A Tale of Two Halves Powers Wake Forest to Fifth Win of the Season
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It was a story of two halves as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1, 3-1 ACC) faced the NC State Wolfpack (3-3, 1-2) in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon. NC dominated the first half, especially quarterback CJ Bailey. The second half, though, was all about the Deacs' offense, specifically the play of quarterback Gio Lopez and wide receivers Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez.
Final score in this one: Wake Forest 38 - NC State 14
Career-Record First Half for CJ Bailey
On the first drive, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey fumbled the ball at the Wolfpack 30-yard line. Braylon Johnson recovered the ball and returned it to the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Wake Forest tight end Matthew Lusardi received the pass from Lopez to put the Deacs on the board.
However, after that drive, Bailey was seemingly unstoppable. He proceeded to throw 16-straight completions, setting a career record for consecutive completions. He ended the half throwing 16-for-17 for 173 yards and a touchdown.
With the Wolfpack up 14-7 and time running out in the first half, Wake had a chance to tie the game but couldn't convert, even after starting with a 1st-and-goal. Connor Calvert kicked a field goal as time expired to make the score NC State 14 - Wake Forest 10 at the half.
Wake Forest Offense Comes Alive in the Second Half
Wake received the kickoff to begin the third quarter, and it was all Deacs from there. With Lopez at quarterback and outstanding play by receivers Foley and Hernandez, it was pedal to the metal. The Deacs scored three touchdowns in the third quarter and added another in the fourth, shutting out NC State in the second half.
Wake took the second-half kickoff and drove73 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a 6-yard toss from Lopez to Hernandez. On the Deacs' second possession, it was all Lopez to Foley. The duo combined for 64 yards in four plays, including a 52-yarder. When Foley made it into the end zone on the fourth catch of the drive, it gave Wake a two-possession lead that they would not surrender.
In the first half, it was Bailey who had only one incompletion. In the second half, it was Lopez with only one incompletion. Lopez finished the game 26-of-33 for 303 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
"Gio is an elite player," said head coach Jake Dickert in his postgame press conference. "I'm really happy with the type of player he is."
In addition to Lopez, two other stars were the receivers Foley and Hernandez, both with over 100 receiving yards. Foley had eight catches on nine targets for 156 yards and one touchdown. Hernandez had 12 catches on 14 targets for 156 yards and one touchdown. Deuce Lawrence led the running game with 46 yards on eight carries.
Wake Forest vs. NC State Final Stats
Wake Forest | NC State | |
|---|---|---|
First Downs | 21 | 16 |
Third Down Efficiency | 7/13 | 7/15 |
Fourth Down Efficiency | 2/2 | 1/3 |
Total Yards | 387 | 258 |
Passing Yards | 303 | 243 |
Rushing Yards | 84 | 15 |
Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Times Sacked | 1 | 2 |
Penalties | 6/55 | 5/52 |
What's Next for the Demon Deacons?
Wake Forest travels to the West Coast for an ACC After Dark game against the Cal Golden Bears. The game will be played on Saturday, October 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
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Barry is the managing editor/publisher of Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI sites. He oversees a team of 12+ writers and photographers covering all sports at Wake Forest. He writes on football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, men’s tennis, and other sports as needed. His weekly articles include ACC Power Rankings and Poll Watching during the football, basketball, and baseball seasons. Barry is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He has covered the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 2023 College Football National Championship, the 2023 College World Series, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tennis National Championship, ACC Kickoff, and ACC Tipoff. He is an avid sports fan and traveler, and he loves any opportunity to see a sporting event in person. He has been to 18 of the 30 MLB ballparks, experienced game day at 25 college football stadiums, seen 21 NFL stadiums, and been to 16 bowl games.