Gardner Webb @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2011 ) Gardner Webb 5, Wake Forest 48

The Dave Clawson coaching era at Wake Forest could not have started much worse, but the Demon Deacons have an excellent chance to bounce back when they host FCS member Gardner-Webb on Saturday. First on the to-do list is figuring out how to protect freshman quarterback John Wolford, who was sacked seven times in his collegiate debut - a 17-10 loss at Louisiana-Monroe. “I don’t even know where we are at the (skill) positions because we didn’t play well enough up front to even give those guys a chance,” Clawson told the News & Record of Greensboro (N.C). “I mean, the quarterback was running for his life all game."

The Demon Deacons, who were picked to finish last in the ACC's seven-team Atlantic Division, played well enough to win defensively and were led by junior linebacker Brandon Chubb's career-high 18 tackles. Wake Forest must develop a running game to take pressure off Wolford as senior Orville Reynolds gained 37 yards on 16 rushes while Wolford recorded 11 "carries" for minus-40 yards, with seven of those sacks resulting in 55 yards of losses. The Runnin' Bulldogs, who were picked to finish fourth in the six-team Big South Conference, lost at Furman 13-3 in their opener and are 1-9 against the FBS - 0-3 versus the ACC.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None

ABOUT GARDNER-WEBB (0-1): The Runnin' Bulldogs struggled offensively against Furman as eight of their 14 drives were three-and-outs and another was a four-and-out. Juanne Blount, a 5-9, 204-pound graduate student who rushed for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns last season, ran 16 times for a team-high 63 yards in the opener. All-America nose guard O.J. Mau (6-2, 309 pounds), recorded four tackles (three for loss), a sack, forced fumble and quarterback pressure versus Furman.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (0-1): Wolford was 12-of-22 for 97 yards and performed admirably under adverse conditions. “When he had time and the guys were open, he had completions,'' Clawson told the News & Record. "And I thought he played with poise. There were times he had no shot.” The Demon Deacons did not score on offense, instead recording a touchdown on a blocked punt for the first time since 2006 when Kevin Johnson ran 25 yards after scooping up Steve Donatell's block.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wake Forest tied a school record with only two players carrying the ball against Louisiana-Monroe.

2. The Demon Deacons have won four straight home openers, including three against Big South schools.

3. Wake Forest won the only previous meeting 48-5 in 2011.

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 20, Gardner-Webb 3