by Chuck Sommers
Monday, Aug 29, 2022
Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Truist Field, Winston-Salem, NC
Where to watch: ACCN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
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2021 season record
VMI: 6-5 (4-4 Southern)
No. 22 Wake Forest: 11-3 (7-1 ACC), won Gator Bowl 38-10 vs. Rutgers
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VMI - Wake Forest preview, analysis and prediction
For the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, it's just about staying afloat.
There's not much to worry about for No. 22 Wake Forest when it opens its season against VMI on Saturday. No matter what the line is, the Deacons should roll to an easy victory. It can be as high as five touchdowns and it should be an easy cover.
What this game is going to show is how the Deacons handle the immediate future without star quarterback Sam Hartman. The Heisman Trophy finalist will miss the first bit of the season with a non-football issue. The task for the time being goes to freshman Mitch Griffis, who was named the starter last week after an impressive camp.
What this means for the Deacons coming off a near-Cinderella-like season in 2021 that featured a 10-0 start and New Year's Six aspirations. Who knows how long he'll be out, but it'll be a committee that's tasked with trying to keep this group in contention long enough to make a run into January.
We're talking about a Wake Forest offense that finished the season with 574 total points last season, but also allowed just under 29 a game and was gashed toward the end of the season. Last year's Wake Forest team was the seventh-best offense ever in ACC history putting up 41 per game.
The momentum of this program reached its apex when Wake Forest made its third straight bowl game last year. Along with Hartman's evolution into being one of the best quarterbacks in the country, A.T. Perry has become an All-American receiver. Perry had 15 touchdown receptions last year and is part of 81 percent from last year's offense returning in 2022.
That's a task that even coach Dave Clawson might find as an uphill battle. Considering the non-conference portion of the Deacons' schedule is a crapshoot. For as many jokes as we can pile on for Vanderbilt, we have no clue if they're actually going to be improved this year. And dare we think of a Liberty team sans Malik Willis?
But the good news for the Deacons is they're 7-1 in home openers in the Clawson Era.
If you haven't watched enough of VMI, don't get it twisted. There's some talent on this group. Senior linebacker Stone Snyder is on the Buck Buchanan Award watchlist this year, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. The two-time All-American was a finalist the last two seasons. If there's an odds-on favorite to win this time around, it should be Snyder. He finished with 120 tackles last season.
VMI also returns both quarterbacks from last year, starting with primary starter Seth Morgan with Collin Ironside backing him up. Ironside was the more accurate in limited time (69.1%) but Morgan threw for 14 touchdowns.
There's not much to worry about for No. 22 Wake Forest when it opens its season against VMI on Saturday. No matter what the line is, the Deacons should roll to an easy victory. It can be as high as five touchdowns and it should be an easy cover.
What this game is going to show is how the Deacons handle the immediate future without star quarterback Sam Hartman. The Heisman Trophy finalist will miss the first bit of the season with a non-football issue. The task for the time being goes to freshman Mitch Griffis, who was named the starter last week after an impressive camp.
What this means for the Deacons coming off a near-Cinderella-like season in 2021 that featured a 10-0 start and New Year's Six aspirations. Who knows how long he'll be out, but it'll be a committee that's tasked with trying to keep this group in contention long enough to make a run into January.
We're talking about a Wake Forest offense that finished the season with 574 total points last season, but also allowed just under 29 a game and was gashed toward the end of the season. Last year's Wake Forest team was the seventh-best offense ever in ACC history putting up 41 per game.
The momentum of this program reached its apex when Wake Forest made its third straight bowl game last year. Along with Hartman's evolution into being one of the best quarterbacks in the country, A.T. Perry has become an All-American receiver. Perry had 15 touchdown receptions last year and is part of 81 percent from last year's offense returning in 2022.
That's a task that even coach Dave Clawson might find as an uphill battle. Considering the non-conference portion of the Deacons' schedule is a crapshoot. For as many jokes as we can pile on for Vanderbilt, we have no clue if they're actually going to be improved this year. And dare we think of a Liberty team sans Malik Willis?
But the good news for the Deacons is they're 7-1 in home openers in the Clawson Era.
If you haven't watched enough of VMI, don't get it twisted. There's some talent on this group. Senior linebacker Stone Snyder is on the Buck Buchanan Award watchlist this year, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. The two-time All-American was a finalist the last two seasons. If there's an odds-on favorite to win this time around, it should be Snyder. He finished with 120 tackles last season.
VMI also returns both quarterbacks from last year, starting with primary starter Seth Morgan with Collin Ironside backing him up. Ironside was the more accurate in limited time (69.1%) but Morgan threw for 14 touchdowns.
Prediction
This is the first meeting between the two schools since 1944. A World War completed near that time, and we've been through a number of presidents. In the year of our lord 2022, we're about to find out the large talent gap between these teams. Wake Forest should run away with this one by a wide amount. Wake Forest by 35
Betting trends
Trends have yet to be released. Check back later.
Players to watch
VMI: Running back Rashad Raymond is the leading returning rusher with 492 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Wake Forest: Defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd had eight sacks last year, the 10th best mark in program history.
2021 Statistical leaders
VMI:
Passing: Seth Morgan -- 2,138 yards, 14 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Korey Bridy -- 653 yards, 8 TD
Receiving: Michael Jackson -- 695 yards, 6 TD
Wake Forest:
Passing: Sam Hartman -- 4,228 yards, 39 TD, 14 INT
Rushing: Christian Beal-Smith -- 604 yards, 7 TD
Receiving: A.T. Perry -- 1,293 yards, 15 TD
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
