Wake 21, BC 14

We have had earthquakes in Winston-Salem.

We have had wars, and rumors of wars.

And now we have Wake Forest traveling to Tallahassee Saturday . . . as the favorite.

Lo, and repent, for the end times are nigh. It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fan-freakin'-tastic.

#22 Wake Forest beat #16 Boston College last Saturday in Groves Stadium's first game between ranked teams since 1979, when Wake came back in the second half to beat Auburn. With the win, Wake moves to 8-1 for the year, 4-1 in the ACC, and #18 in the AP poll. They haven't been 8-1 since 1944. They share the lead in the Atlantic Division with Maryland. They control their own destiny. Win out, and they're in the ACC Championship Game. Win that, and they're in the Orange Bowl.

Even Coach Grobe said, "It's time to dream a little bit."

Saturday night, it was time to scream a little bit. I'm still hoarse. Every now and then my voice will crack and I'll sound like I should be studying for the PSAT's. I clapped until my fingers bled. From where I sat, and to the viewers watching the game on ESPN2, Groves at times looked like one throbbing old-gold-and-black mass, thanks to the pom-poms given out at the gates.

Mark Packer, who's long called Wake Forest "Switzerland" because we're pleasant and inoffensive, brought his Southern Fried Football tour to the Chalet Saturday. It ain't quite the same as getting College GameDay, but it ain't bad, either. When, Deacon fans, did we ever think a Wake game would be THE big game in the South? When did we ever think Wake would be the highest-ranked ACC team in the AP poll?

8-1, without the starting quarterback or tailback. Wake's so thin in the offensive backfield that they had to move the leading receiver, Kenneth Moore, to start at running back against BC. All he managed to do was pick up 46 yards on 19 carries, and make the key block that spung Kevin Marion for an 81-yard end-around touchdown run, which put the Deacons up for good.

8-1, despite giving up 402 yards passing to BC's outstanding QB, Matt Ryan. The BC offense outgained Wake's by more than 100 yards. The Wake defense seems especially concerned with giving fans their money's worth in drama; why stop BC on 4th-and-10 when you can toy with them, let them pick up the first down, then intercept the ball in the end zone (it was Patrick Ghee this time)?

8-1. One more win, and Grobe does what Peahead Walker, John Mackovic, Al Groh, and Bill Dooley couldn't do.

8-1. Remember those Alabama-fan friends of mine who mocked the premise of Deaconball back in August? Funny, I haven't heard from them lately.

Wake takes on Florida State at 8 pm Saturday, and the game will be broadcast live on ABC. Yes, ABC. Not the Ocho, not SportsSouth, not Lincoln Financial-Raycom: ABC, the American Broadcasting Company. Prime time, network TV. Little ol' Wake Forest will be seen in more households than The Sopranos, Jon Stewart, MTV.

It's good times in Deacon land.