Demon Deacons rejoice

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Wake Forest’s defensive players huddled near the sideline, pushing and shoving, yelling and screaming, jumping and dancing.

They were trailing 6-3 and ready to do something about it. Riley Swanson did.

Swanson intercepted a pass from Reggie Ball on the next play, sparking a comeback that gave Wake Forest its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 36 years and sent the Demon Deacons to their biggest bowl game in school history.

Riley Skinner followed Swanson’s pick with long completions on consecutive drives, setting up Sam Swank’s final two field goals that gave No. 16 Wake Forest a 9-6 victory over 23rd-ranked Georgia Tech (9-4) in the ACC title game Saturday.

“When you get our backs against the wall, these kids respond,” Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said.

Skinner, who grew up in Jacksonville, finished 14 for 25 for 201 yards.

The Demon Deacons (11-2) won their second conference title and first since 1970, adding another chapter to an improbable season in Grobe’s sixth season. The finale comes in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2 – the program’s biggest bowl game since the 1946 Gator Bowl.

“I can’t even put it in words,” said linebacker Jon Abbate, who finished with 15 tackles. “It’s been an unbelievable season.”

Georgia Tech will return to Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl in four weeks.