Wake Forest football entered the Duke's Mayo Bowl as the team many expected to win, and by the fourth quarter it played like it. Ty Clark III took a short pass, turned upfield, and exploded for a 62-yard catch-and-run touchdown that broke open the night. Mississippi State football watched him sprint past angles and then watched the celebration. In the same instant, the Demon Deacons turned expectation into control, confidence, and a 43–29 victory that felt decisive by the end.
The play carried symbolism. Clark crossed the goal line, then waved toward the Mississippi State section. It was playful. It was pointed. And it was earned. Wake Forest had absorbed pushes, answered back, and then delivered the nail in the coffin. From that moment forward, Mississippi State never scored again. The Wake Forest football sideline surged. Helmets popped in the air. The momentum never flipped back.
Wake Forest's Ty Clark III waved goodbye to the Mississippi State fans after this fourth quarter TD 😅👋 pic.twitter.com/J3wAhVZtiS
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 3, 2026
Execution framed everything. The route timing clicked. Robby Ashford trusted the read and delivered. Clark did the rest with speed and balance that turned a routine gain into a dagger.
Wake Forest football and the finish that sealed it
The closing sequence sealed the tone. Mississippi State went no-huddle for one last push, but the Demon Deacons’ defense tightened. Luke Kromenhoek was sacked for a five-yard loss on what became Mississippi State’s football final real chance to extend the game. Wake Forest took over afterward and closed it out from there, milking clock and owning the last possession. Pressure. Poise. Finish — the three elements Wake Forest carried to the end.
Ashford ran the offense with control. The defense tackled cleaner as the night wore on. Third downs tilted their way. The big strike to Clark separated the teams, but the discipline afterward kept it there.
Mississippi State showed flashes but stalled when it mattered. Wake Forest showed answers — and attitude. So the Duke's Mayo Bowl belongs to the Demon Deacons, the moment belongs to Ty Clark III, and one offseason question echoes: how high can Wake Forest football climb next?
