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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Wake Forest hasn't qualified for the
postseason since 1992, and the bowl gurus apparently didn't think
the Demon Deacons would end that drought this year.
Morgan Kane rushed for 224 yards and a touchdown as Wake Forest posted its first winning record in seven years, holding off Joe
Hamilton and Georgia Tech (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) 26-23 on Saturday.
|  | | Wake Forest's Bryan Ray sacks Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton, forcing a fumble. |
Even though the Atlantic Coast Conference has tie-ins with five
bowl games, just one postseason contest, the Peach Bowl, sent a
scout to Groves Stadium, and he was there to see the Yellow
Jackets.
"We believed that we could win this game, but I don't think
anyone else believed," Kane said. "Everybody basically thought
that Georgia Tech was going to roll over us."
Wake Forest (6-5, 3-5 ACC) prevented that from happening by
limiting the amount of time that Hamilton and the Yellow Jackets'
offense, ranked first in Division I-A, spent on the field.
The Demon Deacons elected to rush the ball on 62 of their 75
plays, and the result was 322 yards on the ground. Much of it came
on plays that were directed at the exact center of the Georgia Tech
defensive line.
"They were so concerned about our option outside, they gave us
an opportunity to run the ball straight up the middle," coach Jim
Caldwell said.
Caldwell, whose team is likely headed to the Aloha Bowl, said he
wasn't disappointed that no bowl representatives were on hand to
invite the Demon Deacons to their first postseason trip in his
seven years as their coach.
"I can't worry about that," he said. "I worry about how my
guys play, and everything else takes care of itself."
Hamilton, who came in as the top-rated passer in Division I-A,
was intercepted twice as Georgia Tech (7-3, 5-3) lost for the
second time in three games. Hamilton wound up completing 23 of 40
passes for 281 yards, but he did most of his damage in the second
half after Wake Forest built a 20-0 lead.
"We just didn't take advantage of anything the whole game,"
coach George O'Leary said.
Georgia Tech scored 16 points in the final 4:36, but Wake
Forest's Adrian Duncan recovered an onsides kick with 2:22
remaining, and the Yellow Jackets were unable to threaten again.
Hamilton finished with 317 total yards, making him the first
player in ACC history with 10,000 all-purpose yards. His total of
10,205 was a hollow accomplishment, however; as he walked off the
field, Wake Forest's students began tearing down a goal post.
"It's obviously a step back, but we still have another game to
play," said O'Leary, whose team concludes its regular season next
Saturday against Georgia. "We really didn't deserve to win today.
Wake Forest did."
Georgia Tech, which had scored at least 31 points in every game
this season, lost Hamilton's top deep threat, Dez White, to a
hamstring pull that occurred while he was helping cover a punt
early in the first quarter.
Matt Burdick kicked four field goals for the Demon Deacons and
Kane's rushing total gave him 1,161 yards for the season, making
him the first Wake Forest rusher to break the 1,000-yard mark since
John Leach in 1993.
"I can't take it all in right now," Kane said. "What a way to
end it. I don't think there's a better way."
Hamilton directed a 77-yard touchdown drive on Georgia Tech's
first possession of the second half, but after that, he ran into
more problems. His second interception, on an underthrown ball into
triple coverage late in the third quarter, set up Burdick's third
field goal, a 36-yarder that made it 23-7 with 12:37 left in the
game.
Wake Forest put together early touchdown drives of 79 and 70
yards, capping them with Ben Sankey's 8-yard pass to Chris McCoy
and Kane's 4-yard burst up the middle. Wake Forest's second scoring
drive was aided by a pair of Georgia Tech penalties, including an
out-of-bounds hit by linebacker Ross Mitchell.
Less than 16 minutes into the game, the Yellow Jackets were down 14-0 and had yet to advance past their 40 on three possessions, but
their problems were just starting.
Hamilton connected with Kelly Campbell on what would have been a 65-yard pass play, but it was nullified by a holding call on senior
guard Jason Burks. Hamilton underthrew a pass into double coverage
later in the possession, and the ball was intercepted by Duncan.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Morgan Kane rushed for 224 yards and
a touchdown as Wake Forest posted its first winning record in seven
years, holding off Joe Hamilton and Georgia Tech (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) 26-23 Saturday.
Wake Forest (6-5, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) qualified for
its first postseason appearance since 1992, but the prospects of
inviting the Demon Deacons somewhere for the holidays apparently
isn't very appealing to bowl scouts.
Even though the ACC has tie-ins with five bowl games, just one
postseason contest, the Peach Bowl, sent a scout to the game, and
he was there to see the Yellow Jackets.
Hamilton, who came in as the top-rated passer in Division I-A,
was intercepted twice as Georgia Tech (7-3, 5-3) lost for the
second time in three games. Hamilton wound up completing 23 of 40
passes for 281 yards, but he did most of his damage in the second
half after Wake Forest built a 20-point lead.
Georgia Tech scored 16 points in the final 4:36, but Wake
Forest's Adrian Duncan recovered an onsides kick with 2:22
remaining, and the Yellow Jackets were unable to threaten again.
Hamilton finished with 317 total yards, making him the first
player in ACC history with 10,000 all-purpose yards. It was a
hollow accomplishment, however; as he walked off the field, Wake
Forest's students began tearing down a goal post.
Georgia Tech came in with the nation's top-ranked offense,
scoring at least 31 points in every game this season. But it didn't
help when Hamilton lost his top deep threat, Dez White, to a
hamstring pull that occurred while he was helping cover a punt
early in the first quarter.
Georgia Tech's defense was no match for a Wake Forest rushing
game that produced 322 yards, most of it on bursts directly into
the center of the Yellow Jackets' line.
Kane became the first Wake Forest rusher to break the 1,000-yard
mark since John Leach in 1993, and Matt Burdick kicked four field
goals for the Demon Deacons.
Hamilton directed a 77-yard touchdown drive on Georgia Tech's
first possession of the second half, but after that, he ran into
more problems. His second interception, on an underthrown ball into
triple coverage late in the third quarter, set up Burdick's third
field goal, a 36-yarder that made it 23-7 with 12:37 left in the
game.
Wake Forest put together early touchdown drives of 79 and 70
yards, capping them with Ben Sankey's 8-yard pass to Chris McCoy
and Kane's 4-yard burst up the middle. Wake Forest's second scoring
drive was aided by a pair of Georgia Tech penalties, including an
out-of-bounds hit by linebacker Ross Mitchell.
Less than 16 minutes into the game, the Yellow Jackets were down
14-0 and had yet to advance past their 40 on three possessions, but
their problems were just starting.
Hamilton connected with Kelly Campbell on what would have been a
65-yard pass play, but it was nullified by a holding call on senior
guard Jason Burks. Hamilton underthrew a pass into double coverage
later in the possession, and the ball was intercepted by Duncan.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Georgia Tech Clubhouse
Wake Forest Clubhouse
College football Top 25 overview
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