No. 22 Wake Forest looks to spoil Hokies' Bud Foster Day

Published

No. 22 Wake Forest (7-1, 3-1 ACC) at Virginia Tech (5-3, 2-2), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST (ACC Network).

Line: Wake Forest by 2 1/2.

Series record: Virginia Tech leads 24-12-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The surprising Demon Deacons look to stay a game behind Atlantic Division-leading Clemson before the teams meet in Death Valley next weekend. Virginia Tech is tied with Virginia (4-2) and Pittsburgh (3-2) in the Coastal Division loss column and still has games against both later in the season.

KEY MATCHUP

Wake Forest QB Jamie Newman against the Virginia Tech defense. Coming off a solid effort in a heartbreaking last-minute loss at Notre Dame, the Hokies will be inspired by Bud Foster Day to slow the high-scoring Demon Deacons, and Foster will surely dial up something to confound the redshirt junior. Foster is retiring after 33 years with the Hokies following the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Wake Forest: WR Sage Surratt and TE Jack Freudenthal. Surratt set a school record by catching a touchdown pass in eight consecutive games earlier this season and has four games with 150 or more receiving yards, while Freudenthal caught three TD passes last week and has nine TD on 40 career receptions.

Virginia Tech: Whoever plays quarterback. Hendon Hooker is 3-0 as a starter, and coach Justin Fuente said he will start if his left leg injury has healed sufficiently. Quincy Patterson started against Notre Dame and is very much a dual-threat, and Ryan Willis started earlier in the season before getting benched.

FACTS & FIGURES

The teams haven't met since 2014 when the Demon Deacons won 6-3 at home in double overtime. ... Wake Forest is ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in total offense, passing offense and third down conversions. ... The Deacons are 7-1 for only the third time in their history and first since 2006. ... The Hokies won 52-20 at Lane Stadium when Wake Forest last visited in 2010. ... Virginia Tech leads the ACC is red zone offense, having scored 22 touchdowns and kicked eight field goals on 31 trips inside the 20. ... WR Damon Hazleton has caught five touchdown passes in three games since returning from an injury.