QB Report Card: How Did Gio Lopez Hold Up Against the Hurricanes?

Analyzing the performance of Gio Lopez against Miami last week

Sep 18, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Gio Lopez (3) throws the ball near the red zone against Miami during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At home on Friday night, Wake Forest fell short to one of the best teams in the nation. While this game was far from statistically probable for the Demon Deacons to pull off the upset, high expectations were placed on Gio Lopez to perform in the bright lights. I have a lot of thoughts on Lopez's performance, and I'm sure his new grade will be surprising to many. Before that, here is a breakdown of where his grade currently stands.

Quarterback Grade After Purdue Win

While Gio Lopez's performances alone justified the A grade, winning those games certainly aided him in receiving such a high mark.

From the start, Wake Forest could not establish the run. While the game was one-dimensional for the Deacs, Gio Lopez found ways to move the chains. On the first drive of the game, Gio led the offense to answer Miami's initial touchdown. Lopez used deep zone coverages that Miami was playing to his advantage, opting for wide-open flats and seams across the right side of the field. Gio Lopez showed his ability to step up in the pocket, take a hard hit, and deliver through tight windows.

Wake Forest Offense Goes Cold

If the air raid attack from the Demon Deacons lasted the whole game, the story of this game would be completely different. While it is easy to blame the offensive leader for the scoring drought, it is important to look at the game as a whole.

The Demon Deacon offensive line could not keep it together this game. Whether it was a hold or allowing the pocket to collapse almost instantly, Gio Lopez was in a bind the entire game. The holding calls negated catalyzing moments. One could argue that Lopez's sacks stopped drives, but docking Lopez for pocket awareness would simply be incorrect. Gio Lopez's ability to feel pressure and evade the pocket was astounding.

The Demon Deacons Flip the Tide

Midway through the third quarter, Wake Forest breathed life back into their offense. Driving down the field, the Deacs added a touchdown and a strong drive before the end of the fourth quarter. This strong drive led to a beautiful back-shoulder pass by Gio Lopez to Carlos Hernandez.

Dot 🎯 https://t.co/hu6Bzq6o0h pic.twitter.com/vdswbAuA2g

— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) September 19, 2026

While the rest of the game did not go in favor of the Deacs, Gio Lopez still put together an impressive performance. Negating his trash-time interception, Lopez had just about as good of a game as you could ever want as a Demon Deacon fan.

With all that being said, here is the updated report card for Gio Lopez this season.

While an A might seem high for a quarterback who lost their matchup, there was nothing in Lopez's game that needs to be altered heading into Louisville. Heading into a tough matchup, the Gio Lopez and the Demon Deacons hope to pick up a big win on the road.