Wake Forest is riding a wave of momentum into Raleigh, and Gio Lopez is the reason why.
The redshirt junior has been the engine for the Demon Deacons all season, and he delivered another huge performance in last Saturday’s 57-3 demolition of Stanford. Lopez passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns, then piled up 88 more yards and three scores on the ground in Wake Forest’s largest-ever conference win.
Through five appearances, Lopez has thrown for 1,377 yards with 15 total touchdowns and just one interception. That kind of production has helped Wake Forest push to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the ACC, and coach Jake Dickert didn’t hold back after the Stanford blowout.
"On offense, Gio was explosive in every sense, from his feet to his passing to his running," Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said Monday.
Now the Demon Deacons head into a Tobacco Road rivalry matchup against host North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon, with a chance to keep climbing. A win could send Wake Forest into the AP Top 25 next week after it just missed out the previous week.
NC State, though, brings enough firepower to make this a real test. Quarterback CJ Bailey has thrown for 626 yards and four touchdowns over the Wolfpack’s wins against Louisville and Appalachian State, and despite early losses to Virginia and Vanderbilt, the Wolfpack have shown they can score.
The bigger issue for NC State has been on defense. The Wolfpack have had trouble tackling, are giving up 359.2 total yards per game, and will have to be sharper in the secondary if they want to slow Lopez and Wake Forest’s passing game.
"Obviously, (we) missed way too many tackles," Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. "Those led to a lot of explosive plays that let Louisville into the game. A lot of that's fundamentals."
Even with the records and recent form, this matchup still feels like one that could go right down to the wire. Doeren pointed to the history between the schools and said the margins usually stay thin.
"We've had a lot of tight games with Wake in my tenure here," Doeren said. "Thirteen of the 14 (games) were one-possession games, and this might be the best Wake team we've played when you look at how they play together and the experience they have."
In Other News...
Wake Forest Has The Firepower To Test NC State Saturday
Wake Forests offense has enough established playmakers to make Saturday a meaningful test for NC State, starting with senior quarterback Gio Lopez and senior wideout Carlos Hernandez. Lopez has settled in as the centerpiece of the attack, while Hernandez has been one of the leagues more productive pass catchers and a reliable chain-mover. Add in the balance provided by the rest of the roster, and the Demon Deacons arrive with a group that has been good enough this season to demand full attention from a Wolfpack defense trying to keep pace in ACC play.
The challenge for NC State goes beyond just the obvious names on offense. Wake Forest also has defenders making noise, including linebacker Firenze, defensive end Langston Hardy and safety Davaughn Patterson, each of whom has contributed to a unit that has shown improvement and climbed into the mix in conference rankings. For the Wolfpack, the matchup is a reminder that this is not simply about containing one side of the ball. Wake Forest has enough firepower on both ends to turn Saturday into a real evaluation of where NC State stands. [Read more 🡒]
Harvey Dyson Is Becoming A Defensive Spark NC State Fans Needed
Harvey Dysons arrival has given NC States defense a jolt at a time when it could use one. The former Tulane transfer made his presence felt in a recent game against Louisville, finishing with three tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and the kind of forceful play that can swing momentum in a hurry. It was the sort of outing that stood out not just on the stat sheet, but in the eyes of head coach Dave Doeren and captain Popo Aguirre, who both pointed to Dysons impact and leadership.
Through five games, Dyson has already become one of the more noticeable additions to the Wolfpack front. For a defense looking for reliable energy and timely disruption, he has offered both, and then some. The bigger question now is how far his role can grow as NC State moves deeper into the season, especially with his knack for showing up in the middle of game-changing moments. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Has A Defensive Problem Wake Forest Could Expose
NC State got the result it needed against Louisville, finally picking up its first ACC win of the season, but the film left a lot to sort through. The Wolfpack survived a 31-28 finish in part because they forced three turnovers, yet the defense also missed 23 tackles, the most in a game this season, and Louisville made them pay on the ground with 231 rushing yards on just 25 carries.
That kind of breakdown is hard to ignore with Wake Forest next on the schedule. The Deacons will look at the same tape and see opportunities, especially if NC States tackling remains uneven at the second level and in space, where Louisville repeatedly found extra yardage from Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown. The win bought the Wolfpack some breathing room, but it did not erase a defensive issue that could become much more dangerous if it lingers another week. [Read more 🡒]