Wake Forest Wallops Oregon State 39-14
Earlier this week, Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert offered high praise for Oregon State: "This is a power four football team".
Following another Oregon State loss, this time a 39-14 rout, Beaver Nation might have follow-up questions for Dickert. Who? Where?
Last Sunday, Trent Bray overhauled his coaching staff: out went special teams coach Jamie Christian, in went Robb & Daniel Akey. On the game's opening kickoff, the change didn't matter. Wake Forest returned the ball 32 yards. Three plays later, Demon Deacons' backup quarterback Deshawn Purdie - starting in relief of the injured Robby Ashford - flicked a deep toss into the end zone for wide receiver Chris Barnes. Dickert's offense stayed out for a two point try. After Ty Clark ran across the goal line, Wake Forest led 8-0.
Following an Oregon State three-and-out, Wake Forest's two point scorer Clark caught a quick pass in space to enter Oregon State territory. On 3rd and 1 from the Oregon State 19, linebacker Aiden Sullivan and safety Jaheim Patterson combined to deny Demon Deacons' runner Demond Claiborne. Facing a short fourth down, Dickert's offense stayed aggressive - going for it - but fierce pressure from edge defender Nikko Taylor and linebacker Dexter Foster forced an errant throw; thanks to the turnover on downs, the score remained 8-0 Wake Forest.
Oregon State's second drive went ten plays and trekked 52 yards. After the offense stalled, the Beavers' beleaguered special teams unit was put to another test. Long snapper Will Haverland successfully rifled the ball to holder AJ Windsor, who placed the pigskin laces out for kicker Caleb Ojeda - so far, so good - but Wake Forest Defender BJ Williams spiked Ojeda's 47 yard attempt, and Williams' teammate Zamari Stevenson returned the blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown.
Mercifully, the touchdown was waved off by a Wake Forest holding penalty, but the away team from Winston-Salem maintained their eight point advantage, and kept possession of the football. On the second play of their third drive, Purdie found wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. wide open past a busted coverage. Their 52 yard connection extended Wake's advantage to 15-0.
Trailing 15-0 early in the second quarter, Oregon State needed an answer. Unfortunately, they wouldn't find it. On three consecutive pass attempts down the middle - looking for Trent Walker, Eddie Freauff, and David Wells Jr., Beavers' starting passer Maalik Murphy threw incomplete. At this point of the game, Murphy was 3-for-11 with 36 passing yards. The Beavers quickly won the ball back after defensive tackle Jacob Schuster swatted down a Wake Forest pass on third down, but Oregon State reserve running back Cornell Hatcher Jr. fumbled. His turnover set up the Demon Deacons in Oregon State territory. Four plays later, Purdie threw his third touchdown of the day - connecting down the middle with Barnes for his second score - following an extra point try, Wake's lead ballooned to 22.
On the following Beavers' possession, Maalik Murphy led the offense 57 yards in 8 plays, but the drive ended in disaster. Facing 4th and 9 in no mans land, the Wake Forest 34 yard line, Murphy threw an interception.
Late in the first half, Oregon State had one more chance to score. Pinned against his own end zone, backup quarterback Gabarri Johnson fired a perfect strike down the middle to David Wells Jr for 19 yards and fresh chains. Johnson - who typically sees a package of plays every game - stayed in, but his drive stalled with a third down sack. Wake Forest responded by returning Windsor's punt 33 yards to the Beavers' 32 yard line. On the final play of the second quarter, Wake Forest kicker Connor Calvert - an alum of Mountain View HS (Bend, OR) - hit a 43 yard field goal. At halftime, Oregon State trailed Wake Forest 25-0.
The second half began with more snaps for Johnson; starter Maalik Murphy managed just 5-of-17 passing for 62 yards in the first half. Oregon State's offense remained frozen: a Nathan Elu holding penalty and Josiah Timoteo false start backpedaled the orange & black to 1st & 25. Following an Oregon State punt, Murphy returned to action.
With 6:41 remaining in the third quarter, Deshawn Purdie's career day soared to new heights: taking advantage of perfect protection, the Wake Forest passer aimed deep for wide receiver Chris Barnes. 55 yards later, Barnes hauled in the pigskin. It was Purdie's fourth touchdown pass of the game, and Barnes' third touchdown catch. Now the Beavers trailed by 32 points.
Early in the fourth quarter, Hatcher Jr. broke up the shutout with a 29 yard sprint to the end zone, 32-7 Wake Forest. One play later, Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne started right, cut back left, broke a tackle, and raced 66 yards to paydirt, 39-7 Demon Deacons.
Oregon State's next possession matriculated down the field - 15 plays and 75 yards in just over 7 minutes - and ended with a Gabarri Johnson fade pass caught by David Wells Jr. Following the touchdown, Oregon State trailed 39-14 with 4:10 remaining in regulation.
When the clock struck 0:00, Wake Forest celebrated a 39-14 win. The Demon Deacons are now 4-2 overall. Oregon State is now 0-7 overall, facing their worst start to a season since 1991; that year, coach Jerry Pettibone's first season in Corvallis, the Beavers opened with ten straight losses before winning the Civil War, 14-3.
Next week, Oregon State welcomes Lafayette College to Reser Stadium. The game will kick off Saturday at 7 PM (PST) on The CW.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
Matt fell in love with radio during his college days at Oregon Tech, and pursued a nine year career in sports broadcasting with Klamath Falls' and Medford's highest-rated sports radio stations. He currently lives in McMinnville wine country and is excited to talk about the Beavers again.