Wake Forest Defeats Syracuse, 38-14

Saturday, October 31

Syracuse, NY

12 PM

Syracuse University

1-6 , 1-5

Wake Forest

4-2 , 3-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Wake Forest

Syracuse

10/31/2020 3:19:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery Highlights Dino Babers Press Conference Nykeim Johnson Press Conference

Syracuse running back Cooper Lutz gained 106 all-purpose yards in his first career start but the Orange ran into a red-hot Wake Forest team Saturday and lost to the Demon Deacons, 38-14, in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at the Carrier Dome.

The Orange dropped to 1-6 (1-5 in the ACC) while Wake Forest (4-2, 3-2) has won four consecutive games after starting the season with back-to-back losses to No. 1 Clemson and NC State.

Lutz, a redshirt sophomore from Reading, Pa., rushed for 81 yards on 15 carries and caught four passes for 25 yards. JaCobian Morgan, a freshman quarterback from Canton, Miss., replaced starter Rex Culpepper and completed all seven of his pass attempts for 57 yards on a 10-play, 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter. On third-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Morgan capped the possession with a touchdown pass to tight end Luke Benson. His longest completion of the drive was a 31-yarder to wide receiver Ed Hendrix that moved the ball to the Wake Forest four-yard line.

Culpepper completed 15-of-27 passes for 85 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Wide receivers Anthony Queeley and Courtney Jackson each caught four passes for the Orange, while wide receiver Nykeim Johnson hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper.

Defensively, freshman cornerback Garrett Williams led the Orange with nine tackles, equaling his career-best effort, and one of the team's two sacks.

Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman completed 19-of-33 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown. Running back Kenneth Walker III gained 79 yards on 16 carries with touchdown runs of one, five and 20 yards, and running back Christian Beal-Smith had 87 yards on 19 carries. Wide receiver Jaquarii Roberson caught seven passes for 130 yards with an 80-yard touchdown reception as the Demon Deacons out-gained the Orange 438-221.

Wake Forest received the opening kickoff and drove to the Orange eight-yard line. But Syracuse linebacker Tyrell Richards sacked Hartman for a seven-yard loss on third down and the Demon Deacons had to settle for Nick Sciba's 33-yard field goal. It was Richards' second sack of the season.

With the Orange trailing 10-0 midway through the second quarter, the Demon Deacons had a third-and-1 from their own 21. Syracuse cornerback Williams fought through a block and dropped Walker for a 1-yard loss that forced a three-and-out.

Nykeim Johnson returned the punt 26 yards to the Wake Forest 36. Lutz scampered 14 yards for a first down, and Culpepper beat a Demon Deacons' blitz by finding an open Johnson for a 21-yard scoring strike as Syracuse sliced Wake Forest's lead to 10-7. It was Johnson's third touchdown reception this season.

With the Demon Deacons ahead 17-7, a stout Syracuse defense prevented further damage late in the first half. Wake Forest started its drive at the Orange 26, but Syracuse pressure resulted in a Demon Deacons' holding penalty that pushed the ball back to the 36, and Williams took Wake Forest out of field goal-range with a sack of Hartman that resulted in a seven-yard loss. It was the first career sack for the redshirt freshman Williams.

Despite the loss, Syracuse still leads the all-time series with Wake Forest 6-4, including a 4-2 record at home.

Up next, the Orange will play their second-to-last home game of the season against ACC rival Boston College at 2 p.m. Saturday (ACC RSN). Syracuse's final home game is Nov. 28 against NC State.

Gallery: (10-31-2020) Syracuse vs. Wake Forest