Wake Forest cleans up North Carolina A&T, 45-13

13

NCA

45

Winner WFU

Courtesy of North Carolina A&T Athletics

North Carolina A&T began its 2024 season against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, falling 45-13 in a game that showcased the Aggies’ re-tooled offense against a formidable Power Four opponent.

Both teams came off disappointing 2023 campaigns and hoped to start their seasons with a statement victory. Despite the loss, an impressive first half from A&T proved it can compete against top talent moving forward.

“The scoreboard doesn’t reflect how much we’ve improved,” second-year head coach Vincent Brownsaid. “Those who have watched us from this game to how we were last year can see it.”

Sophomore Kevin White got the start at quarterback for the Aggies, and he said the biggest difference for him compared to last season is an increase in confidence. White commanded a much-improved passing game for the first half, completing 10 of 16 attempts for 116 yards.

“It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we showed flashes of what we know we could be for the season,” White said.

After an Aggies’ punt put Wake Forest at their own 45-yard line early in the first quarter, veteran quarterback Michael Kern got his team’s momentum rolling with a 20-yard completion up the middle of the field. That drive culminated with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by junior Demond Claiborne to give the Demon Deacons a 7-0 lead.

White and company found their groove later in the first quarter with a drive highlighted by an 11-yard catch from junior receiver Jamison Warren to convert a third down and a 21-yard touchdown run from Kenji Christian to even the score.

Christian found a hole on the right side and broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage to score A&T’s first points of the year. Now in his second year with the Aggies after transferring from Virginia Tech, the bruising running back displayed his explosiveness all game with five runs of 10 yards or more.

Wake Forest replaced Kern with senior quarterback Hank Bachmeier on their next possession, but he struggled to contend with the Aggies’ defense early on. Sophomore defensive end Joshua Hardy, a transfer from Boston College, ended Kern’s first drive with a third-down sack.

After the Aggies battled their ACC opponent to a draw in the first quarter, A&T kept the momentum going into the second quarter with another drive into Wake Forest territory before a significant turning point in the game occurred. The Aggies advanced the ball to the 22-yard line but were pushed back 18 yards by a fumble on a high snap. White fought his way back into field goal territory with a 10-yard completion and nine-yard scramble, and junior placekicker Andrew Brown put three more points on the board from 38 yards out. But the sequence left the Aggies thinking about what could have been without the 18-yard loss.

The 10-7 lead was A&T’s first over a Power Four opponent since scoring the opening touchdown against Duke in 2021. The Demon Deacons responded promptly on the ensuing drive, punctuated by a 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown from junior Donavon Greene. They added another three points by means of a 31-yard field goal to go into halftime leading 17-10.

The Aggies started the second half with possession but went three-and-out. Wake Forest’s Taylor Morin returned Brown’s punt 73 yards for a touchdown, making the score 24-10. Graduate student Justin Fomby, a transfer from Houston Christian, replaced White at quarterback on the next drive and engineered three first downs before being sacked for a loss of nine yards by Kevin Pointer to end the drive.

The Demon Deacons pulled away from that point forward, but the Aggies didn’t go without some highlights in the second half. A 22-yard run from Christian helped set up a career-best 51-yard field goal from Brown early in the fourth quarter.

“We always talk about eliminating the things that cause you to lose,” Brown said. “We’re on the right road.”

A&T lived up to its ‘Running Back U’ moniker, opting for 44 carries for 185 rushing yards compared to 26 pass attempts for 152 yards through the air. Junior Wesley Graves carried the ball 19 times, but Christian wowed with 121 yards on 16 carries and had the team’s only touchdown.

Junior receiver Ger-Cari Caldwell led all receivers with five catches for 51 yards and senior tight end Nicholas Dobson hauled in three passes for 30 yards.

The Aggies have an extended break before playing its home opener against old-school rival Winston-Salem State next Saturday. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. and stream live on FloFootball and air live on My48. Fans can also listen live on The Light 1400 AM and 103.5 and tobaccoroadsportsradio.com.

Next Game:
Winston-Salem State University
9/7/2024 | 7 P.M.

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Team Statistics

1ST QUARTER
11:25 – WFU – Claiborne,Demond 7 yd run (Dennis,Matthew kick), 5 plays, 55 yards, TOP 01:29	0	7
02:29 – NCA – Christian,Kenji 21 yd run (Brown,Andrew kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 05:17	7	7
2ND QUARTER
06:49 – NCA – Brown,Andrew 38 yd field goal 15 plays, 71 yards, TOP 08:32	10	7
05:00 – WFU – Greene,Donavon 24 yd pass from Bachmeier,Hank (Dennis,Matthew kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:49	10	14
00:02 – WFU – Dennis,Matthew 31 yd field goal 14 plays, 72 yards, TOP 02:46	10	17
3RD QUARTER
12:54 – WFU – Morin,Taylor 73 yd punt return (Dennis,Matthew kick)	10	24
06:15 – WFU – Fields,Horatio 5 yd pass from Bachmeier,Hank (Dennis,Matthew kick) 7 plays, 88 yards, TOP 02:39	10	31
00:13 – WFU – Alexander,Deuce 4 yd pass from Bachmeier,Hank (Dennis,Matthew kick) 9 plays, 90 yards, TOP 02:35	10	38
4TH QUARTER
11:05 – NCA – Brown,Andrew 51 yd field goal 8 plays, 42 yards, TOP 04:08	13	38
05:37 – WFU – Carney,Tate 2 yd run (Dennis,Matthew kick), 12 plays, 62 yards, TOP 05:22