WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Despite a valiant second-half comeback attempt, the Wake Forest football team (2-1, 0-1 ACC) dropped its 2026 ACC opener on Friday evening to No. 5 Miami (3-0, 2-0 ACC) by a final score of 33-20 in front of an energetic sold-out crowd of 32,147 at Allegacy Financial Stadium.

Offensively, the Demon Deacons were led by quarterback Gio Lopez, as the redshirt junior finished the night going 29-for-46 for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Lopez found 11 receivers in the passing game, led by senior Carlos Hernandez, who tallied a team-high 10 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jack Foley also had a career night, catching six passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. 

In the first quarter, Lopez also found tight end Kamrean Johnson for a 10-yard touchdown to cap off an 11-play, 75-yard drive. 

Defensively, Wake Forest was led by senior linebacker Aiden Hall, who recorded nine total tackles including two solo tackles. Redshirt senior defensive back Deuce Blades II tallied a team-high five solo tackles. Redshirt senior defensive lineman Langston Hardy finished the night with six tackles, including a sack, bringing his nationally-best total for tackles for loss over the last two years to 20.5.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Miami took a 7-0 lead on the opening possession.
• The Demon Deacons responded on their first possession as quarterback Gio Lopez found tight end Kamrean Johnson in the back corner of the end zone from 10 yards out.
  • Lopez was 4-for-5 for 55 yards on the drive 11-play, 75-yard drive.
• The Hurricanes made it 14-7 at the 13:07 mark in the second quarter.
  • Miami extended its lead to 14 points on its next possession.
• Wake Forest forced a three-and-out on Miami's fourth offensive drive of the evening, as defensive lineman Langston Hardy got home for a sack on Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah on third down. 
• Miami kicked a field goal to end the first half.
• The Hurricanes made it 31-7 at the 8:56 mark in the third quarter.
• Wake Forest cut the deficit down to 31-13 as Lopez found wide receiver Jack Foley over the middle for a 23-yard touchdown strike.
• After forcing a three-and-out, the Demon Deacons made it 31-20 as Lopez connected with wide receiver Carlos Hernandez for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
• Miami forced a safety to push its lead to 13 points.
• Wake Forest threatened down the stretch but ultimately fell, 33-20.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

• Quarterback Gio Lopez completed 29-of-46 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns against Miami.
  • Over his first three games with the Demon Deacons, Lopez has thrown for 887 yards (62.9% completion) with seven touchdowns and one interception.
  • The Madison, Ala., native spread the ball around throughout the game as he connected with 11 different receivers against the Hurricanes.

STAGGERING STATISTIC

• Redshirt senior defensive lineman Langston Hardy has wrecked opposing backfields during his time at Wake Forest, as he ranked tied for third in the ACC with 17.0 tackles-for-loss last season. 
  • Against the Hurricanes, Hardy logged a sack, bringing his total from the last two seasons to 20.5. 

Tackles For Loss Leaders: 2025-26 

FROM COACH DICKERT
"Our game day atmosphere was the best since I've been here. I appreciate everyone sticking it out. We didn't give them enough to cheer about until midway through the third quarter. I'm proud of our guys. They refused to die. They did what I think good teams do; they kept playing, they kept fighting, they kept believing, and we had some opportunities to really get back in that game in the fourth quarter and could never quite get over the hump. Obviously penalties were a big deal, especially on special teams. We had some fields flipped, some momentum surged, and obviously those were taken away in those kinds of deals. Proud of our offense and how they responded in the second half. We had four-straight three-and-outs at one point. Proud of our team. We need to learn from this and get better. Our execution wasn't at a high enough level. What I told them in there was what changed in the third quarter? Because the defensive calls didn't change, the offensive calls didn't change. Our execution and our tackling in space and some other fundamental things we did better. So we have to lean on this. We don't celebrate losses around here. We have to get our learns, and we have to be a better football team next week." 

UP NEXT
Wake Forest will continue action against the ACC's ranked opposition, as the Demon Deacons will travel to Kentucky next Saturday to face current No. 23 Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. 

Kick-off for the contest is slated for 12 noon and the matchup will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2 or the ACC Network.