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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Michelle R. Martinelli

Wake Forest had one of the worst quarters ever with 6 (!!!) turnovers, and fans couldn’t believe it

Phew, did No. 10 Wake Forest have a rough Saturday… and not like a typically bad day resulting in an unremarkable loss.

No, the Demon Deacons had such a miserable in their 48-21 embarrassment against unranked Louisville that it could actually redefine what a terrible day means in the college football world. It was an ugly game all around for Wake Forest as the Cardinals fought back from a 14-13 deficit headed into halftime and charged out to a huge double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.

But all Louisville’s second-half success almost certainly would not have been possible without Wake Forest’s jaw-dropping, unbelievably dismal third quarter, which featured six (SIX!!) Demon Deacon turnovers, including two pick-sixes against quarterback Sam Hartman.

It’s hard not to feel bad for Hartman, who had a uniquely difficult day and a hand in each of the three interceptions and three lost fumbles.

Wake Forest’s third-quarter turnovers went something like this…

1. Hartman was picked off within the first minute, and Louisville defensive back Kei’Trel Clark returned it for a 46-yard pick-six.

2. On the very next possession, linebacker Yasir Abdullah sacked Hartman, who fumbled and lost the ball.

3. After marching up the field on Wake Forest’s next possession, Hartman was sacked on Louisville’s 26-yard line, this time by defensive lineman Jared Dawson, and fumbled and lost the ball. Again.

4. With a little more than four minutes left in the quarter, Hartman threw another interception, caught by linebacker Monty Montgomery. At least this one wasn’t returned for a touchdown.

5. After the Cardinals jumped out to a 34-14 lead, Hartman again was sacked by defensive lineman Caleb Banks before he fumbled and lost the ball. Again.

6. This horrible quarter for the Demon Deacons mercifully ended eventually, but not before Hartman closed it out with another interception — only this time, cornerback Quincy Riley returned it for a 90-yard touchdown. Yikes.

Objectively, this has to be one of the worst quarters ever played in college football because it seems like it takes genuine skill to turn the ball over this many times in 15 minutes.

Hartman finished completing 20-of-35 passes for 271 yards, one touchdown and those three interceptions, along with his three lost fumbles.

Not great, and college football Twitter actually couldn't believe this was a real quarter. And had jokes, of course.

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