Army @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2007 ) Army 10, Wake Forest 21

Coming off a blowout loss to then-No. 6 Florida State, Wake Forest looks to rebound against an Army squad that hopes to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2008. The Black Knights find themselves mired in a six-game losing streak that dates to last season after dropping a nail-biter against Northern Illinois. Wake Forest, however, will have a much-needed respite from conference play after squeaking by North Carolina in Week 2 before losing 52-0 to the Seminoles. Army is no stranger to ACC competition - the Black Knights will face Boston College in a couple weeks and have gone 35-54-1 in their history against ACC schools.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Wake Forest -7

ABOUT ARMY (0-2): The Black Knights’ 486-yard rushing performance last week against Northern Illinois was tops in the nation this season. And any discussion about the Army ground game begins with junior Raymond Maples, who is averaging 6.3 yards per carry. But sophomore Larry Dixon, who joins Maples in the backfield, is dangerous near the goal line - he scored three times last weekend. Throw in sophomore Terry Baggett, and Army’s triple-threat rushing attack has defensive coordinators scratching their heads. Quarterback Trent Steelman doesn’t look like the four-year starter he is, though, with two interceptions and just four completions through the first two games.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (2-1, 1-1 ACC): The Demon Deacons’ offense is off to a sluggish start, averaging just 16 points per game. But junior quarterback Tanner Price has playmaking ability and is averaging more than 200 passing yards per game. The ground game isn’t there yet, and Wake Forest’s leading rusher is averaging just 34 yards per game. But the Demon Deacons do a good job of forcing turnovers with three forced fumbles and two interceptions through the first three weeks. Punter Alexander Kinal leads the special-teams units with 12 punts downed inside the 20-yard line already. He’ll need to be less busy than he was against Florida State (13 punts, the most since 1973 for Wake Forest), though, for the Demon Deacons to win at home.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wake Forest leads the all-time series with Army 7-4, with the Demon Deacons undefeated on their home turf.

2. Price ended a streak of 181 pass attempts without an interception earlier this season, the seventh-longest stretch in ACC history.

3. Wake Forest hasn’t lost a fumble since last season’s finale against Vanderbilt.

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 27, Army 23