Phew, did No. 10 Wake Forest have a rough Saturday. And not like a typically bad day resulting in an unremarkable loss.
No, the Demon Deacons had such a miserable in their 48-21 embarrassment against unranked Louisville that it could actually redefine what a terrible day means in the college football world. It was an ugly game all around for Wake Forest as the Cardinals fought back from a 14-13 deficit headed into halftime and charged out to a huge double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.
But all Louisville’s second-half success almost certainly would not have been possible without Wake Forest’s jaw-dropping, unbelievably dismal third quarter, which featured six (SIX!!) Demon Deacon turnovers, including two pick-sixes against quarterback Sam Hartman.
It’s hard not to feel bad for Hartman, who had a uniquely difficult day and a hand in each of the three interceptions and three lost fumbles.
Wake Forest’s third-quarter turnovers went something like this…
1. Hartman was picked off within the first minute, and Louisville TK Kei’Trel Clark returned it for a 46-yard pick-six.
PICK-SIX đ¨
Bring out the turnover belt đ¤ @LouisvilleFB pic.twitter.com/tJNheOeqeY
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 29, 2022
2. On the very next possession, Yasir Abdullah sacked Hartman, who fumbled and lost the ball.
3. After marching up the field on Wake Forest’s next possession, Hartman was sacked on Louisville’s 26-yard line, this time by Jared Dawson, and fumbled and lost the ball. Again.
The defense is eatin' â¨ď¸ @LouisvilleFB pic.twitter.com/MILLNxhghj
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 29, 2022
4. With a little more than four minutes left in the quarter, Hartman threw another interception. At least this one wasn’t returned for a touchdown.
5. After the Cardinals jumped out to a 34-14 lead, Hartman again was sacked by Caleb Banks before he fumbled and lost the ball. Again.
6. This horrible quarter for the Demon Deacons mercifully ended eventually, but not before Hartman closed it out with another interception â only this time, Quincy Riley returned it for a 90-yard touchdown. Yikes.
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson starts by giving credit to UL.
âThat was a thorough ass kicking.â
— Les Johns (@Les_Johns) October 29, 2022
Objectively, this has to be one of the worst quarters ever played in college football because it seems like it takes genuine skill to turn the ball over this many times in 15 minutes.
Hartman finished completing 20-of-35 passes for 271 yards, one touchdown and those three interceptions, along with his three lost fumbles.