Wake Forest heads into a top-25 road matchup this weekend with a little momentum, a little concern, and a whole lot to sort out against No. 16 Louisville.
The Demon Deacons are coming off a 33-20 loss to No. 6 Miami, a game that showed both how dangerous this stretch can be and how quickly things can turn. Now Jake Dickert’s team gets another ranked test, and this one comes with an added wrinkle: quarterback Gio Lopez appeared on the team’s official injury report heading into the matchup.
Lopez has already flashed why Wake Forest wanted him in the spotlight. Against Miami, he threw for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, continuing the kind of play he displayed at South Alabama in 2024. Whether he’s fully available or not will loom over everything Wake Forest tries to do in Louisville.
The conditions, at least, shouldn’t be a major factor. Unlike much of the country dealing with wind, rain, and flooding, this game is expected to be played under cloudy skies with no real threat of rain or precipitation. Winds are projected to come out of the southwest at around 3-5 mph, which should keep weather from becoming much of a storyline.
That could matter for the kickers. Louisville’s Carson Hilbert has a longest field goal this season of 46 yards, which is also his career best.
Wake Forest’s Connor Calvert has shown range too, drilling a 50-yarder last season against SMU. With the wind expected to stay light, both could get chances from distance.
There’s also history here, and Wake Forest fans probably remember the last trip against Louisville all too well. In 2022, the Demon Deacons entered the game at 6-1 and ranked in the AP top 10, only to get blown out 48-21.
That night unraveled fast. Wake Forest gave the ball away eight times, including two turnovers that went for touchdowns, and was sacked eight times. Sam Hartman threw three interceptions and lost three fumbles, while Louisville piled up 35 points in the third quarter alone, tying the record for most points in a quarter against a top-10 team.
If fans want a better memory, they can look back to 2018, when Matt Colburn II ran for 243 yards and three touchdowns in Wake Forest’s 56-35 win over the Cardinals.
But this weekend belongs to the present. Wake Forest is chasing its first ranked win of the season, and Dickert’s group will have to earn it on the road against a Louisville team sitting in the top 25.
In Other News...
Louisvilles Early-Season Ceiling Suddenly Looks Like A Real Debate
Wake Forest walked out of Louisville with one of the leagues more eye-opening wins of the young season, beating the No. 16 Cardinals 30-27 and nudging itself to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. Gio Lopez handled the moment well, throwing for 225 yards and a touchdown, while Carlos Hernandez was the games most dangerous playmaker with nine catches for 194 yards and a score.
Louisville had a chance to escape after a back-and-forth afternoon, but the finish turned on a blocked 57-yard field goal attempt in the final moments. For a Wake Forest team trying to establish itself in the conference race, it was the kind of result that can change how the rest of the schedule feels, while also leaving the Cardinals with a sudden need to sort out what this loss says about their early-season ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Faces A Costly Problem Ahead Of Louisville Test
Wake Forest heads into its meeting with Louisville at 2-1, still carrying the sting of its loss to Miami but with enough early momentum to make this a meaningful September test. The Demon Deacons have leaned on quarterback Gio Lopez and the receiving duo of Carlos Hernandez and Jack Foley, and if this one is going to tilt their way, they will need those pieces to stay efficient while the offense keeps the kind of rhythm that can survive on the road.
The bigger concern may be what happens when Louisville starts to lean on its ground game. The Cardinals are also 2-1 after beating SMU, and their rushing attack, led by Lincoln Kienholz and Keyjuan Brown, gives Wake Forest a difficult defensive assignment on top of the usual challenge of staying disciplined and avoiding penalties. For a team still trying to settle in after the Miami loss, the margin for error feels thin. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Just Made Another ACC Statement On The Road
Wake Forest walked into Louisville and left with another ACC win, taking down the No. 16 Cardinals 30-27 in a game that had the feel of a conference measuring stick. Connor Calvert did his part with three field goals, including the decisive 32-yarder late, while Gio Lopez managed the offense with 225 passing yards and a touchdown and Ty Clark III gave the Demon Deacons a physical edge on the ground with 91 rushing yards and two scores.
Louisville had plenty of chances to flip it back. Lincoln Kienholz was sharp for most of the afternoon, finishing with 324 passing yards, a touchdown and two rushing scores, but the Cardinals could not cash in when it mattered most, and a late blocked field goal only added to the frustration. For Wake Forest, the road win keeps building the sense that this team is getting comfortable in high-leverage ACC games, even if the bigger question is how far that edge can carry it from here. [Read more 🡒]