Wake Forest emerges from open date with home game against Louisiana-Lafayette
Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier (9) looks to pass as Mississippi defensive tackle JJ Pegues (89) closes in during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Credit: AP/Chuck Burton
Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1) at Wake Forest (1-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Wake Forest by 3 1/2.
Series record: First meeting.
What’s at stake?
Wake Forest is coming off an open week that allowed the Demon Deacons to regroup from home losses to Virginia and highly-ranked Mississippi. The Ragin' Cajuns are coming off a home loss to Tulane after a 2-0 start.
Key matchup
Wake Forest QB Hank Bachmeier against Louisiana-Lafayette's defense. Bachmeier has had some quality outings since taking over the starting role, notably with 403 yards in the Virginia loss. He has thrown four touchdown passes with no interceptions in three games, but he's been sacked nine times in the past two losses. Louisiana-Lafayette is second only to Ohio State in fewest first downs allowed (42) nationally and 21st in total defense (266.7 yards).
Players to watch
Louisiana-Lafayette: QB Ben Wooldridge. He has thrown for 735 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in his first three starts this season. He's also run for two touchdowns.
Wake Forest: RB Demond Claiborne. He brings burst and pop to the running game, but is coming off a tough outing (20 yards on 11 carries) in the Ole Miss loss.
Facts & figures
Louisiana-Lafayette is starting a stretch with four of five games on the road. ... Wake Forest is 18-6 in nonconference play over the past six years, with that win percentage (.750) trailing only Duke (18-5, .782) in that time. ... Wake Forest allowed 430 yards in a 31-30 loss to Virginia and 649 yards in a 40-6 loss to Ole Miss. ... The Ragin' Cajuns are 1-3 against current Atlantic Coast Conference schools, splitting games against Miami in 1929 and 1930 before falling to Pittsburgh in 1997 and Florida State in 2022. ... Louisiana-Lafayette has been flagged for a national-low nine accepted penalties this season, two better than any other team. The Ragin' Cajuns are third nationally for fewest penalty yards per game (20.0), behind only Wisconsin (17.7) and Kent State (18.0). ... Wake Forest defensive end Jasheen Davis is fourth in program history with 21.0 sacks, with Duke Ejiofor (2014-17) next up on the list with 23.5. ... Louisiana-Lafayette was picked to finish third in its Sun Belt Conference division, while Wake Forest was picked 15th out of 17 teams in the newly expanded ACC.
