You can’t overcome a three-score deficit on the road against a Group of 5 team without things first going haywire.

That was the journey for Wake Forest in a 27-24 win at Old Dominion on Saturday at S.B. Ballard Stadium.

Wake Forest (3-0) trailed 17-0 at halftime and 24-7 halfway through the third quarter, having allowed two defensive touchdowns and with three total turnovers.

Matthew Dennis kicked two 36-yard field goals in the last four minutes of the third quarter. Those came after ODU’s second defensive touchdown of the game by LaMareon James — this one was a 66-yard interception return that put the Monarchs (1-2) ahead 24-7 halfway through the third quarter.

The Deacons pulled to within one score on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Griffis to Taylor Morin, who got behind ODU’s defense.

The game-winning score was set up by a strip-sack by Jacob Roberts, who had 13 tackles and three sacks. That put the Deacons inside ODU’s 10-yard line, and Griffis flicked a 4-yard touchdown to Jahmal Banks on second-and-goal.

Griffis was 25 of 42 for 312 yards and all three of Wake’s touchdowns, two of which went to Morin. Justice Ellison had 86 yards on 16 carries, returning from a one-game absence.

The teams slogged through a scoreless first quarter and that changed for the worse, in Wake’s case, early in the second quarter.

Javon Harvey had a 68-yard touchdown catch to score the game’s first points.

Wake Forest went three-and-out on the following possession and got the ball back quickly on an interception by Evan Slocum, who returned it 56 yards to ODU’s 20-yard line.

Disaster struck in the form of a Griffis fumble with the Deacons’ at ODU’s 3, and with James returning it 80 yards for a touchdown.

ODU added a field goal with 2 ½ minutes left in the first half that led to the 17-0 halftime score.