Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
4-3
Wake Forest
7-0
Army Battles Wake Forest in Offensive Shootout at Michie Stadium
October 23, 2021 | Football
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The 126-combined point total started early in the game with three-minute Wake Forest (7-0, 4-0 ACC) drive capped by a 3-yard run. Matching their own three-minute response, the Black Knights saw RB Brandon Walters marking his first career touchdown on a six-yard rush piercing up the middle.Â
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Following a quick Demon Deacons score to close out the first quarter, Army continued to match blow-for-blow when RB JaKobi Buchanan punched in a three-yard touchdown run (11th career) to cap off a 12-play, 55-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. Both schools exchanged explosive touchdowns, including a 24-yard rush by QB Tyhier Tyler, the second-longest rushing touchdown of his career. In the waning moments of the first half, Wake Forest again struck quickly take a 28-21 lead into the half.
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Receiving the ball first to start the second half, Army's explosive effort continued with a pair of 20-plus yard rushes from  Tyler (22) and Walters (23) that sparked a drive to find Buchanan punching in a goal line rush to mark his second-multi touchdown game in 2021.
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The third quarter saw five scoring drives on both sides, including the Black Knights first fake-field goal attempt that was picked off by Wake Forest and run back to endzone to create a 42-28 lead.
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Despite the momentum swing, Army swung back with RB Anthony Adkins piercing through the Wake defensive front to log a career-long 71 yards rushing touchdown.
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At the start of the fourth quarter with Wake Forest having a 49-35 edge, the teams continued to trade a pair of touchdowns, including QB Jabari Laws throwing two touchdown passes - the first on a crucial 4th-and-9 that saw WR Isaiah Alston hauling in a Play Of The Day one-handed grab. Laws' second touchdown throw found RB Tyrell Robinson escape wide to the haul in a back-shoulder throw to edge further into the scoring gap.
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With the score set at 70-49 following an Army turnover attributing to one of two additional Demon Deacon rushing scores in the waning moments of regulation, the Black Knights' offense refused to let its foot off the pedal and assembled a final explosive three-play, 65-yard drive, one-minute drive ending with another touchdown pass from Laws to Alston. Unable to recover an on-side kicking attempt, the 70-56 final tally saw the highest scoring action in West Point.  Â
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Falling 70-56 to Wake Forest, Army's 13-game winning streak at Michie Stadium came to an end.  The streak was set as the fifth-longest active streak in the nation heading into Week 8.
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NOTES
- The Black Knights 595 yards of total offense marks as the second time for Army to surpass the 500 yard mark in 2021.Â
- While the yardage ties for the sixth most single game yardage earned for the Academy since 2000, it matches the most the Black Knights have put up against an ACC opponent in 21 years (Boston College, 2012).Â
- The 595 yards of offense is also the second time to post 500-plus yards on Wake Forest since 2012.Â
- The 56 points Army scored against Wake Forest accounts for only the ninth-most scored in a game since 2000. It's the 15th time post 50 or more points in a game in 21 years.
- With WR Isaiah Alston hauling in two receiving touchdowns in Week 8, it's the first time in 11 years for a Black Knight to post a multi-receiving TD game.  It's been 15 years since it happened at Michie Stadium.
- QB Jabari Laws posted his first multi-passing TD game of his career. His 140 yards thrown against Wake Forest accounts for the second-most in a single game of his career. It's also the most passing yards seen in a single game for Army in two years. Â
- Laws'Â three passing touchdowns in Week 8 marks as the most a Black Knight quarterback has thrown in a single game in over 15 years.
- QB Tyhier Tyler posted his second career 100-plus rushing game (104).Â
- Robinson posted a career-high 131 total scrimmage yards in Week 8. The tally pushes Robinson over the 1,000 career scrimmage yard mark after 18 games played.
- RB Anthony Adkins' 71-yard rushing touchdown set a new career record. Â
Head Coach Jeff Monken
[Ref. Offensive breakouts]
"I thought (WR) Isaiah Alston made a lot of nice plays when we threw it out there to him. We threw him a couple of deep balls just to shot him against the cornerback and he made the plays. One for a touchdown late in the game and he caught a couple of stop routes out there on the boundary. He did a nice job. That one handed touchdown catch was a great catch. (QB)Â Jabari (Laws) was putting the ball in a spot no one else could get it and it gave him (Alston) a chance to go get it. (Laws) made some great throws today."
[Ref. Offense resiliency]
"I thought (Offensive Coordinator) coach Brent Davis did a really good job calling the game. Our guys were blocking them up and executing. We let some guys beat us on some blocks. We did a fairly good job of blocking it up and getting the ball on the perimeter."
[Ref. Rebounding after today]
"They will rebound, they will be fine. We have a tough team. They care about each other. They will be highly motivated for the next game. These CIC (Commander-in-Chief) games are competitive. Everyone who is competing is highly motivated and excited about these games. It will be a great challenge. We will get our guys geared back up and get back to work tomorrow."
QB Jabari Laws
[Ref. Alternating with Tyhier Tyler at quarterback]
"It is something we practiced all week. We always practice like we are going to be the next one up. We take intentional reps in practice, mental reps in practice as well. My number was called, and I had the opportunity to play today."
S Cederick Cunningham
[Ref. Rebounding after this game]
"We look in the mirror individually. Look in the mirror as a unit, as a defense, and as a team. We watch the film and come back to work. We put it behind us and get back to work. It is the same thing we do after a win. We are going to watch thus tape, learn from it and we will be better next time we come out."
[Ref. High scoring situation heighten the performance expectation]
"Absolutely, sir. When plays are needed to be made, we find the opportunity to make those plays. When our number is called and we go out there, especially in a shootout, we must make the plays. I feel like we did that to a certain extent. It did not turn out our way."
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WHAT'S NEXT
Army will enjoy its second bye week of the 2021 season to prepare for a matchup against Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Commanders' Classic. The Black Knights and the Falcons will face off on Saturday, Nov. 6 in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on CBS.
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FOLLOW ALONG
For complete coverage of Army West Point football, follow the Black Knights on Twitter and Instagram at @ArmyWP_Football and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.Â
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Team Stats
WF 7, ARMY 0
WF - Turner, Christi 3 yd run (Sciba, Nick kick), 8 plays, 63 yards, TOP 3:04
WF 7, ARMY 7
ARMY - WALTERS, B. 6 yd run (TALLEY, Cole kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:54
WF 14, ARMY 7
WF - Roberson, Jaqua 41 yd pass from Hartman, Sam (Sciba, Nick kick) 5 plays, 97 yards, TOP 1:19
WF 14, ARMY 14
ARMY - BUCHANAN, J. 3 yd run (TALLEY, Cole kick), 12 plays, 55 yards, TOP 6:35
WF 21, ARMY 14
WF - Perry, A.T. 54 yd pass from Hartman, Sam (Sciba, Nick kick) 4 plays, 71 yards, TOP 1:00
WF 21, ARMY 21
ARMY - TYLER, T. 24 yd run (TALLEY, Cole kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 7:31
WF 28, ARMY 21
WF - Beal-Smith, Chr 13 yd run (Sciba, Nick kick), 10 plays, 88 yards, TOP 2:38
WF 28, ARMY 28
ARMY - BUCHANAN, J. 1 yd run (TALLEY, Cole kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:22
WF 35, ARMY 28
WF - Roberson, Jaqua 75 yd pass from Hartman, Sam (Sciba, Nick kick) 3 plays, 82 yards, TOP 0:59
WF 42, ARMY 28
WF - Redd, Traveon 83 yd interception (Sciba, Nick kick)
WF 42, ARMY 35
ARMY - ADKINS, Anthony 71 yd run (TALLEY, Cole kick), 2 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:34
WF 49, ARMY 35
WF - Williams, Ke'Sh 75 yd pass from Hartman, Sam (Sciba, Nick kick) 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:14
WF 49, ARMY 42
ARMY - ALSTON, Isaiah 21 yd pass from LAWS, Jabari (TALLEY, Cole kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:23
WF 56, ARMY 42
WF - Roberson, Jaqua 2 yd pass from Hartman, Sam (Sciba, Nick kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:10
WF 56, ARMY 49
ARMY - ROBINSON,T. 25 yd pass from LAWS, Jabari (TALLEY, Cole kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:23
WF 63, ARMY 49
WF - Hartman, Sam 8 yd run (Sciba, Nick kick), 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 1:21
WF 70, ARMY 49
WF - Ellison, Justic 46 yd run (Sciba, Nick kick), 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:10
WF 70, ARMY 56
ARMY - ALSTON, Isaiah 39 yd pass from LAWS, Jabari (TALLEY, Cole kick) 3 plays, 65 yards, TOP 1:03
