vs. Wake Forest Offensive Line

As noted by NewsObserver.com, Wake Forest has four new starters on the offensive line this season. This could prove to be a fatal weakness for the team as the line attempts to protect Price against Werner and Tank Carradine, who appears ready to have a fine season after filling in for injured starter Brandon Jenkins.

These DEs are capable of completely overwhelming Wake Forest’s line. If this happens, it will be a long and frustrating day for the Demon Deacons offense.

Key Storyline: Florida State vs. an FBS School

Florida State was supposed to play West Virginia, but the Mountaineers backed out of the game just before switching from the Big East to the Big 12. This put the FSU administration in a pinch to find a team to fill the schedule, and Murray State was the best it could do.

This put the team in the position of starting the year against two FBS teams and having to wait until Week 3 for its first true test.

This game will start to show if Florida State is a legitimate national-championship contender.

Prediction: Florida State 45, Wake Forest 13

The Seminoles defensive line will wreak havoc in this game as the offense continues to roll, leading to a convincing victory for Florida State. 

Next Saturday, Wake Forest's football season will begin when they host Liberty at BB&T Field. Coach Jim Grobe has some hurdles to overcome this year, as only 11 starters return from last year's squad.

With only a week remaining before the official start of the 2012 season, here's a preview of the Demon Deacons with some predictions as to how their season will finish.

Everything starts with quarterback Tanner Price. As a sophomore last year, Price had an impressive season. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,017 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.

The lefty has a good arm but an even better brain. The Academic All-ACC is smart off the field, but also makes good decisions with the ball on the field. He didn't throw a single interception over the last five games of the season, and his 20-6 TD-INT ratio over the whole season was exceptional.

Price has the potential to make some serious noise this season. He'll have to do without last year's top wideout Chris Givens, who was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, but redshirt junior Michael Campanaro should be ready to take over as the team's top pass-catcher.

Campanaro isn't that big (5'11", 195 lbs.) but he is quick, strong, and has extremely good hands. Even though he missed a game against a weak Gardner-Webb team last season, Campanaro still finished the season with 73 catches for 833 yards. He also isn't scared of the spotlight, which was evident after a 10-catch, 128-yard performance in the Music City Bowl.

The offensive line poses some problems, with center Garrick Williams the lone returning starter. Some underclassmen will need to step up and provide holes for redshirt junior running back Josh Harris, who is out to prove himself after injuries shortened his season in 2011.   

On the defensive side of the ball, nose tackle Nikita Whitlock leads the way for the Deacons. The redshirt junior was Second-Team All-ACC last year, and will have to build on last year's breakout season. Whitlock made the 3-4 work in 2011, registering an impressive 14 tackles for loss. 

Seniors Joey Ehrmann, Scott Betros, and Riley Haynes lead the way at linebacker, with redshirt junior Justin Jackson rounding out the starters. Their experience and skill make them one of the best linebacking corps in the ACC.

As a redshirt freshman last year, cornerback Merrill Noel was a consensus Freshman All-America selection and named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Noel returns alongside senior Kenny Okoro, who had just one interception last season and needs to step up in his final collegiate season.

The first half of the schedule favors Wake, and they should walk away with at least four victories in their first six games. The Deacons should beat Liberty, Army, Duke, and Maryland, while falling to UNC and Florida State. In the second half of the season, Wake should beat Boston College.

The rest of the schedule is tough, with matchups against Virginia, Notre Dame, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Vanderbilt. Wake has a chance against Virginia, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt, and I think they will upset one of them to qualify for a second consecutive bowl game. 

Every day here at Your Best 11, we are counting down to the start of the regular season with our Top 150 players for the 2012 season.

No. 109: Merrill Noel, No. 7, Wake Forest, Cornerback

Strengths

What an absolute ballplayer Noel is. Though the redshirt freshman was still adjusting to the game, he clearly showed why Wake Forest has been able to have players contribute early and often.

After sitting out a year and honing his skills in a redshirt season, Noel hit the ground running. He exhibited a great understanding of the zone concepts that Wake Forest utilizes in their back end and capitalized on that to the tune of 21 pass breakups, enough to lead the nation. Noel pushes his backpedal hard, he squats on routes and he breaks on the football in exceptional fashion.

Against the run, Noel is also a sound tackler, exactly what you want out of a corner who holds the edge in schemes like cover-2.

Weaknesses

Noel had a perfect freshman campaign, and if things continue on this path he will be the next Wake Forest defensive back selected in the early rounds of the NFL draft, following in the footsteps of Alphonso Smith and Brandon Ghee.

This year, Noel has to shore up the part of his game that has been the most deficient: interceptions. A guy breaking up 21 balls but only grabbing two interceptions is a sign that he's a step late in his reads and not squeezing the football.

If Noel can get out of his breaks quicker and track the ball better in zone coverage he will turn those breakups into turnovers, and that will go a long way to helping the Demon Deacons defense.

2012 Predictions

Look for Noel to try to push his way on to the All-ACC team this year, a season after being named the conference's Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has all the tools, and if he improves on his interceptions numbers he can beat out players like Antone Exum, a guy with eyes on that spot left vacant by Chase Minnifield.

With a full season of live action under his belt, Merrill Noel is primed to use the sophomore campaign to spring up into the higher ranks of college football. His awareness and quick feet make him a guy most people should know by season's end.

Cyhl Quarles is a hard-nosed, aggressive safety from Wake Forest University.  At the NFL combine he measured in at a little over 6 feet 1 inches and 213 pounds.  He is a big safety with good speed, and a player that does not shy away from contact.  He led the Wake Forest defense in tackles as a senior.

I talked to him about his time at Wake Forest and about what the future might have in store for him.  I noticed that he had a lot of tackles, finishing second on his team as a sophomore and as a junior, and leading his team as a senior.  I asked if he thought that level of production from the back end was something that could help him.

He said “I applied myself to making tackles and being aggressive on defense” and “as a senior, I just felt like it was my duty to get up and lead the team in tackles and be a force on defense to help us win games.”

I asked him if the scheme at Wake Forest called for him to be a strong safety or a free safety.  He explained that the scheme called for the safeties to play “quarters” and that they played “right safety or left safety, and therefore you can be a free safety or a strong safety depending on the formation.” 

He mentioned that it worked out great as fellow safety Josh Bush made AP All-American, and that Bush led the team in interceptions, and Quarles led the team in tackles.  He considered them to be a great one-two punch.  He prides himself on his ability to make tackles. 

I asked him what his favorite moment was as a college football player.  He told me “after my senior year when we beat Florida State.  I think half of our team or just a little bit below half of the guys on our team were from the State of Florida.”  He said that some of the Wake Forest guys were recruited by Florida State and that it was great to beat them, especially after Florida State was ranked so high in the preseason polls.

Looking to the future, and specifically to the NFL, we talked about what he felt he could offer to an NFL team.  He pointed to his versatility and aggressive nature.  He said “just being aggressive, being a force on the team and I actually played special teams my senior year and all the rest of my years.” 

He said that he started three straight years and “I think special teams really helped me out as far as making tackles and showing the team that I really care about special teams.”  He told me that he played on punt and kickoff coverage.

He knows that special teams will play a big role going forward for him.  He said that “special teams are how you get your foot in the door and I think that is the one thing I think I can contribute early to the team that drafts me.” 

When I asked him if he had been compared to a current NFL player or if he thought he played similar to an NFL player he told me that his favorite player was Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants.  He said that he likes that Rolle is “very aggressive and he doesn't let anything bother him.”  He made a point to say just like Rolle, he is going to do whatever it takes to win. 

We talked about going into the NFL and what he wants the the fan base of the team that gets him to know.  He said that he would want them to know they were getting a "smart player and a guy that loves the game of football.”  He said he was “a guy that is not going to let them down in the media or in public by doing dumb stuff.  I’m someone that's going to represent their team well and someone that's going to be very productive.”

Cyhl Quarles racked up a lot of tackles playing at the safety position in the middle of the Wake Forest secondary, and the numbers speak for themselves.  He wants an opportunity to play in the NFL and he is ready and willing to do whatever a team needs him to do.

Scott Bischoff is a Contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials. 

The 2011 Music City Bowl features teams from the ACC and the SEC that finished the season in the middle of the pack.

In fact, both Wake Forest and Mississippi State finished the season with 6-6 records.

The difference, obviously, was that Mississippi State lost all six of their games in the most competitive conference in college football. Four of their six losses came against ranked opponents. The two other teams they lost to, Auburn and Georgia, are now currently ranked.

When you compare this to some of Wake Forest's losses to teams like Syracuse and Vanderbilt, it's tough to even suggest the Demon Deacons have a chance in this one.

Don't count them out just yet.

They will surely have their hands full with a tough SEC opponent, but look a little further into Mississippi State's success. Yes, they lost to very difficult opponents. However, they didn't manage one win against a worthy competitor. Their most impressive win was a 28-16 win over Kentucky.

Wake Forest, although inconsistent, has taken on and beaten a much better team in Florida State.

While Mississippi State has the clear advantage on defense, Wake Forest will enter this game with the better offense.

The reason for the Demon Deacons' success this year has come far due to the improvement of sophomore quarterback Tanner Price. The young quarterback has been much more efficient and smart with the ball in his second season. He has thrown for 2,803 yards and 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

Wake Forest is going to need Price to step up and make plays on this Bulldog defense. He proved with his three touchdown performance against Florida State that he can rise to the occasion.

Don't count out these ACC underdogs just yet.

This one could actually come down to the wire.

The job security of the following coaches is riding on their team's performances in upcoming bowl games. These guys may or may not lose their job at the conclusion of this season, but they will definitely be starting next season on the hot seat if they lose.

Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Since Lou Holtz left in 1996, Notre Dame has gone through four coaches. The three coaches preceding Kelly in that span lasted between three and five seasons. Kelly will be entering his third season next year.

He won't lose his job before next year, but he will be starting that season with a burning hot seat if he can't coach the Irish to a victory in the Champs Sports Bowl against Florida State.

A loss would drop Notre Dame to their second consecutive 8-5 season. And the powers at Notre Dame will at least want to see some signs of progress.

The Irish flashed some real potential this year, and they turned things around after an 0-2 start. However, they played an exceptionally weak schedule. They ended with just three games against BCS ranked opponents and they lost two of them. Throw in USC, who is not eligible for the BCS, and they lost three of four games against ranked opponents.

Their win against Michigan State was the only quality win of the season. The other seven wins were against teams they should easily beat. Kelly needs to prove he can beat top tier competition.

Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech

Paul Johnson is in his fourth year at Georgia Tech. While he is not in jeopardy of losing his job this season—he is in danger of being in a position to lose it next year.

Johnson had his best season with the Yellow Jackets in 2009 when he went 11-3. He followed that up by going 6-7 the following season and then 8-4 this year.

That 8-4 mark is solid, but it is the way that Georgia Tech finished the year that has his seat warming up. They lost four of their last six games, and his one-dimensional offense looked completely overmatched.

They will be playing a Utah team they should be able to handle easily in the Sun Bowl. It will raise some serious eyebrows if he can't coach his team to victory there.

Jim Grobe, Wake Forest

Grobe is in his 11th season as the head man at Wake Forest. He hit is high point in 2006 when the Demon Deacons went 11-3 and he was named the ACC Coach of the Year.

It has been a steady decline since then. His win totals dropped in the following years, from nine wins in 2007 to just three in 2010.

Grobe and Wake Forest slowed that trend by posting six wins and qualifying for a bowl game this year, but the way they ended the season is not going to inspire any job security.

They lost five of their last seven games, and looked completely uninterested in their finale losing to Vanderbilt 41-7.

They are now headed to the Music City Bowl to take on Mississippi State, and Grobe needs to coach his team to a far better effort than the ones they displayed at the end of the season if he wants to hold onto his job.

Tell me if you've heard this one before: Wake Forest gets a big lead in a tough road game, loses the lead later in the game and ultimately one man gets the blame.

That man is Jimmy Newman.

Newman is the Persona non grata on campus, as he has been all year, and his ineptitude has just cost Wake another game.

Which begs the question: How bad is Jimmy Newman as a kicker?

Yes, some people will say that he made 12 consecutive field goals and that his kicking percentage is near 90 percent, so how could he be the worst?

Think about it.

What would you rather have in a kicker? One that misses field goals every now and then, but hits the ones that really matter? Or would you rather have the one that hits plenty of field goals that contribute to the win, but could have  been made by virtually any other kicker, and then goes on to miss the ones that matter?

The answer to this is easy. Of course, you want the clutch one who hits important kicks. Which brings us to Jimmy Newman.

First off, he missed a field goal and an extra point against Syracuse. The game went to overtime and Wake lost. With those points, there would be no overtime. Wake wins in regulation.

Against Notre Dame, Jimmy Newman ended his streak of field goals by missing another field goal at the end of a crucial drive. After the failed field goal, the momentum swung entirely in Notre Dame's favor, and the Irish went on to win 24-17.

That brings us to Clemson. Wake goes into the game with a chance for a bowl bid—their first since 2008—and an ACC Championship game appearance—their first since 2006—on the line.

Wake jumps out to a 28-14 lead, no thanks to Jimmy Newman who missed a field goal. Then Clemson stormed back.

Wake, clinging to a 28-21 lead sends out Newman who proceeds to miss a 32-yarder that lined up almost perfectly down the middle. Clemson wins 31-28 with a last-second field goal.

So, with a better kicker, Wake could conceivably be 8-2 (5-2 in the ACC) rather than 5-5 (4-3) and be going to Charlotte for the ACC championship game.

Perhaps this is wishful thinking. Of course, Newman can't take all the credit for the losses. The team has fallen apart the whole year in the fourth quarter.

But that does not excuse him either. When my friends and I heard that Newman was a Lou Groza finalist, we laughed for quite some time. None of us are laughing now. All year, Newman has been costing the team games and the possibility of an ACC title.

Maybe he'll even cost them a bowl bid.

So, yeah some will say that this article is reactionary, that Newman has been solid all year and that without his field goals, Wake wouldn't have won any of their games.

To you, I say, ask yourself. Do you think any other kicker, even in NCAA FCS football, could have made those field goals and the ones that have cost Wake games?

The answer is quite simply yes. Many kickers could have made those same field goals. The truth is that Jimmy Newman is not as great as the Lou Groza Award committee would have you believe.

Not by a long shot.

(Photo courtesy of the Winston-Salem Journal)

The Clemson Tigers will welcome in the Wake Forest Demon Deacons this week in a game with heavy ACC ramifications.

The two teams, however, aren't exactly on the same page.

The Tigers started the season red hot before finally falling to Georgia Tech two weeks ago.

They've had two weeks to stew over it and now take the field in Death Valley against the upstart Demon Deacons.

While the records indicate a mismatch, this one will be heavily contested.

Where: Memorial Stadium; Clemson, South Carolina

When: Saturday, November 12th at 12:00 p.m.

Watch: ESPNU

Spread: Clemson -16.5

The Tigers have not only won eight of nine games this year, but they've covered eight of nine spreads as well.

This, however, is the second largest spread they've seen all year.

The Demon Deacons are coming off a loss at home to Notre Dame, but did cover the spread.

This matchup won't be as kind, however, and the Tigers' offense will be too much for Wake Forest's defense to handle.

Wake Forest has only covered the spread once on the road this season. Death Valley is too much for them.

Over/Under: 60.5

Both teams are coming off games that hit the under. Clemson, who was finally slowed down by Georgia Tech, has had two weeks to prepare for this one.

Not only will they cover a 16.5 point spread, but they'll also push this game over because their defense is susceptible to giving up points.

Key Injuries:

Wake Forest: Josh Harris, RB—Doubtful

Clemson: Andre Ellington, RB—Questionable

BCS/Top 25 Poll Implications

Wake Forest actually has a shot at winning their division in the ACC this season. That doesn't guarantee them much, but it does give them a shot at a BCS bowl, as crazy as that sounds.

They're currently 4-2 in the conference and cannot afford another loss.

As for the Tigers, they're the favorite to win the conference championship. A loss here would not only irreparably damage those dreams, but also drop them far from their current No. 10 ranking.

Key to Wake Forest Win

Limit big plays. Clemson is a killer on a big plays. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions on the season. With the Tigers expecting to miss running back Andre Ellington, they'll need their quarterback to make plays.

He's averaging nearly 14 yards per completion on the season.

That means Wake Forest has to contain the offense from the outside in. They must keep the Tigers' receivers in front of them at all times or they'll be blown out of the water rather quickly.

Key to Clemson Win

Learn from mistakes. Two weeks ago the Tigers' chances at a perfect season vanished because they couldn't stop the run and they turned the ball over.

This week, they need to go out and show they've learned from those mistakes and can grow from them.

Two of Boyd's five interceptions were thrown in the game against GT, and they had absolutely no answer for the ground attack.

Wake Forest doesn't boast that type of offense, but does have a pair of running backs that can do damage.

Prediction: Clemson 45, Wake Forest 28