Game Recap: Wake Forest Annihilates Campbell, 66-14

So uh...even I didn’t expect a whoopin’ on that level. It started a little closer than one might think, with Wake at one point only up 14-7, but after that, the floodgates opened. As can be inferred by the score, this game was a scoring explosion for the Demon Deacons. Sam Hartman went 12-16 for 166 yards and a TD, Michael Kern came in and unleashed the dragon for 109 yards on 4/5 attempts. Christian Beal-Smith gutted the Campbell defense for 3 touchdowns and 130 rushing yards on 20 attempts (6.5 YPC); and Kenneth Walker III got in on the fun with 105 yards and a TD on 11 attempts (An INSANE 9.5 YPC). Add in a pick six for Zion Keith (which was beautiful, by the way), and a 96 yard kickoff return for Donavon Greene (also beautiful) and a field goal for Nick Sciba, and there we are.

It wasn’t without issues, though. Nick Sciba missed a gimme field goal, and on one drive in particular, the defense gave up 75 yards in 15 plays, including an offside penalty that gifted the Camels a first down. That was less than great. Honestly though, between where Coach Clawson has the program in general (i.e. looking at the past several seasons) and the fact that our second and third stringers just looked like Clemson against somebody, FCS or otherwise, I’m willing to chalk those hiccups to being just that rather than some huge systemic problem.

Writing recaps this season is weird. It’s a season that started late (and will start extremely late for some), is rife with players sitting out, rescheduling, postponements, empty stadiums (thus often largely eliminating the difference between home and road games), and other oddities, plus I’m assuming (probably safely) that there will be no bowl games or playoffs this season. All that in mind, it’s a little hard for me not to kind of just be like, yep, that was a game that happened. It was pretty cool.

Christian Beal-Smith is very good, as is KW3. Donavon Greene is a stud. Carlos Basham (Boogie if you’re nasty) is gonna make lots of money in the NFL. Dave Clawson is trying to make the best out of a hellscape, as are the players. But what else is there to say, really? I don’t know. I enjoyed this game. Well done all.

On to the next. Go Deacs.

—SF