Wake Forest’s win over NC State had a little bit of everything, but the biggest reason the Demon Deacons pulled away was Gio Lopez. After a sluggish start, Lopez helped flip the game with a performance that steadily took control once Wake Forest settled in.
The day opened in a flash. On the first possession, Lopez delivered a short touchdown pass just seconds into the game, giving Wake Forest an immediate jolt. NC State answered right back, and after that the Demon Deacons spent much of the first half fighting uphill.
The issue was pressure. Wake Forest struggled to run the ball and had little time to work anything beyond the shortest throws.
Constantly stuck behind the sticks on third down, the offense had trouble building any rhythm. Lopez handled the chaos as well as he could, but the early stretches didn’t produce much more.
Right before halftime, though, Wake Forest finally pieced together a drive that mattered. With the clock winding down, the Demon Deacons moved the ball and finished the half with a field goal. That score gave them something to carry into the break.
The second half looked different from the opening minutes. Lopez came out and immediately started making plays outside the pocket, something Wake Forest hadn’t been getting much of before halftime.
He found Carlos Hernandez deep after escaping pressure, giving the Deacs a major gain through the air on a well-run corner route. That throw helped loosen everything else.
Once the passing game opened up, the run game followed. Wake Forest started getting meaningful yards on the ground, and that changed the entire rhythm of the offense. Instead of living in obvious passing situations, the Demon Deacons found themselves in manageable downs and distances, especially on third down.
That balance put Lopez in a comfortable spot, and he made the most of it. He finished 26 of 33 passing with a combined 4 touchdowns, and he kept the offense moving with sharp throws into tight windows. Since the interception he threw at the end of the Miami game, Lopez has not thrown another pick.
Now Wake Forest turns its attention to a trip to the West Coast to face the red-hot California Golden Bears. Cal’s season has had its bumps, but the Golden Bears are coming off a major ACC win against the Hokies. If Wake Forest wants a shot at the ACC Championship later this season, Lopez will need to keep playing at this level.
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