Wake Forest loses to Georgia Tech in OT
WINSTON-SALEM – Wake Forest played for the win in overtime against Georgia Tech.
The Deacons came away with a 30-29 loss at Allegacy Stadium on Saturday.
“We had an opportunity to go win the game. We took it,” coach Jake Dickert said of the decision to go for a 2-point conversion in the first overtime. “I would make the same decision.”
Wake Forest (2-2, 0-2 ACC) gave up a touchdown to start overtime, quarterback Haynes King plowing in for a 2-yard touchdown run.
The Deacons scored on the first play of their possession, Demond Claiborne going 25 yards to the left and injuring himself when he hit the front pylon.
On the 2-point attempt, quarterback Robby Ashford rolled right. No. 16 Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0) covered up two options in the end zone and tight end Eni Falayi was covered on the backside by a cornerback who stayed home.
Ashford threw a desperation attempt into the belly of safety Clayton Powell-Lee to end the game.
“I felt like we had a good play call and they just covered it,” Ashford said. “I mean, you know, it sucks. But I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Dickert for having enough confidence in us to just go for it.”
This one started slow enough. Wake Forest had a combined 32 yards on its first three possessions. Both first downs came on the middle possession.
Georgia Tech only got a field goal while the Deacons were struggling to move the ball. That was in spite of two possessions starting around Wake’s 40-yard line.
Wake’s spark came on a 34-yard dime from Ashford to Chris Barnes. Two plays later, Ashford forced his way into the end zone and reached the ball across for a touchdown.
Claiborne scored his first touchdown on a 27-yard run in the second quarter. Connor Calvert made two field goals to give Wake Forest a 20-3 lead.
The Yellow Jackets scored the next 17 points, finding an offensive rhythm. The Deacons took a 23-20 lead on Calvert’s 29-yard field goal with 5:08 left.
GT tied the game on a fire-drill field goal from Aidan Birr, from 33 yards. That play ended with 2 seconds on the clock.
