Wake Forest squares off against SMU in ACC action
SMU (5-2) at Wake Forest (4-2), Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. EDT.
How to watch: The CW
Key stats
Wake Forest Offense
Overall: 409.8 yards per game (53rd in FBS)
Passing: 249.7 yards per game (52nd)
Rushing: 160.2 yards per game (63rd)
Scoring: 29 points per game (68th)
Wake Forest Defense
Overall: 322.3 yards per game (32nd in FBS)
Passing: 181.3 yards per game (27th)
Rushing: 141 yards per game (61st)
Scoring: 20 points per game (33rd)
SMU Offense
Overall: 408.3 yards per game (56th in FBS)
Passing: 279.6 yards per game (24th)
Rushing: 128.7 yards per game (100th)
Scoring: 34.1 points per game (36th)
SMU Defense
Overall: 413 yards per game (114th in FBS)
Passing: 316 yards per game (136th)
Rushing: 97 yards per game (16th)
Scoring: 22.6 points per game (52nd)
SMU ranks 20th in the FBS with a +5 turnover margin.
Both teams are heavily penalized. Wake Forest ranks 132nd in the FBS averaging 75.7 penalty yards per game, and SMU ranks 114th with a 66.7-yard average.
Wake Forest is 115th in FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 76.2% of trips. SMU’s red zone defense ranks 4th at 66.7%.
Both teams rank low in time of possession. Wake Forest is 116th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 27:37, while SMU’s 131st-ranked average is 26:40.
Team leaders
Wake Forest
Passing: Robby Ashford, 1,172 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs, 59.9 completion percentage
Rushing: Demond Claiborne, 539 yards on 69 carries, 8 TDs
Receiving: Chris Barnes, 410 yards on 23 catches, 3 TDs
SMU
Passing: Kevin Jennings, 1,948 yards, 17 TDs, 7 INTs, 68.4 completion percentage
Rushing: Tomarion Harden, 430 yards on 96 carries, 5 TDs
Receiving: Romello Brinson, 502 yards on 34 catches, 3 TDs
Last game
Wake Forest defeated Oregon State 39-14 on Saturday, Oct. 11. Deshawn Purdie threw for 270 yards on 14-of-27 attempts (51.9%) with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Claiborne carried the ball 16 times for 144 yards and scored one touchdown, adding two receptions for 26 yards. Barnes had three receptions for 102 yards and three touchdowns.
SMU won 35-24 over Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 18. Jennings led SMU with 290 yards on 23-of-43 passing (53.5%) for two touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball six times for 20 yards. Chris Johnson Jr. carried the ball six times for 59 yards and scored one touchdown, adding four receptions for 40 yards. Jordan Hudson had seven receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown.
Next game
Wake Forest plays at Florida State on Nov. 1. SMU hosts No. 2 Miami (FL) on Nov. 1.