Kane, Deacs Upset Yellow Jackets, 26-23
Wake keeps postseason hopes alive behind Morgan Kane's 224 rushing yards.
Nov. 20, 1999
Box Score
By JOE MACENKA
AP Sports Writer
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest hasn't qualified for the postseason
since 1992, and the bowl gurus apparently didn't think the Demon Deacons would
end that drought this year.
Morgan Kane rushed for 224 yards and a touchdown as Wake Forest posted its
first winning record in seven years, holding off Joe Hamilton and No. 14
Georgia Tech 26-23 on Saturday.
Even though the Atlantic Coast Conference has tie-ins with five bowl games,
just one postseason contest, the Peach Bowl, sent a scout to Groves Stadium,
and he was there to see the Yellow Jackets.
"We believed that we could win this game, but I don't think anyone else
believed," Kane said. "Everybody basically thought that Georgia Tech was
going to roll over us."
Wake Forest (6-5, 3-5 ACC) prevented that from happening by limiting the
amount of time that Hamilton and the Yellow Jackets' offense, ranked first in
Division I-A, spent on the field.
The Demon Deacons elected to rush the ball on 62 of their 75 plays, and the
result was 322 yards on the ground. Much of it came on plays that were directed
at the exact center of the Georgia Tech defensive line.
"They were so concerned about our option outside, they gave us an
opportunity to run the ball straight up the middle," coach Jim Caldwell said.
Caldwell, whose team is likely headed to the Aloha Bowl, said he wasn't
disappointed that no bowl representatives were on hand to invite the Demon
Deacons to their first postseason trip in his seven years as their coach.
"I can't worry about that," he said. "I worry about how my guys play, and
everything else takes care of itself."
Hamilton, who came in as the top-rated passer in Division I-A, was
intercepted twice as Georgia Tech (7-3, 5-3) lost for the second time in three
games. Hamilton wound up completing 23 of 40 passes for 281 yards, but he did
most of his damage in the second half after Wake Forest built a 20-0 lead.
"We just didn't take advantage of anything the whole game," coach George
O'Leary said.
Georgia Tech scored 16 points in the final 4:36, but Wake Forest's Adrian
Duncan recovered an onsides kick with 2:22 remaining, and the Yellow Jackets
were unable to threaten again.
Hamilton finished with 317 total yards, making him the first player in ACC
history with 10,000 all-purpose yards. His total of 10,205 was a hollow
accomplishment, however; as he walked off the field, Wake Forest's students
began tearing down a goal post.
"It's obviously a step back, but we still have another game to play," said
O'Leary, whose team concludes its regular season next Saturday against Georgia.
"We really didn't deserve to win today. Wake Forest did."
Georgia Tech, which had scored at least 31 points in every game this season,
lost Hamilton's top deep threat, Dez White, to a hamstring pull that occurred
while he was helping cover a punt early in the first quarter.
Matt Burdick kicked four field goals for the Demon Deacons and Kane's
rushing total gave him 1,161 yards for the season, making him the first Wake
Forest rusher to break the 1,000-yard mark since John Leach in 1993.
"I can't take it all in right now," Kane said. "What a way to end it. I
don't think there's a better way."
Hamilton directed a 77-yard touchdown drive on Georgia Tech's first
possession of the second half, but after that, he ran into more problems. His
second interception, on an underthrown ball into triple coverage late in the
third quarter, set up Burdick's third field goal, a 36-yarder that made it 23-7
with 12:37 left in the game.
Wake Forest put together early touchdown drives of 79 and 70 yards, capping
them with Ben Sankey's 8-yard pass to Chris McCoy and Kane's 4-yard burst up
the middle. Wake Forest's second scoring drive was aided by a pair of Georgia
Tech penalties, including an out-of-bounds hit by linebacker Ross Mitchell.
Less than 16 minutes into the game, the Yellow Jackets were down 14-0 and
had yet to advance past their 40 on three possessions, but their problems were
just starting.
Hamilton connected with Kelly Campbell on what would have been a 65-yard
pass play, but it was nullified by a holding call on senior guard Jason Burks.
Hamilton underthrew a pass into double coverage later in the possession, and
the ball was intercepted by Duncan.
