Associated Press
WINSTON-SALEM ó Wake Forest continued its recent dominance of Florida State last week. On the horizon is a showdown with Clemson that could determine a spot in the ACC championship game.
But sandwiched in between is today’s matchup with Navy, which hasn’t beaten a ranked team in 23 years.
Yes, in the new order of football supremacy that now includes Wake Forest, the 16th-ranked Deacons have gone from being a homecoming opponent to a potential victim of a trap game.
“We have a target on our back now being ranked,” center Trey Bailey said. “They are going to try to take that away from us.”
Before Wake Forest (3-0) gets 11 days to prepare for the Oct. 9 game with No. 20 Clemson that could determine Atlantic Division superiority in the ACC, it must slow down the nation’s best rushing offense.
“The timing bothers me, conference or not conference,” coach Jim Grobe said.
But if the Demon Deacons’ defense adds to its slew of big plays, the Midshipmen (2-2) will have no chance to knock off a ranked team for the first time since a 17-13 victory over No. 20 Virginia in 1985.
Wake Forest, which leads the nation with 15 takeaways, forced a whopping seven turnovers in last week’s 12-3 win, the third straight time the once-mighty Seminoles lost to the Demon Deacons.
Now Grobe looks to secure his 50th win at Wake.