Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez is set to make his return this weekend against SMU, but not after his backup, Steele Pizzella, absolutely went off in his absence, putting up 432 yards and three touchdowns through the air, plus another 63 yards and a score on the ground, in a 77-0 rout over Merrimack. With just three weeks left in the 2026 college football regular season, every game feels like a playoff, with teams scrambling for College Football Playoff bids and players chasing season awards or auditioning for the transfer portal.
Lopez Is Back, But the Stakes Are Sky-High
Lopez, who missed the Merrimack game due to a lower-body injury, is expected to be back under center for a massive ACC showdown. This isn’t just any game, either. Wake Forest is sitting at 8-1 overall, 5-1 in the ACC, good for second in the conference. SMU isn’t far behind at 7-2, 5-2 ACC, currently fourth. Lopez has been solid this year, playing in eight games, throwing for 2,176 yards and 18 touchdowns with just one interception. But with Pizzella’s monster performance fresh in everyone’s minds, the pressure is on Lopez to re-establish his dominance in a critical conference battle. We’re talking about direct impact on those conference standings and a potential CFP spot.
Running Backs Are Running Wild
While the QB drama unfolds in the ACC, running backs across the country are absolutely tearing it up. Take Boise State’s junior back, Dylan Riley. He’s the engine for the 8-1 Broncos, whose only loss this season came in their opener against No. 16 Oregon. Riley has been having his best collegiate season yet, racking up 1,241 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns across nine games. He’s also added 218 yards and two scores on 17 receptions, proving he’s a full-package threat. The dude has scored at least one touchdown in seven consecutive games and has hit 128 rushing yards or more in six games this year. You just can’t stop him!
Then there’s Duke’s Nate Sheppard, who is on another level. He’s coming off back-to-back monster games himself. Two weeks ago against Boston College, he blasted in five touchdowns, even if he only ran for 97 yards. Last week, he exploded for 217 rushing yards and another score against NC State. Sheppard isn’t just good, he’s statistically dominant, sitting fifth in the FBS with 191 carries, second in rushing yards with 1,189, and fourth in touchdowns with 17. Eyes might be on Miami QB Darian Mensah when Duke plays No. 7 Miami, but folks better not sleep on Sheppard.
Game-Changers Everywhere: Receivers and Rushing QBs
It’s not just the running backs making noise. Arizona wide receiver Isaiah Mizell is looking to hand No. 2 Utah its first loss of the season. The Wildcats’ toughest remaining game is Saturday night, and if they want to pull off that upset, they have to feed Mizell. The sophomore wideout has 753 yards and seven touchdowns, scoring in four straight games. He’s also grabbed at least 134 receiving yards in three of his last four. That’s pure momentum.
And you gotta talk about Air Force QB Kemper Hodges. Quarterback is on the roster, sure, but he’s attempted just two passes all year, both incompletions. His game is on the ground, and he’s been absolutely instrumental in running that triple-option offense. Hodges has carried the ball 88 times for 520 yards and seven touchdowns, including a combined 319 rushing yards over his last two games. That’s not a QB, that’s a whole rushing attack!
With the Heisman race heating up, featuring Notre Dame QB CJ Carr, Miami QB Darian Mensah, and Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, every snap for these players and their teams carries massive weight. This weekend is just another chapter in what’s shaping up to be a wild finish to the regular season, with every single play potentially deciding a conference title or a Playoff spot.
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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