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Wake Forest seeks record-tying seventh straight victory

Sep 27, 2008 - 10:07 AM Navy (2-2) at (15) Wake Forest (3-0), 3:45 pm EDT

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Wake Forest can tie a 64-year-old school record Saturday when it hosts Navy.

A victory will give the 15th-ranked Demon Deacons their seventh straight win, which would equal the longest streak in history set in 1944. That year, Wake Forest won its first seven games en route to an 8-1 finish.

After winning their final three games last season, the Demon Deacons have started this year with three victories, their second 3-0 start in three seasons.

One reason for Wake Forest's fast start is an opportunistic defense that already has forced 15 turnovers, including seven in last week's 12-3 victory over Florida State.

However, Wake Forest also hopes to gets its offense back in gear as Florida State held the Demon Deacons to four field goals by Sam Swank. With 69 career field goals, Swank climbed into fourth place on the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time list.

Wake Forest, which leads the all-time series, 6-2, is hosting Navy for the first time since 2002.

Navy is under the guidance of first-year coach Ken Niumatalolo, a long-time assistant under former Navy mentor Paul Johnson.

The Demon Deacons defeated the Middies, 44-24, last season in Annapolis as Riley Skinner completed 22-of-28 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

Navy (2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak last week, posting a 23-21 victory over Rutgers on Matt Harmon's 24-yard field goal with two minutes remaining.

The Midshipmen got a boost from Eric Kettani, who rushed for a career-high 133 yards on 20 carries. Kettani led Navy in rushing last season, but carried only 21 times in the team's first three games.

Navy came into the game leading the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing, but was limited to 272 yards on the ground - 98 below its average - last weekend. Shun White, who had led the FBS in rushing, was held to 85 yards.