Wake Forest kicked a 27-yard field goal with 2:55 left to put the game out of reach as the the 22nd-ranked Demon Deacons churned out over 400 yards of total offense to hand No. 23 Florida State its first loss of the season 31-21 in Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
Wake quarterback Sam Hartman completed 22-of-34 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns with many coming on critical third downs. Justice Ellison gained 114 yards on 18 carries to lead a balanced Demon Deacon offensive attack.
FSU quarterback Jordan Travis threw for three touchdowns and completed 23-of-35 passes in the loss. Treshaun Ward led all Seminole rushers with 87 yards on 13 carries.
The Demon Deacons’ unique offense gave FSU trouble all day particularly on crucial downs where Wake finished 10-of-18 on third downs.
Wake led 21-7 at the half and were up 28-7 in the third quarter. Despite outscoring them 14-10 in the second half, Florida State could never close the gap to less than the final 10 point margin.
Leading 21-7 as the second half began, Wake Forest took the opening drive and raced through the FSU defense on a 75-yard drive taking a 28-7 lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Ellison.
FSU cut the lead to 28-13 on the next drive when Travis completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Mycah Pittman with 5:14 left in the third quarter. The Noles’ went for two on the ensuing extra point but failed.
The Seminoles made it 28-21 with 9:32 left in the game when Travis hit wide receiver Johnny Wilson with a touchdown pass from the 4-yard line and then connected with tight end Markeston Douglas for the 2-point conversion.
FSU had another golden opportunity late in the game after a 44-yard punt return by Pittman set the Noles up at Wake’s 43 with 4:57 left in the game, but the possession resulted in a missed field goal.
Initially, it looked like Florida State might light up the scoreboard after taking the opening drive right down the field moving 83 yards on six plays and scoring on an 18-yard pass from Travis to Pittman with 12:26 left in the first quarter.
Wake Forest answered with an impressive 13-play, 80-yard drive of their own. They tied the score at seven with 4:25 left in the first quarter on Christian Turner’s 1-yard touchdown dive on fourth down.
The Demon Deacons took a 14-7 led early in the second quarter when quarterback Hartman escaped a collapsing pocket and found wide receiver A.T. Perry with a 4-yard touchdown pass. The score capped a 12-play, 90-yard…