Wake Forest handles business against Florida State

WINSTON-SALEM – Through some early hiccups, Wake Forest passed its first real test of the season with a 35-14 win over visiting Florida State on Saturday at Truist Field.

Sam Hartman threw two touchdowns, to A.T. Perry – who had a career-high 155 yards on seven catches – and Donald Stewart, for the Stanford transfer’s first touchdown as a Deacon. Christian Beal-Smith and Justice Ellison added rushing touchdowns, while Nick Sciba kicked two field goals.

Wake Forest’s defense – maligned somewhat for its performance last week against Norfolk State – had six takeaways and held FSU to a 1-for-6 clip on third downs.

This is the fourth time in the last six seasons that Wake Forest has started 3-0 – the Deacons also did so in 2016, ’17 and ’19.

It was never in too much doubt, but the ACC opener wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Wake Forest took a two-touchdown lead into halftime, 27-14, and you couldn’t help but feel like it should’ve been a larger lead.

The No. 1 issue in the first half for the Deacons was penalties – all seven of them, after Wake Forest was called for six penalties in the first two games combined.

Florida State’s first touchdown drive went 75 yards and the Seminoles never faced a third down and got 23 yards on a couple of penalties, both of them providing first downs. The Seminoles’ second touchdown was on the first play of a possession.

Wake Forest’s offensive line was responsible for three false starts in the first half, and an offensive pass interference call crippled one of Wake Forest’s eight first-half possessions.

So, despite all of that – oh, and the Deacons committed two turnovers – Wake Forest led 27-14 at halftime because Hartman was on point. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns – of 49 yards to Perry and 11 yards to Stewart – after being intercepted on his second pass of the game.

Beal-Smith sliced in for a 7-yard touchdown run, and Ellison added a 1-yard score in the second half to put the Deacons ahead comfortably.

Nick Sciba had field goals of 42 and 22 yards in the first half, running his streak of made kicks to 16.

Florida State committed three first-half turnovers – a fumble two plays after Hartman’s early interception, and then interceptions by Nasir Greer and Caelen Carson (on the final play of the half).

Wake Forest turned the fumble into the first points of the game, and Greer’s interception set up Sciba’s field goal that made it 24-7.

Florida State’s first play after that was a 65-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Travis – who alternated with Mackenzie Milton at quarterback – to Ontaria Wilson.

That was the last score of the game for FSU, which committed six turnovers. One of them was a Milton fumble at the goal line with the score 35-14, which was recovered by Luiji Vilain.

On FSU’s next snap, Vilain got a sack and caused a fumble, which was recovered by Wake Forest’s Chase Jones.