Wake Forest tops App State thanks to blocked FG

Demon Deacons improve to 4-0 for second straight season

Wake Forest wide receiver Alex Bachman (17) defensive lineman Chris Calhoun (51) and defensive back Essang Bassey (21) celebrate after a missed field goal in the fourth quarter against Appalachian State at Kidd Brewer Stadium. (Jeremy Brevard / USA TODAY Sports)

Wake Forest’s Scotty Washington blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt with five seconds to play, allowing the Demon Deacons to hold on for a 20-19 victory over host Appalachian State in a nonconference game Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone.

Mike Weaver’s 25-yard field goal with 7:22 left provided the winning points as Wake Forest produced its second 4-0 start in consecutive years for the first time in program history.

Appalachian State kicker Michael Rubino was in position to boot the winning points after the Mountaineers moved into Wake Forest territory despite no timeouts on their final possession.

Wake Forest had trouble offensively in the first half, but produced second-half scoring drives of 97 and 75 yards. Quarterback John Wolford ended up 14-for-27 for 176 yards.

Appalachian State quarterback Taylor Lamb was 26-for-50 for 372 yards.

Midway through the third quarter, Appalachian State (2-2) scored in two plays with T.J. Watkins’ 84-yard touchdown reception from Lamb for a 16-10 lead.

The Demon Deacons went back ahead on Cam Serigne’s 6-yard pass from Wolford on a drive aided by a fourth-down offside penalty on Appalachian State.

Rubino’s 39-yard field goal with 10:39 remaining gave the Mountaineers a short-lived lead.

Wake Forest drove 97 yards on its first second-half possession, taking the lead courtesy of Greg Dortch’s 10-yard reception from Wolford.

In the first quarter, Appalachian State scored on a 20-yard double-reverse flea flicker, with Lamb throwing a 20-yard pass to tight end Levi Duffield.

The Demon Deacons scored first on Weaver’s 27-yard field goal to cap an 11-play drive. But they had a six-possession stretch later in the half with a total of one first down. Wolford went through a 1-for-10 stretch.

A record crowd of 35,126 was announced for Wake Forest’s first road game in the series, which is 23 games old. The teams hadn’t met since 2001.