Gio Lopez went OFF, man, slinging three touchdowns through the air and punching in another on the ground as Wake Forest absolutely rolled over N.C. State, 38-14, on Saturday. This dude was on another level, proving why the Demon Deacons are suddenly looking like a legit threat, snagging their third straight win.
Lopez Was Unstoppable, Even In the Rain
Can we talk about Gio Lopez for a minute? He was 26-for-33 with a massive 303 yards in the air, plus those three passing TDs and that one rushing score. N.C. State just had no answer. Even a rainy second half couldn’t slow him down, which tells you everything about the focus this Wake Forest team has right now. His receivers were feasting too. Jack Foley racked up a huge 156 receiving yards on eight catches, including a 10-yard touchdown grab. Carlos Hernandez wasn’t far behind with 117 receiving yards on 12 receptions, catching a 6-yard TD pass from Lopez. And let’s not forget Matthew Lusardi, who got in on the action with a 1-yard TD toss from Lopez early on, setting the tone for the day. Even after a huge 16-play, 89-yard drive in the final seconds of the first half, when they got stopped at the 1-yard line after a penalty, Connor Calvert still nailed a 23-yard field goal to keep the points coming right before halftime. This offense is clicking, big time.
N.C. State’s Collapse After Halftime Was Brutal
For the Wolfpack, man, this one stings. They actually led 14-10 at halftime! But then the wheels just fell off. Quarterback CJ Bailey was 28-for-40 for 241 yards, which isn’t terrible on paper, but he had a costly first-quarter fumble that Braylon Johnson returned to the 2-yard line, leading directly to Wake Forest’s opening touchdown. Bailey did recover by completing his first 16 passes after that fumble, showing some grit, but an attempt was deflected late in the second quarter, and the momentum was already slipping. N.C. State just couldn’t score after the break, allowing Wake Forest to put up the final 31 points of the game. That’s a brutal way to end your two-game winning streak. Their offense only managed a pathetic 15 yards on the ground all game. When you give up 31 unanswered points and can’t run the ball, you’re gonna have a bad time. This loss is a tough pill to swallow for Wolfpack fans, no doubt.
Wake Forest Is Rolling With A Vicious Defense
The Demon Deacons are now sitting pretty at 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. This is their third win in a row, and it’s not like they’re just beating up on cupcakes. Since dropping one to nationally ranked Miami, they’ve gone on to win two road games and a home romp against Stanford. What’s really turning heads is their defense; their best performances have come in the past two games, putting the clamps on opponents. It’s a complete team firing on all cylinders right now.
Wake Forest has another road test next Saturday, heading to California. Can they keep this momentum going? N.C. State, on the other hand, needs to regroup fast before they head to Stanford on October 23. They’ve got to figure out how to stop the bleed after a collapse like that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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