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In the era of the transfer portal, bowl games have become as much an audition stage as a season capstone.
A successful baptism-by-fire for a couple Wake Forest youngsters helped lead to a mayonnaise bath for coach Jake Dickert on a chilly Friday night in Charlotte.
Freshman Koredell Bartley returned a first-quarter kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and fellow rookie Jack Foley hauled in a 64-yard scoring pass on the first reception of his career to begin the second half. The pair of big plays helped fuel a 43-29 Demon Deacon win over Mississippi State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night.
Tales like Bartley’s and Foley’s have become the norm in postseason FBS football outside the confines of the College Football Playoff — young and inexperienced players thrust into action due to waves of players hitting the transfer portal.
But one man’s greener pasture is another’s golden opportunity. And when life handed Bartley and Foley mayonnaise, they made memories.
“When the bright lights came on, I didn’t think it was too big for them,” Dickert said. “Koredell Bartley, it was one of those situations as he was running it out I was like, ‘What’s he doing?’ All of a sudden he houses it. Jack Foley makes a big play. A couple of players we’ve got to see a bunch behind the scenes … the future is bright here, I mean that.”
In addition to answering an opening field goal from the Bulldogs, Bartley’s return set a new mark for the longest scoring play in Duke’s May Bowl history, eclipsing an 86-yard punt return turned in by former North Carolina standout Ryan Switzer in 2013 against Cincinnati. Fielding the ball on the goal line, Bartley hit a seam, veered right and galloped into the open field, giving Wake (9-4) an 8-3 advantage after a two-point conversion. The Demon Deacons led the rest of the way.
The jaunt also came on the first career kick return attempt for the 5-foot-11, 173-pounder from Dudley High School in Greensboro. A defensive back by trade, Bartley entered Friday’s contest with eight tackles and nothing more to his statistical credit.
That kick returner spot was opened largely after Chris Barnes, the team’s leading receiver and primary kick returning in the regular season, entered the transfer portal. And though wideouts Carlos Hernandez and Sterling Berkhalter — second and third respectively on the team in receiving — combined for 11 catches and 107 yards Friday night, the absence of Barnes and fellow portal entry Micah Mays Jr., moved the conveyor belt in the receiving room forward
And Foley was next in line.
On the third play from scrimmage in the second half, Wake Forest quarterback Robby Ashford dropped deep and fired, clearing the heads of a pair of Mississippi State defenders and into the waiting arms of Foley. The long touchdown strike gave Wake some breathing room, making the score 23-9 after another two-point conversion. Like Bartley, Foley had been used only sparingly this season, appearing in four games with no receptions.
Ashford, who transferred in from South Carolina prior to the season, wrapped up his redshirt-senior year in style, throwing for 303 yards with three scores while adding 50 yards and a pair of second-half touchdown plunges to keep the rallying Bulldogs (5-8) at bay. A 62-yard push pass to running back Ty Clark III on third-and-7 with just over two minutes remaining accounted for the death knell and sent fans headed for the exits.
Ashford was named the game’s MVP after notching his first career five-touchdown game. “I told him in the locker room, ‘I’m proud of him,’” Dickert said. “Even the last two minutes of the game, every once in a while he frustrates the hell out of me but this guy, he competes, he’s ready for the moments, every moment’s not too big for him and I think as our season went, you saw a player that felt like we believed in him and he started to flourish.”
Junior tight end Kamrean Johnson caught the first touchdown reception of his career, hauling in a 14-yarder in the late in the first quarter to put Wake ahead 15-6.
With the win, the Demon Deacons notched the fourth nine-win season in program history, and their first since 2021.
Independence HS player honored
At the end of the first quarter, Dallas Brannon of Independence High School was presented with the Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick Award presented by Dr. Pepper.
The honor, which included a $10,000 scholarship and a trophy, is given to a senior football player in the Charlotte-Mecklenberg area, who “excels both on the field and the community.”
Brannon was chosen among 21 finalists, all of whom were recognized in the end zone between the first and second quarters.
This story was originally published January 3, 2026 at 12:04 AM.
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Ryan Pritt
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