Merrimack comes to Winston-Salem on Saturday carrying a 4-5 record and an offense that has averaged 18 points per game at the FCS level. Wake Forest, fresh off a 51-7 win over Virginia, checks in at No. 16 in the first College Football Playoff rankings.
On paper, this one doesn’t look like a toss-up. It would take a near-perfect storm of Wake Forest errors for the Demon Deacons to slip.
But the bigger issue isn’t whether Wake Forest wins. It’s how it handles a game it should control from the opening series.
Jake Dickert’s team has more to protect than prove here, and that matters with tougher weeks ahead. A clean, comfortable win and a healthy exit from the game would do more for Wake Forest than piling up style points.
Merrimack’s defense has given up 27.1 points per game against an FCS schedule, and the offense hasn’t exactly helped carry the load. Quarterback AJ Hairston Jr. has passed for 1,362 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.
He’s also added five rushing touchdowns, giving Merrimack a red-zone wrinkle. Running back Matthias Latham leads the backfield with 626 yards and three scores, and he’s averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
The most dangerous target in the passing game is Austin Palmer. He has 417 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and his average of nearly 17 yards per catch gives Merrimack a chance to hit a big play if Wake Forest’s secondary loses focus. Still, those chances figure to be limited against a defense that has been fairly stingy lately.
Wake Forest has won 20 straight games against FCS opponents, a streak that goes back to 2000. Another victory won’t change the committee’s view of the Demon Deacons at No. 16, and that’s to be expected with this kind of matchup. But a loss - or even a game that drags into the fourth quarter - would give critics plenty of ammunition to question the progress Dickert’s group has made.
That’s why the temptation to chase a huge margin should be resisted. Wake Forest would be better off putting this one away early and getting key players off the field. An injury to Lopez, a defender, or any other important piece would cost far more than a few extra touchdowns could ever add in the rankings conversation.
Dickert’s team has won five straight and earned its ranking by beating real opponents. Saturday should be about handling business without creating new headaches. The committee can debate Wake Forest’s ceiling once the schedule offers a more meaningful test.
Wake Forest and Merrimack kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The game will air on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Gets An Early Chance To End A Brutal Ranked Road Drought
Wake Forests mens basketball team gets an early measuring-stick game on the road, with No. 24 Vanderbilt waiting in a building that should tell the Demon Deacons plenty about where they stand. After opening the season with a win over Maryland Eastern Shore, Wake Forest has some encouraging signs to carry into the matchup, including the play of freshman twins Gavin and Gallagher Placide and transfer guard Kevair Kennedy.
The bigger backdrop is the one that hangs over any trip like this: Wake Forest has gone 16 years without a true road win against an AP Top 25 opponent. Vanderbilt, coming off a strong season and a decisive opening victory, figures to make this another stern test, and it gives the Demon Deacons a chance to see whether their early momentum can translate when the lights get brighter and the crowd is against them. [Read more 🡒]