Series History: Wake Forest Football vs Boston College
Wake Forest and Boston College come into this weekend’s duel in two vastly different places. While the Demon Deacons are riding high as the No. 13 team in the nation, the Eagles are struggling at 2-4. Historically, however, the programs match up quite evenly.
Dating back to their first meeting in 1941 in Chestnut Hill, Boston College leads the all-time series against Wake Forest 14-12-2. The Eagles also have the longest winning streak in the series — four games from 2007-2010. Interestingly enough, the two schools faced off every year (with a break during WW2) from 1941-1953, but did not play again for fifty years. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Wake Forest and Boston College have now played annually since 2003.
Since the matchup was renewed, the rivalry has been split at nine wins each. Each program has grown and changed since that 2003 matchup — let’s take a look at how these two have measured up in the 21st century.
2003-2006: Wake Forest in control
Jim Grobe and the Demon Deacons won three of the four games from 2003-2006. However, the wins were decided by four, three and seven points. The one BC victory (in Chestnut Hill in 2005) came by a margin of five points.
READ: Wake HC Dave Clawson discusses upcoming game against Boston College
Boston College made the transition from the Big East to the ACC ahead of the 2005 season and finished the season in the Top 25 three of these four years. On the Wake side, the victories over BC helped spur positive growth; the Deacs went from 5-7 in ‘03 to winning the ACC in ‘06.
2007-2010: Boston College’s winning streak
Despite Wake Forest’s ascension in 2006, Boston College dominated the series over the next four years. Once again, each game was close — the Eagles never beat the Demon Deacons by more than 10 points, and twice Wake almost pulled off upsets. A touchdown with one minute left won the game for the Eagles in 2008, and a field goal in overtime won it in 2009.
Both schools lost their way a bit during this stretch, too. Boston College, led by star quarterback Matt Ryan, ended the year ranked No. 10 in the country in 2007. By 2010 they were 7-6. Wake Forest was 9-4 in 2007, but ended 2010 with a 3-9 record. Grobe and Boston College Head Coach Frank Spaziani would be out of their positions in the coming seasons.
2011-2014: Back and forth battles
The next four years saw a continuation of the back-and-forth rivalry, but with less dominant teams. Wake Forest won in 2011 and 2012, while BC’s new head coach Steve Addazio won his first two games against the Deacs in 2013 and 2014.
READ: Boston College Team Overview
There aren’t too many highlights in this stretch of games, as both programs went through transitions in leadership. Even as the names changed and the quality of football dipped, however, the games were never decided by more than 14 points.
2015: The Game
Wake Forest vs Boston College in 2015 deserves its very own documentary. Although Wake Forest technically won the game away in Chestnut Hill, it didn’t feel like much of a victory.
The final score was 3-0. Wake finished the game with 142 total yards and only five first downs. Boston College wasn’t much better, compiling 270 yards of total offense. Together, the teams had six turnovers and over 150 yards of penalties. There were only 17 total completed passes! Boston College missed two field goals; Wake only missed one, and that proved to be the difference.
The game was finally won in the third quarter. Boston College fumbled at their own four-yard line, giving the Deacs the ball in the red zone for the first and only time of the entire game. After Wake Forest lost two yards on the next three plays, they kicked what ultimately became the game-winning field goal.
With a few seconds remaining, however, Boston College had a chance to win. But, after a run from the one was stopped before the goal line, the Eagles ran out of time to attempt a second-down play. Time expired, and the game was finally over.
Both teams ended the season 3-9, and the battle in Chestnut Hill entered college football history as one of the lowest scoring games of all time.
2016-2018: Rivalry continues
Born out of the incredible 2015 game, today’s version of the rivalry took off in the following seasons. Each team went no better than 8-5 and no worse than 7-6, pitting two equal programs against each other.
READ: Spotlight - Wake Forest Quarterback Michael Kern
From 2014 through 2018, the away team won every game. In 2016, Boston College got revenge from the shutout of the previous season and won 17-14. In Chestnut Hill in 2017, the Deacs won 34-10, scoring the most points by Wake Forest against the Eagles in any game since 1953.
2018 was the last time Boston College came to Winston-Salem, and the Eagles won 41-34 in an exciting Week 3 contest. A late comeback effort by the Deacs was thwarted by A.J. Dillon and a Boston College team that connected on 40 and 71-yard touchdown passes.
2019 and 2021: Wake’s winning streak begins
Since Jeff Hafley took over as head coach for Boston College, each of the last two meetings have been won by Wake Forest. In 2019, the Deacs won 27-24, holding off a late fourth quarter rally.
Last year, Wake roared to a 41-10 victory. Sam Hartman threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 51 yards and one touchdown on the ground. In addition, the Wake Forest defense held the Eagles to only 182 yards of total offense. This game was one of the worst losses of the season for Boston College, who had played Clemson close and was expected to be in contention at the top of the ACC during the preseason. Ultimately, Wake Forest ended the season for BC, who finished the year 6-6 and missed a bowl game for the second year in a row.
2022: Wake Forest looks to continue their incredible season, Boston College hopes to right the ship
And that brings us to 2022. For the first time ever, Wake Forest has a chance to win three games in a row against Boston College. And, for the first time since 2012, the Demon Deacons can beat Boston College in Winston-Salem. Favored by over two touchdowns and with many of the same players returning from last year’s game, there’s a good chance the Demon Deacons make history.
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