UConn football falls to Wake Forest, 23-20

By Zach Carter:

UConn football fell narrowly to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons Saturday afternoon 23-20 after a near game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter came up just short.

Early drives were not kind to the Huskies’ offense. After a quick first possession, Wake Forest linebacker Evan Slocum picked quarterback Nick Evers off at midfield on the team’s second possession. Despite the improved field position, and with help from a timely sack by Jevon Banks, the Demon Deacons stayed off the board.

Wake Forest would convert on their next drive, however, thanks again to favorable starting field position. A 17-yard pass from quarterback Hank Bachmeier to Deuce Alexander landed the Demon Deacons in field goal range. Unable to further move the chains, Wake Forest settled for a field goal to take a 3-0 lead with just over five minutes to play in the opening quarter.

Evers and the Husky offense answered promptly, generating enough offense to drive across midfield and into the redzone. With one minute and change to play in the quarter, Husky kicker Chris Freeman knocked in a 35-yard field goal to even the score at three apiece, where it would remain until the quarter’s end.

As the second quarter got underway, Wake Forest breached the endzone first. Bachmeier stared down a UConn blitz on 3rd-and-7, but found Micah Mays Jr. downfield for a lengthy 41-yard gain. Set up on UConn’s five yard line, running back Demond Claireborne took a handoff to the outside into the endzone to put the Demon Deacons ahead once again, 10-3.

Not long after, a lengthy Wake Forest drive comprising 12 plays and five first downs again saw the Demon Deacons tack on points. Kicker Matthew Dennis tapped in a 31-yard field goal to open up a two-possession lead.

With six minutes to play until halftime, it seemed the Huskies would again punt — what would have been their fourth of the half — but a late hit out of bounds flagged against the defense extended the drive. New life awarded, UConn marched into the redzone and tacked on another field goal.

Wake Forest threatened to convert on a two-minute drill to end the half, but an ill-placed ball from Bachmeier landed in the hands of UConn defensiveback Cam Chadwick. As the two teams trotted into the lockeroom to regroup, Wake Forest led 13-6.

Bachmeier and Wake wasted no time getting back to their scoring ways in the third quarter, driving quickly down the field and into UConn territory. An unnecessary roughness flag landed the Wake Forest offense on the UConn 20-yard line. The offense continued to creep toward the endzone, and Clairborne popped in his second score of the game on the one-yard line. With that, Wake Forest’s lead grew to 20-6.

Returner Mel Brown jolted UConn’s offense to life, taking the subsequent kick back across the 50-yard line. UConn cashed in its first touchdown a few plays later, when Evers found Jasaiah Gathings in the corner of the endzone to bring the game back within one possession.

Neither team would score for the remainder of the third, thanks in part to UConn’s Dal’Mont Gourdine, who reached up to block a Wake Forest field goal attempt late in the quarter. His heroics kept the game within seven points heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

When it seemed UConn’s offense may have finally roared to life, it sputtered. Evers and his offensive personnel punted on three-straight drives between the third and fourth quarter. With 10 minutes to play, Wake Forest again led by 10.

The Huskies would not go quietly. Evers found his passing stroke and took his offense down the field into the redzone. Facing 3rd-and-15 from Wake Forest’s 20-yard line, he delivered a strike to tight end Louis Hansen, who reeled in the touchdown pass to cut the Demon Deacon’s lead to a meager three points.

With two-and-a-half minutes to play, Wake Forest took over, looking to run out the time and escape Rentschler Field with a win. But UConn’s defense stood tall — as it did so often in the second half — and a quick three-and-out brought head coach Jim Mora’s offense right back to the field. With two minutes to play and two timeouts at their disposal, the Huskies had a shot.

The game came down to one play. Fourth-and-three, one minute and 31 seconds to play. Then Brady Wayburn jumped early.

Backing up five yards, Evers’ 4th-and-8 attempt went wide of Gathings, and the Demon Deacons kneeled out the clock to end the game, handing the Huskies their first loss at home this season by a final score of 23-20.

The Huskies continue their homestand next week against Rice with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.