No. 16 Wake Forest demolished Merrimack 77-0 on Saturday at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, scoring on all 11 of its possessions that reached the end zone while the Warriors never crossed midfield with the ball in hand for a sustained drive. Quarterback Steele Pizzella threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score as the Demon Deacons improved to 8-1.
Wake Forest built a 20-0 lead in the first quarter and then broke the game open with 29 points in the second, turning a comfortable advantage into a rout before halftime. Merrimack, which fell to 4-6, managed just 202 total yards and committed two interceptions, both of which Wake Forest turned into touchdowns.
Takeaways From Wake Forest’s Win Over Merrimack
Pizzella was nearly unstoppable through the air
Pizzella completed 23 of 28 passes for 432 yards, a 15.4-yard average per attempt, with three touchdown throws and no interceptions. He also ran seven times for 63 yards and a score, giving him a hand in four of Wake Forest’s 11 touchdowns.
The defense and special teams piled on
Wake Forest scored twice without its offense on the field. Kam Shanks returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and Joshua Patterson returned an interception 98 yards for a score in the fourth. Those two plays alone accounted for 14 of the 77 points.
Merrimack could not find any rhythm offensively
The Warriors finished 3 of 19 on third down and 1 of 3 on fourth down while managing only 2.9 yards per pass attempt and 2.7 yards per carry. AJ Hairston Jr. completed 11 of 27 passes for 80 yards with an interception before Cole Meehan took over and threw one as well, which Patterson returned for a touchdown.
Player Of The Game: Steele Pizzella
Pizzella finished 23 of 28 passing for 432 yards and three touchdowns through the air, then added seven carries for 63 yards and a rushing score. His 495 total yards of offense set the tone for a Wake Forest attack that piled up 730 yards for the game.
Wake Forest Vs. Merrimack By The Numbers
Wake Forest outgained Merrimack 730 yards to 202, a margin of 528 yards. The Demon Deacons averaged 16.5 yards per pass attempt compared to 2.9 for the Warriors, and 6.6 yards per rush compared to Merrimack’s 2.7. Wake Forest converted 4 of 7 third downs while holding Merrimack to 3 of 19.
The Demon Deacons also won the turnover battle outright, committing none while forcing two interceptions that Wake Forest converted into touchdowns. Merrimack actually held the ball longer, with a 36:40 to 23:20 advantage in time of possession, a reflection of how quickly Wake Forest’s offense scored on its drives.
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