How many ACC schools are 11-4 in their last 15 games, with a 2-0 record against teams from the SEC and Big 10. Just because the name isn’t Clemson or Florida State doesn’t mean it isn’t something to pay attention too. Wake Forest wasn’t expected to do much this year. It seems like they never are.
Saturday Wake Forest went to Purdue and left with a 38-36 2 OT win.
Now we aren’t confusing Purdue with Ohio State, but it was on the road against a P4 team, and that counts. QB Gio Lopez struggled as quarterback last year at UNC. He looks like a different quarterback at Wake Forest. He threw for over 200 yards, and ran for nearly for 60 while accounting for 3 TDs. Late in the game depth issues started to show for Wake Forest, but they never waivered from their identity. They brought blitzes, they went downfield in the passing game. Usually it worked, but sometimes it didn’t. That was OK, because Wake Forest has an identity. You may beat them, but it won’t be becuase Wake Forest isn’t as well coached as you.
Wake Forest Jake Dickert has turned Wake Forest into a competitive quality ACC team. His teams play hard, are aggressive, and rarely beat themselves. Wake may not have elite across the board talent, but they are tough out.
The schedule ramps up with Miami and Louisville the next two weeks. There are still games with Virginia, at SMU, and Duke. They go on the road against NC State as well.
It would seem Wake Forest would do well to make a bowl, but we keep underestimating them under Jake Dickert. Maybe we should stop doing that.
