Virginia Pulls Off Comeback Over Wake Forest in Thriller

© Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

The Virginia Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) pulled out a miraculous victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (1-1, 0-1) in a tightly-contested matchup to open ACC play for both teams. The Cavaliers left Winston-Salem, N.C., with a 31-30 victory in a game they did not lead until the last two minutes of the fourth quarter.

The offensive fireworks were on display for both teams. Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea was 33-of-43 for 357 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Wide Receiver Malachi Fields delivered on the offseason hype with 11 receptions for 148 yards.

Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier impressed despite the defeat, going 27-of-42 with 400 yards passing and 1 touchdown. Running back Demond Claiborne added 86 yards on the ground and 2 touchdowns.

Game Summary

Wake Forest came out hot early in this one. After forcing the Cavaliers into a quick three-and-out, the Demon Deacons marched down the field. Claiborne capped off the five-play, 71-yard opening drive with a bruising 17-yard rushing touchdown.

With star defensive end Jasheen Davis out for Wake Forest due to injury, the Demon Deacons defensive line was expected to struggle to contain the dynamic Colandrea. For a while, though, the young Virginia quarterback looked nothing like the explosive freshman that burst on to the scene late last year. A tipped Virginia pass turned into an interception by veteran defensive tackle Kevin Pointer allowed the Wake Forest offense to open up a 17-3 Demon Deacon lead early in the second quarter.

Colandrea finally began to settle in for the Cavaliers. The sophomore quarterback led two impressive touchdown drives before the half, capped off by two beautiful touchdown passes. The Cavaliers trailed just 20-17 at halftime despite the slow start.

Virginia's defensive leader, linebacker Kam Robinson, suffered a knee injury before the half that sidelined him for the rest of the game. Without him on the field, the Cavaliers struggled to contain the run. Wake Forest began to pull away and led 30-17 at the end of the third quarter.

The Cavaliers were not done yet, though. Colandrea's 24-yard touchdown pass to receiver Trell Harris cut the Demon Deacon lead to six with 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. After a huge fourth-down stop by the defense, the Cavalier offense took the field once again with a chance to take the lead. Colandrea exhibited poise and leadership beyond his years, converting two pivotal fourth-downs on a 12-play, 56-yard drive for a touchdown to put Virginia ahead 31-30.

Wake Forest charged down the field in response, quickly setting themselves up in field goal range. The Virginia defense then came up with the highlight of the game, forcing a fumble on receiver Taylor Morin and ending Wake Forest's hopes at a victory.

Turning Point for Virginia

With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Wake Forest was driving down the field holding a 30-24 lead. Faced with a fourth-and-9 from the Virginia 36-yard-line, the Demon Deacons elected to leave their offense on the field and go for the first down. Virginia came up with a pivotal sack to get the ball back for their offense. Wake Forest had controlled the momentum for the entirety of the game to this point. The defense's defensive stand swung the momentum toward the Cavaliers, and they never looked back.

What It Means

For Virginia, head coach Tony Elliott's seat just got a little bit cooler. In 2023, the Cavaliers struggled to get the win in close games, losing five games by one score or less. Many felt Elliott's coaching decisions were to blame for the Cavaliers consistently falling short in tight matchups. In this game, Elliott proved he could lead his team to a tightly-contested victory. Despite Colandrea throwing several costly interceptions, Elliott kept his team calm and collected. The Cavalier's poise on both sides of the ball ended up being the difference in a game that felt out of reach at times.

Elliott and Virginia will look to continue their positive momentum when a dangerous Maryland (1-1) offense comes to town next week.

For Wake Forest, the blow-up loss will sting for a while. There were bright spots for the team, however, that should encourage fans despite the outcome. The offensive performance in particular should provide confidence for the Demon Deacons. After boasting one of the country's most lifeless offenses in 2023, Wake Forest has already shown major improvements through two games in 2024. Quarterback Hank Bachmeier and running back Demond Claiborne have led a true double-headed attack for the Demon Deacons so far, beating opponents both on the ground and in the air. The absence of defensive leader Davis was notable, and the defense should improve when he is back on the field.

Wake Forest must find a way to put the disappointing loss behind them quickly. With Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Jaxson Dart and the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) visiting next week, Wake Forest will need all-star performances on both sides of the ball to stand a chance.