WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Black and gold, Halloween costumes and a sun-soaked afternoon set the stage Saturday as Wake Forest hosted Virginia for a 3:45 p.m. kickoff. By the time the final whistle blew, it was the Demon Deacons who delivered the scares.
Wake Forest entered at 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the ACC, facing a gritty Virginia team that needed two more wins to become bowl-eligible. The recent history between the programs suggested a tougher day than the one that unfolded: Each team has beaten the other in the last two seasons, and while the Deacs were favored, nothing was guaranteed.
Wake Forest Football starting drive versus Virginia. Photo: Dez Barnes
The game began with a nod to Wake Forest’s recent past. San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha, a Deacon from 2021 to 2023 and a fourth-round NFL draft pick, led the team out to open the gates. Wake Forest won the toss, and Virginia received the opening kickoff.
Deacs Set the Tone Early
Wake Forest wasted little time taking control. After converting a third down and moving inside the 10-yard line, the Deacs scored the game’s first touchdown with 12:29 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0. They also converted a fourth-down attempt on the drive.
The defense soon joined in. Defender No. 8 intercepted a Virginia pass with 7:52 remaining in the first quarter, handing the ball right back to an offense that was already humming. Quarterback Gio Lopez worked the drive with his legs and his arm, keeping the ball himself a few times to move the chains. The Deacs stalled and settled for a field goal with 2:30 left in the quarter, stretching the lead to 10-0.
Wake Forest added another touchdown with 11:33 left in the second quarter to go up 17-0. Virginia desperately needed a response before halftime and got one, though it was not pretty. The Cavaliers marched to the Wake Forest 15-yard line, facing second down with 6:08 left in the half. They went for it on fourth down and were stuffed. The Deacs took over on downs at their own 6-yard line and drove the field again, kicking a field goal to take a 20-0 lead into the locker room.
The Floodgates Open
Virginia made halftime adjustments, and for a while it showed. The Cavaliers held Wake Forest out of the end zone on its opening second-half possession, forcing another field goal to make it 23-0.
Virginia’s next drive went nowhere, ending with a sack of the quarterback for a big loss. A strong special teams return then put the Deacs near the Virginia 15. After a brief injury timeout, Lopez connected with Hernandez for a touchdown, and the extra point made it 30-0 with 7:07 left in the third quarter.
From there, the game got away from the Cavaliers. Two more scores in quick succession, fueled by Virginia’s inability to stay on the field, pushed the Wake Forest lead to 44-0 with less than 5 minutes left in the third.
Virginia finally got on the board late in the quarter. The Cavaliers put together their best drive of the day and punched in a touchdown to avoid the shutout, but the 44-7 margin was too much to overcome.
Fourth Quarter Brings More of the Same
The Deacs opened the fourth quarter by marching downfield again, converting a fourth-and-1 along the way, and scored to make it 51-7.
Virginia had one more chance to make something happen. The Cavaliers stalled in the red zone and, rather than kick a field goal, went for it on fourth down and came up empty. Wake Forest took over with 5:52 left. Lopez’s afternoon was done, and backup quarterback Steele Pizzella took over under center. With the outcome decided, resting the starters was no surprise, and younger players need their reps, too.
The crowd thinned as the score climbed, but Virginia’s fans stayed in their seats and stood behind their team, as they should after making the trip.
What’s Next
Wake Forest dominated from start to finish, and Virginia’s struggles were on full display. The Deacs will look to build on their record next week at homecoming, a non-conference game. Virginia gets a much-needed bye week before traveling to face California on Nov. 14.
The race for the ACC continues for the Demon Deacons, and with this kind of football, there’s more excitement ahead.
Final score: Wake Forest 51, Virginia 7
