How Wake Forest Snatched Victory From the Jaws of Defeat Against Purdue
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Going into the fourth quarter on Saturday, it looked like the Deacs had victory within their grasp. After the opening drive, it seemed like they were in control of the game. Their offense was moving the ball at will, and even with some breakdowns, their defense was bending without breaking.
However, the fourth quarter saw Purdue make a furious charge and push the Deacs to the absolute brink. They controlled the ball inside the Wake Forest five-yard line with seconds remaining, kicked a field goal, and sent the game to overtime. Then in the second overtime, they had the Deacs backed up to fourth down with fifteen yards needed to convert. A Gio Lopez-to-Carlos Hernandez big-time connection got them inside the two, and Wake converted from there. Let's take a deeper dive into this one that saw the Deacs come out of a dogfight victorious.
Offensive Explosion
The Boilermakers were certainly the aggressors by getting the ball and putting points on the board right away. However, it was the Deacs' offense that controlled the game by not having to punt until two minutes remained in the third quarter. They put up points and grew a lead, leading by two scores and remaining in the driver's seat.
When the game eventually turned in Purdue's favor, the Deac's offense came through in overtime. Gio Lopez completed a 24-yard pass to Bryce Kania to strike first in the first overtime, then used his legs to power it into the end zone for both the touchdown and the two-point conversion in the second overtime.
Gio had a great day overall, throwing for 225 yards and running for 59. He took control in the big moments of the game, including the critical fourth-and-fifteen in overtime, to help the Deacs come out on top.
Big-Time Defensive Stops
Overall, it was a pretty ugly day for the Wake Forest defense. They gave up 455 total yards of offense to Purdue and looked at times as if they had no answers. However, despite the struggles, they made some timely stops, including two in particular.
At the end of regulation, Purdue had the ball all the way down at the Wake Forest eight-yard line, down three with almost a minute to go. They were totally in the driver's seat and just needed to punch it into the end zone to all but claim victory. However, this is where the Deacs' defense tightened up and held on three straight plays to force Purdue to a game-tying field goal. This gave the team a chance going into overtime.
Additionally, in the second overtime, Purdue marched down the field and scored on a three-yard touchdown run. Despite the disappointment, the Deacs' defense stepped up in a big way and got a critical stop on the two-point conversion, allowing the offense to win it with a touchdown and a successful conversion. People will, of course, praise the offense, but the tackle made by Rushaun Tongue on the conversion attempt was a large part of the eventual victory.
Much more will be recapped about this one throughout the week. The Deacs certainly have things to clean up as a matchup against the top-five Miami Hurricanes looms. However, it's also important to take a step back and recognize all the positives that went into claiming a much-needed victory.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.