Wake Forest vs. App State Preview

Kickoff: 3 PM

Location:  Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina

Watch: WatchESPN (Online)

Preview

Wake Forest is once again in a position to continue their win streak in this weekend’s game against Appalachian State on Saturday, September 23. Wake Forest started off 4-0 last year before finishing their season 6-6, not including their bowl game win against Temple. This will be the first time in school history that the Deacons are traveling to Appalachian State (Boone, North Carolina) for a game. While the Deacs are off to a great start, it is imperative that they continue playing well if they hope to return to a Bowl Game in 2017.

For the third week in a row, the Demon Deacons are coming off an explosive game on the offense’s side of the ball. The Deacons put up an impressive 588 yards to route the Aggies, the 5th most yards in program history. John Wolford also set program firsts by being the first player in school history to rush for a touchdown and throw for a touchdown in 3 consecutive games. Wolford is staying consistent on offense, which is going crucial forward to the success for this team this season. The Deacs performance thus far has been impressive enough to receive two votes for the AP Top 25 poll this week and two votes from the Amway Coaches Poll.

The Appalachian State team is 2-1 through 3 games this season, coming off of a 20-13 win against Texas State. Taylor Lamb is the QB for the Mountaineers and currently has 622 yards under his belt which is noticeably more than Wolford’s 500 yards. However, both quarterbacks have 6 touchdowns apiece. I believe the outcome of this game will depend largely on the play of each QB.

Prediction

Going into this game, as has been the norm thus far, I forecast the Demon Deacons coming out on top with a 24-14 win. Although, that doesn’t mean it won’t be an interesting game. As Coach Clawson quotes: “In-state rivalries are good for college football. It can’t just be about eyes on television. It has to be about fans at games, and they’re sold out.” Hopefully, the Deacons can remain calm and collected through the away crown noise, and come out with another win in the books. According to ESPN, Wake Forest has a 75.1% chance of winning, leaving the Mountaineers to a 24.9% chance.