Mayo Bath Incoming? Duke's Mayo Bowl Preview
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And just like that—for the final time this season—it's game week!
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8–4, 4–4 ACC) make the short trip to Charlotte, NC to battle the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5–7, 1–7 SEC) in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 2. The Deacs will look different than they did last time out against Duke, so let's get into the details.
The Pesky Transfer Portal
This offseason, the transfer portal features just one window (Jan. 2–16), as opposed to having an additional spring window. The intention is for a more streamlined process, but it won't stop players from hopping in the portal—the Demon Deacons experienced that firsthand.
Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium is going to be missing some star power on the Wake Forest sideline. Specifically, and among others, the Deacs will be without Mateen Ibirogba, Chris Barnes, and Micah Mays Jr. due to their intent to transfer.
In Case You Missed It: “None of the guys that are going into the portal are going to play in the game,” head coach Jake Dickert said.
Mateen Ibirogba and Chris Barnes were game-changers this season; Ibirogba was a key contributor on a stellar defensive line, and looks to get paid handsomely to play elsewhere this offseason, while Chris Barnes emerged as a star with several explosive performances.
Additionally, Micah Mays Jr. is one of five wideouts to enter the portal. While he never produced to the standard some expected, Mays Jr. was a consistent presence on the field.
Another key departure is Demond Claiborne. He is not in the transfer portal, but instead preparing for the NFL Draft in April. Later this month, he will participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Claiborne has been an all-time Deac, and his big-play ability and leadership will be a noticeable absence. Ty Clark III will assume the lead-back role, but he isn't doing so without experience; in the latter part of the season, Clark was often incorporated in two-back sets. He was also relied upon for change-of-pace plays and for filling in when Claiborne was injured. Clark hasn't had more than 13 touches all season, but that is certainly going to change this week.
Blake's Take: The damage done from departures could be worse, but it also isn't pretty. Defensively, there should not be as big a difference, but offensively, it could be a different story; it is fair to say that Barnes and Claiborne were Wake Forest's two biggest playmakers, perhaps save for Carlos Hernandez, who entered the conversation late and will now have a golden opportunity to continue shining against Mississippi State.
In the next section, we will see that Mississippi State is much less affected by this issue, but I believe that if the Demon Deacons are going to win, it does not matter who is on the field. The "Built in the Dark" mentality remains very prevalent and will likely be an X-factor against the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State
Looks may be deceiving; don't judge a book by its cover; pick a saying, but they're all true.
Mississippi State may be 5–7, but they are far from an inferior opponent. All of their losses either came against a ranked or previously ranked opponent. They also took down the then No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils 24–20 on Sept. 6.
True Freshman Kamario Taylor took over the Bulldog offense in the Egg Bowl after season-long starter Blake Shapen was benched. Shapen is no longer with the team, as he prepares for a professional career.
For the bowl game, Taylor will start, and Luke Kromenhoek will back him up. Kromenhoek actually entered the transfer portal on Dec. 17, but elected to finish the season with the team—he is the only staying Bulldog in the portal.
Of all the Mississippi State intended transfers, none of them are starters, and only a handful have had notable playing time this season. Aside from the obvious—being an SEC school—this is their other considerable advantage over the Demon Deacons.
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Blake is a Sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. When not living on campus, he resides in West Virginia, where he was born and raised. He is studying communication and is invested in all things related to sports media. In his Freshman year, he completed an internship with the National Sports Media Association, and also worked as a sports editor at Wake Forest's student-run newspaper, the Old Gold & Black. Currently, Blake does play-by-play broadcasting for Wake Forest Club Ice Hockey and holds a job at Learfield, working as a studio host. In a perfect world, he would spend his free time road tripping and attending concerts all across the United States.
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