Notre Dame-Wake Forest: Numbers, Turning Point & More
By The Numbers
1-38 Record for Wake Forest in games against a team ranked in the top 5 of the Associated Press poll, with Notre Dame this season the most recent. The one victory occurred way back on Oct. 26, 1946, versus No.4 Tennessee.
In addition to the 1-38 all-time ledger versus the top 5, the Demon Deacons are 1-58 in contests against the AP top 10.
4 Tackles for loss by Wake Forest that totaled 12 yards. The Demon Deacons entered the contest ranked No. 1 nationally in that category with an average of 9.3 per contest for 35 yards.
5 Games in the last six in which Notre Dame has not committed a turnover, dating back to the 38-18 victory at Michigan State on Sept. 23. The Irish did fumble twice against Wake Forest but recovered it both times. Quarterback Brandon Wimbush has a streak of five straight starts without the Irish offense committing a turnover, and he’s played six consecutive games without throwing an interception.
6 Different Notre Dame players this season to have a run that gained at least 35 yards. Sophomore quarterback Ian Book and sophomore wideout Kevin Stepherson became the most recent with 43-yard and 35-yard scampers, respectively, against Wake Forest.
As a team, Notre Dame has 20 carries this season that have netted a minimum of 35 yards.
Taking it a step further, Notre Dame and Stanford each have 11 runs of at least 50 yards this season to lead the nation. Arizona had 10 and was not yet included because of a late-night game Nov. 4.
14 Passes broken up this season by Notre Dame sophomore cornerback Julian Love after recording three against Wake Forest — not including his third interception of the year. He surpassed the single season record of 14 in 1969 by 1970-71 All-American cornerback Clarence Ellis.
Love’s 25-yard interception return in the second quarter also gives him 153 yards this year, the second most in a season at Notre Dame, moving past Frank Carideo’s 151 in 1929. The record is 197 by Nick Rassas on six returns in 1965.
28-2 Cumulative record of Notre Dame after defeating a Wake Forest team at home. The Fighting Irish improved to 11-0 in 2012 following a 38-0 win versus the Demon Deacons, 9-1 in 2015 after a 28-7 victory, and 8-1 this year with the 48-37 conquest.
Notre Dame doesn’t play Wake Forest at home again until 2023, although it does travel to Winston-Salem to play the Demon Deacons next year (Sept. 22) and in 2020 (Sept. 26).
37 Points surrendered by Notre Dame after entering the game 10th in the country in scoring defense with a 16.1 average. It also was the lone defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision to not allow more than 20 points in a game entering the month of November.
It was the most points allowed by the Irish in victory since a 49-39 win versus Navy on Nov. 1, 2014.
99 Yards covered on Notre Dame’s touchdown drive that culminated with 22 seconds left in the first half and extended its lead to 31-10. It was the longest drive by the Irish since Nov. 14, 2015 — also 99 yards, and likewise versus Wake Forest. That one took only two plays, with the second a 98-yard scoring run by then freshman running back Josh Adams, the longest play from scrimmage ever for Notre Dame.
108-10 Notre Dame’s scoring advantage against its opposition this season following a turnover. The Demon Deacons had only one at Notre Dame — they entered the game tied for No. 2 nationally with Alabama and Central Florida in fewest turnovers with five — but that interception set up a five-yard touchdown drive for the Irish.
Notre Dame has generated 19 turnovers this years and scored 16 times off of them — 15 touchdowns and one field goal.
180 Receiving yards by sophomore Chase Claypool. He had entered the game with 15 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown, but eclipsed the yardage total in this game alone. His previous career high was 56 yards, versus Michigan State on Sept. 23, on four catches. Against the Demon Deacons he snared nine passes.
Turning Point
A 57-yard punt by Wake Forest pinned Notre Dame at its one-yard line with 3:09 left in the first half and the Irish holding a 24-10 lead. With about a minute left on that same series and Notre Dame facing third-and-9 at its 26, sophomore running back Deon McIntosh cut back on a sweep for a 45-yard gain, and Wimbush followed with a 28-yard scamper to the one, on which he was temporarily injured. With 22 seconds left, Book tossed the one-yard score to senior tight end Nic Weishar.
Up to that point, Wake Forest was within striking distance and would receive the second half kickoff. Thus, for the Irish to extend the lead to 31-10 in the closing seconds on a 99-yard drive provided not only a three-score cushion but had to be demoralizing to the Demon Deacons going into the locker room. They didn't play like it in the second half, but they found themselves in a hole too deep.
Stat Of The Game
It’s not often that you see a football team compile 700 yards worth of offense in a game. Until the 710 yards produced by the Fighting Irish against Wake Forest, it occurred only one other time at Notre Dame: 720 versus Navy during a 47-0 victory on Nov. 1, 1969.
Perhaps just as unusual is having at least 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing in the same game, which the Irish did with 380 yards rushing on 46 carries (8.3 yards per shot), and 330 yards through the air on 38 pass attempts. Spearheading the charge was Wimbush, who for the third time this season achieved triple digits in both passing and running (280 passing, 110 rushing) in the same game accomplishing it also versus Temple and USC.
Brian Kelly’s Take
“Winning is hard, especially in November, and anytime that you find a way to win football games when teams are executing at a high level — which Wake Forest executed their offense extremely well today — you're very pleased. “Having said that, this game will humble you in a heartbeat if you take any of it for granted. I think it was a great reminder for our players that this game requires you to be 100 percent locked in at all times. … I think [Wake Forest quarterback John] Wolford was outstanding. ‘I don't want to take anything away from Brandon Wimbush tonight. I think the narrative of him being able to throw the football should change dramatically. He had a couple of drops out there that he would have easily thrown for close to 300 yards, so hopefully that has been put to rest. ‘I loved his grit, his toughness, gets hit pretty hard right before the half, and I try to keep him out of the game in the third quarter, but he had no thoughts of that. He wanted to get back in the game, so he put a pad on his hand and went back in the game and showed great grit and great leadership.”
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