Robby Ashford passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for two touchdowns to lead Wake Forest to a 43-29 victory over Mississippi State on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Charlotte, N.C.
Ashford, who earned MVP honors, completed 20 of 33 passes with one interception and rushed for 50 yards on 14 carries for the Demon Deacons (9-4). It is just the fourth time in program history that Wake Forest have won nine or more games in a season.
Ty Clark III had a touchdown reception while recording 164 scrimmage yards (91 rushing, 73 receiving) for the Demon Deacons. Kamrean Johnson and Jack Foley also had scoring receptions and Koredell Bartley returned a kickoff for a score for Wake Forest.
Kamario Taylor completed 13 of 22 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown and added 63 yards and a score on 18 carries for the Bulldogs (5-8). Taylor was carted off the field with 1:52 remaining with a potentially serious left lower-leg injury.
Taylor was the quarterback due to Blake Shapen opting out to prepare for the NFL draft.
Sanfrisco Magee caught a touchdown pass and Kyle Ferrie kicked four field goals for Mississippi State.
Mississippi State received a bowl berth despite its losing record because of a shortage of available teams due to Notre Dame, Iowa State and Kansas State opting out and several other schools reportedly declining invitations.
The Bulldogs trailed by 18 late in the third quarter before making a charge.
Taylor scored on a 1-yard run and then tossed a two-point conversion pass to Seydou Traore to end the third quarter as Mississippi State moved within 30-20.
The next time the Bulldogs had possession, Magee caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Taylor as Mississippi State moved within three.
Ashford scored from the 1 for a 36-27 Wake Forest lead with 4:07 left. But Neaveh Sanders blocked the extra point and Kelley Jones scooped up the ball and raced 86 yards for the defensive two-point conversion to leave the Bulldogs down seven.
The Demon Deacons got the sealing score when Ashford sent a third-down shovel pass to Clark, who saw a huge hole and raced for a 62-yard touchdown to make it 43-29 with 2:15 remaining.
Wake Forest opened the third quarter with a three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to boost their six-point halftime lead to 23-9.
Ashford threw a long pass to Foley, who turned the 64-yard play into his first college score. Ashford then added a two-point conversion run.
After Ferrie kicked a 36-yard field goal to bring the Bulldogs within 11, Ashford scored on a 2-yard run to give the Demon Deacons a 30-12 advantage with 4:19 left in the third.
With Wake Forest trailing 3-0, Bartley fielded the kickoff at the goal line, was in the clear at his own 40 and finished off the 100-yard return with 12:33 left in the opening period. Wake Forest converted a two-point conversion when Sawyer Racanelli lofted the pass over the line to Eni Falayi.
