Gio Lopez Throws 3 TDs as Wake Forest Opens 2026 With 38-16 Win Over Akron

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest opened the 2026 football season with an explosive offensive performance Thursday night, defeating Akron 38-16 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.

Redshirt junior quarterback Gio Lopez made an immediate impact in his Demon Deacons debut, completing 21 of 32 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Lopez also added 39 yards on the ground.

Wake Forest built a 28-3 halftime lead behind touchdown passes to Kam Shanks, Antonio Meeks and Carlos Hernandez. Hernandez delivered the biggest play of the night with a 78-yard touchdown and finished with five catches for 165 yards. Meeks added 93 receiving yards, while Shanks finished with 55.

The ground game supplied another big-play threat. Ty Clark III rushed for 105 yards on only seven carries as Wake Forest finished with 559 total yards. The Demon Deacons' defense held Akron to 305 total yards and kept the Zips out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

The victory moved Wake Forest to 1-0 and gave head coach Jake Dickert his 10th win in his 14th game with the program, tying the fastest start to 10 victories by a Wake Forest head coach.

Wake Forest next travels to Purdue on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a noon kickoff on FS1.