Deacons Daily

Key Stats from Wake Forest's 45-35 win over Syracuse

Wake Forest dominated the red zone, scoring on five of their six trips inside the 20

Sam Rausch

Key Stats from Wake Forest's 45-35 win over Syracuse
Key Stats from Wake Forest's 45-35 win over Syracuse /

A dominant performance from Sam Hartman propelled the Deacs to a 10-point victory over the Orange. Following three consecutive ACC losses, Wake Forest was able to get back in the win column in the Deacs’ final home game of 2022.

Let’s take a look at which stats made the difference.

Penalties

Wake Forest: Three penalties for 10 yards

Syracuse: Seven penalties for 48 yards

Totaling just three penalties, Wake Forest managed to play a sound game of football Saturday. Syracuse, on the other hand, struggled in that department. Racking up seven penalties for 48 yards, the mistakes from Syracuse often came at critical junctures of the game.

At the beginning of the second quarter, a Ja’Had Carter unnecessary roughness penalty gave the Deacs a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Wake Forest was in the end zone.

READ: Game Summary - Wake Forest defeats Syracuse 45-35

Also, a would-have-been 45-yard touchdown reception for the Orange was called back on a holding penalty, setting them back 10 yards. They would then punt.

Wake Forest’s discipline was enough to earn the victory, but Syracuse’s lack of control proved to be costly.

Sam Hartman’s Bounceback Performance

Sam Hartman: 30-for-43 (69.8%), 331 yards, 4 TDs

Hartman was able to rebound from a tough stretch of outings to deliver a memorable final performance at home. Completing 69.8% of his passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns, Hartman posted a season-high completion percentage en route to the victory.

In Hartman’s last three games, he had a 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (7:7).

Tonight, Hartman closed out his career in Winston-Salem with an impressive effort that lacked those critical mistakes. He did not throw an interception in the victory.

His four touchdowns place Hartman just three away from tying Tajh Boyd’s career ACC record (107). Four scores over the remaining two games will allow him to ascend to the No. 1 position.

Red Zone Success

Wake Forest: 5-for-6

Syracuse: 3-for-5

Wake Forest had great success in scoring range Saturday night. On six opportunities, Wake Forest was able to cash in five times. The lone failed try came on a botched exchange from Jurgens to Hartman on 4th-and-1.

After Syracuse took a 21-10 lead early in the second quarter, Hartman led the Deacs to score 35 unanswered points and take a commanding 45-21 lead. Much of that success came from Hartman’s ability to deliver the perfect pass at the right time. All three red zone passing touchdowns hit their intended target right on the money.

READ: Live Updates - Wake Forest Football vs Syracuse

A.T. Perry’s success against the Orange

Perry in 2021: 3 receptions, 137 yards, 3 TDs

Perry in 2022: 10 receptions, 119 yards, 3 TDs

For the second straight year, A.T. Perry notched a touchdown “hat trick” against Syracuse. On just three catches last year, Perry totaled 137 yards and three scores. This season, Perry had one of the best games of his career against the Orange.

Catching 10 passes for 119 yards and three touchdowns, Perry tied his single-game career-high. He was also the perfect long-range target for Hartman, averaging 11.9 yards per catch.

Perry now holds the program record for career-receiving touchdowns with 28, passing WR Ricky Proehl (1986-89).

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Sam Rausch
SAM RAUSCH

Sam is a contributing football writer for Deacons Daily

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