Greg Dortch scored on two punt return and a reception in the first half as Wake Forest blew past visiting Towson in a 51-20 victory Saturday afternoon at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Dortch's returns covered 70 and 60 yards for consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter. He's Wake Forest's first player with two punt returns for touchdowns since 1927.

Dortch also caught seven passes for 94 yards.

The game was stopped with 27 seconds left in the third quarter because of lightning, a delay lasting about an hour.

Quarterback Sam Hartman, a true freshman in his first home game, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Demon Deacons reached a 2-0 record for the third year in a row. This was the first meeting between the teams.

Running back Cade Carney gained 130 yards on 19 carries, including a 1-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, for the Demon Deacons.

Towson quarterback Tom Flacco completed 35 of 51 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns and an interception.

Hartman threw 10 yards to Alex Bachman and 7 yards to Dortch in the first quarter.

Towson (1-1) converted in the first quarter on Flacco's 24-yard touchdown pass to Sam Gallagan. Flacco's 8-yard pass to Shane Simpson helped the Tigers knot the score at 14-14.

Hartman's 14-yard run in the opening minute of the second quarter marked the first rushing touchdown of his career. Nick Sciba's 35-yard field goal stretched Wake Forest's lead to 24-14.

Then came Dortch's 70-yard punt return, marking the redshirt sophomore's first career return points. The 60-yarder came less than eight minutes later.

Flacco's 18-yard touchdown to Shane Leatherbury came 42 seconds before halftime, trimming the gap to 38-20.

Wake Forest, which was playing in the first of five consecutive home games, has a quick turnaround with Thursday night's Atlantic Coast Conference opener against Boston College.

--Field Level Media