Wake Forest heads to West Lafayette this weekend with a little momentum and a lot to prove.
Jake Dickert’s team is coming off a 38-16 win over Akron, and the Demon Deacons got a huge opening statement from quarterback Gio Lopez in his first start. Lopez threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first Wake Forest quarterback to post that kind of passing production without an interception since Sam Hartman did it against Duke in 2021.
Now comes a different kind of test: Purdue, a power conference opponent wearing the same Old Gold and Black. Out of the 138 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, only Wake Forest and Purdue share those colors, and this weekend’s meeting in West Lafayette is only the sixth game between the programs. It’s also the first time they’ve played in nearly 23 years.
The last time these teams lined up, in 2003, Wake Forest was ranked 20th in the AP Poll and hosting a Purdue squad led by future NFL quarterback Kyle Orton. Jim Grobe’s Deacons had just cracked the AP Poll for the first time in more than a decade, but the offense never found its rhythm. Wake Forest finished with just 244 offensive yards, while Orton completed 26 of 36 passes for 227 yards and a second-quarter touchdown to Taylor Stubblefield.
Wake Forest still had one last shot, driving with a chance to pull out the game late, but Purdue’s defense ended it there. Running back Chris Barclay was stopped on fourth down, and the Boilermakers escaped with a 16-10 win.
This time, Wake Forest goes back to West Lafayette trying to flip the script and beat Purdue for only the second time in the series.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Already Has Two Transfers Fans Need To Watch
Wake Forest got an immediate boost from two newcomers in its win over Akron, and both sides of the ball had transfer additions making their presence felt. Linebacker Vinny Frienze led the team in tackles, forced a fumble and was recognized as the ACC Linebacker of the Week, while quarterback Gio Lopez delivered a sharp passing day that earned him the Manning Award Star of the Week.
For a program looking to build momentum early, those kinds of debut-level impact performances matter because they hint at real staying power, not just one good afternoon. Frienze's activity in the middle of the defense and Lopez's comfort running the offense gave Wake Forest a pair of players worth tracking closely as the season moves forward, and each seemed positioned to keep carving out a larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Must Figure Out Purdues New-Look Offensive Threats
Purdue opened its season with a win over Indiana State under new head coach Barry Odom, but the bigger story for Wake Forest is what the Boilermakers look like now after a major roster overhaul. The offense has been reshaped by departures at key spots and a wave of transfer additions, giving this matchup an unfamiliar cast and a different feel from what Wake Forest might have expected heading into the week.
The early evidence points to a passing game leaning on new receivers Xavier Townsend and Asaad Waseem, while running back Fame Ijeboi made a noticeable impact in the opener. For a Wake Forest defense trying to get ready on a short turnaround, the challenge is less about the old Purdue and more about sorting out how quickly this new group can settle in and where the biggest threats might come from once the game begins. [Read more 🡒]