The Florida State Seminoles play host to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday afternoon from Doak S. Campbell Stadium in a crucial ACC tilt. The Seminoles come into this one off to a hot start, sitting at 4-0 on the season. For Wake Forest, a loss last week to Clemson has tempered expectations slightly, though a 3-1 record still is a sign that this team can't be taken lightly. The Demon Deacons haven won two straight in the series and with the 21-point win last season, the Seminoles will surely be looking for revenge in this one.
The Demon Deacons turned quite a few heads last week, even despite the loss. Welcoming Clemson to town is never easy and while they took the Tigers to overtime, there is certainly some sting to how that game ended. With it being their first loss of the season, they're hoping that the issue doesn't parley into back-to-back defeats. The Demon Deacons didn't look great two weeks ago against Liberty either, with the hope that they can bounce back in this one. Having won two in a row in the series should give them some confidence, especially given all the experience on their sideline, though the road has been a challenge for them over the last few seasons.
Wake Forest only has four players listed on their most recent injury report, though three of those four have already been ruled out for the season. The status of long snapper Jacob Zuhr (undisclosed) is actually one to keep an eye on. While far from the most notable position, he plays an integral role that is difficult to replace. With this game expected to be down to the wire, special teams could make or break this opportunity.
In rhythm ?? pic.twitter.com/DLhncsLfo6
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) September 28, 2022
Offensively, Wake Forest has a lethal passing attack and with some more balance on the ground, could continue to outpace opponents. They rank 16th in passing offense but only 105th in rushing offense. With the Seminoles squared away with one of the ACC's best passing defenses, it'll be interesting what the Demon Deacons come up with. Limiting turnovers has been key for this group and their ability to strike quickly could work in their favor on the road. In the end, this group will go where Sam Hartman (13 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) will take them and if he can find a rhythm early, it'll be key.
Last week, the defense showed a clear weakness within this group. Their inability to get crucial stops hurt them and with Florida State building momentum in their own right on the offensive end, the scoring should continue. Stopping the run will be key and as the game progressed last week against Clemson, their inability to control the clock caught up with them. Malik Mustapha (2.5 sacks, 27 total tackles) is a force in the secondary, while the more that fans hear Ryan Smenda Jr's (27 total tackles) name called, the better the Demon Deacons will liekly be playing.