• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Wake Forest closes disappointing season at EagleBank Bowl

Dec 20, 2008 - 1:43 PM Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4), December 20, 11:00 am EST

LANDOVER, Maryland (Ticker) -- Wake Forest's once-promising season took a downturn with an upset loss to Navy.

The Demon Deacons and Midshipmen will meet again Saturday at RFK Stadium in the EagleBank Bowl.

Wake Forest won its first three games this season and owned the No. 15 ranking entering its September 27 home game against Navy.

But the Midshipmen derailed the Demon Deacons, as Eric Kettani rushed for 175 yards to lead Navy to a 24-17 upset of Wake Forest.

Quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada ran for a pair of TDs for the Midshipmen, who intercepted Riley Skinner four times en route to their first win over a ranked team in 23 years.

The loss sent the Demon Deacons on a tailspin in which they lost five of their final nine games en route to a 7-5 finish and a 4-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Skinner struggled throughout the campaign, completing a career-worst 63 percent of his passes for just 2,181 yards and 12 TDs.

However, the Demon Deacons boast a strong defense that ranked third in the ACC and 17th nationally in opponents' scoring (18.3 ppg).

The inaugural EagleBank bowl will mark a historic first for Wake Forest, which will make its third straight postseason appearance. Prior to last season, the Demon Deacons had never played bowl games in consecutive years.

"Our players and coaches are excited to have the opportunity to play in the EagleBank Bowl," Wake forest head coach Jim Grobe said. "It gives our players and their families an opportunity to see the Deacs play one more time."

Wake Forest lost to Louisville in the Orange Bowl two years ago and defeated Connecticut in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

The Demon Deacons will attempt for another postseason victory in their rematch with Navy (8-4), which wrapped up its first season under coach Ken Niumatalolo with a 34-0 victory over Army for its seventh consecutive win in the service-academy rivalry.

The Midshipmen, who boast the top-ranked rushing offense (298.3 ypg), have lost their last two bowl games. Navy has not won a postseason game since defeating Colorado State in the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl.