11/2/1912 - at Wake Forest

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For their fifth game of the season, the Red and White took to the road once again, this time traveling to nearby Wake Forest to take on the Baptists of Wake Forest College. The game marked their fifth contest against the Gold and Black, and though the Raleigh boys led the series 4-0-1 (with the tie coming in their first meeting, in 1895), this was the third consecutive year the game was hosted in northern Wake County rather than the capital city.

That point was not without confusion: until the Thursday morning before the game, the exact location (and cause of the matter) had been the subject of some debate. One source noted that Wake Forest leaders understood the game was to be held in their locale (as initially agreed upon), while the Red and White believed that the game was to be pulled off in Raleigh, as later ammended, while another claimed the Aggies signed, but never returned, the contract to play the game. Whatever the case, it was ultimately held in at the Baptists' grounds. Capital city fans were afforded the opportunity to take a special charter train, which left at 2 PM and returned by 6 PM.


A photo of the 1912 Wake Forest team via The Howler (1913), pages not numbered.

Wake Forest was led by Frank Thompson, a former standout on the Aggies from 1905-1908. Despite returning for his second coaching stint and retaining several players (in particular on the line), his team had started the season with a 1-3 record, winning their opening game 33-0 at home against Richmond's University College of Medicine before losing consecutive road games to South Carolina (3-10), North Carolina (2-9), and Washington & Lee (0-20).

Papers rightly called their game against NC A&M the Deacon's "biggest game of the season," as well as the one they'd most like to win. They made a number of changes to their starting line following their loss in Lexington, most notably moving Utley from quarterback to the backfield. A number of men were tried in replacement of Utley, and while two players were named in pre-game reports, neither started.

The Farmers were likewise said to have improved their squadron since the last battle. In addition to holding "secret" closed-door practices following the Davidson game (likely as much a precaution for their forthcoming games against Navy and Washington & Lee as against Wake Forest), the main change in team arrangement reported by local papers was the promotion of Aycock from the scrub team to the varsity lineup (News and Observer, November 1st, 1912, pp. 2, 3, 8; Wilmington Morning Star, November 1st, 1912, p. 3; Charlotte News, November 2nd, 1912, p. 6; News and Observer, November 2nd, 1912, p. 7).


Roster

A&M OPPP
Patton RE Faucette
McHenry RT Holding
Morton RG Moore
Plyler or Sykes C Carter
Sykes or Plyler LG Williams
Hurtt LT Britton
Phillips LE Daniels
Rice QB Stringfield
Jeffrey RHB A. Riddick
Cool LHB Utley
Anthony FB W. Riddick
Davis SUB Whitted
Spencer SUB Camp
Aycock SUB White
Hargrove SUB Faucette
Hudson SUB

Source 1; Source 2


Period Time Description NCSU WFU
1st 8 NCSU - Jeffrey - unk yd Run (Hurtt kick failed) unk plays, unk yards, TOP unk 6 0
4th unk NCSU - Jeffrey - unk yd Run (Hurtt kick failed) unk plays, unk yards, TOP unk 12 0

NCSU Opponent
Rushing TDs Jeffrey (2) none
Passing TDs none none
Receiving TDs none none
Defensive TDs none none
PATs Hurtt (0/2) none
2PT: N/A prior to 1958 N/A prior to 1958
FGs none W. Riddick (0/1), UNKNOWN (0/1)
Safety: none none
Game Notes:
Kick Off Time: unknown - 11/2/1912 - at Wake Forest
Length: 60 (15 / 15 / 15 / 15) - Duration: unk
Attendance: unknown
Location: Athletic Field - Wake Forest, NC
Temperature: ???
Weather: ???
Wind: ???

Unfortunately, reports of this game were universally terse, and we have exceedingly few details of the gameplay. We know that the game was played in 15-minute quarters, that the Old Gold and Black kicked off, and the Red and White returned the kick 40 yards. After that, we skip to about halfway through the first quarter, when the Baptists gifted the Aggies a short field thanks to a "poor kick" by Wake Forest. After an unspecified number of plunges, Jeffrey scored for the Farmers after 7 minutes of gameplay. Hurtt missed the goal kick.

After failing the goal kick, the ball was placed on A&M's 25-yard line. There, the Baptists made a stand and turned the ball over on downs. After a few plays from scrimmage, W. Riddick attempted a drop kick field goal, but was unsuccessful, giving the ball back to A&M, who lost it immediately on a fumble. Reportedly, the home team repeatedly advanced the ball via long end runs, giving an unspecified Baptist player another chance at a drop kick field goal, but this one failed also. The half ended with the Aggies within 5 yards of scoring.

Virtually none of the third quarter was reported, except that almost the entire thing was played in Wake Forest territory. Several reports indicate the period ended with the ball in Red and White hands within 10 yards of their opponents' goal line, however it is possible this was conflated with the end of the first half. Starting in this period, the Farmers racked up repeated 15-yard penalties for unnecessary roughness.

The fourth quarter was given only one sentence in local papers: at some point (one account says the first part of the 4th quarter, another the latter part; the remainder don't mention a time), Jeffrey "walked through the line" for a touchdown, and Hurtt missed another kick. At some point in the game, Anthony reportedly broke his shoulder (Charlotte News, November 11th, 1912, p. 7).

Throughout the game, the Farmers were able to gain only through straight line plunges, exploiting their advantage in strength "mercilessly." While the Baptists succeeded in completing a hhandful of forward passes, the Aggies proved unable to complete a single one despite at least a few attempts. Jeffrey was widely praised as A&M's most logical star, while Allen Riddick was saluted for the home boys. Red and White also lauded Cool, McHenry, and Hargrove for themselves, as well as giving W. Riddick and Daniels their flowers on the opposing team (News and Observer, November 3rd, 1912, p. 13; News and Record, November 3rd, 1912, p. 2; Washington Evening Star, November 3rd, 1912, Part 5, p. 2; Wilmington Morning Star, November 3rd, 1912, p. 2; Red and White, Vol. 14 No. 3 (December 1912), pp. 169-170).

Sadly for Frank Thompson's group, their season did not materially improve after the A&M game. Their next game was a close 14-23 loss to Virginia Medical College, followed another week later by their second and final win of the season, a 49-0 victory over Horner Military School, a local prep school from Oxford. Their final game of the season was a 7-13 loss to Davidson in Charlotte, closing the season with a 2-6 record. Though it was of no help in 1912, an athletic fee of $5 ($172 in 2026) per student had been established earlier that Fall in an effort to improve their chances of success in following seasons (Wake Forest Student, Vol. XXXII No. 2 (November 1912), p. 114.

Last updated: 8/21/2026