Wake Forest opens up 35-0 first-half lead over SMU in crucial ACC contest
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Wake Forest’s last 9-1 start came in 2021. The Demon Deacons look well on their way to doing it again in 2026.
Behind a quick start at SMU on Saturday, Wake Forest has opened up a 35-0 lead as five of its first six drives have resulted in touchdowns. That included its opening possession, which started at its own 47 before Ty Clark’s 27-yard touchdown run made it 7-0 just four minutes into the game.
After an interception of Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings, the Deacs were set up at their own 35 but had to punt. After forcing a turnover on downs after SMU went for it from its own 26, Wake needed five plays to get it into the end zone as it went up 14-0 on Jamar Searcy’s six-yard carry with 3:26 left in the first quarter.
Gio Lopez then engineered a six-play, 82-yard drive that upped the lead to 21-0 nearly three minutes into the second quarter. The Demon Deacons QB went over the top to Carlos Hernandez, who caught it in stride in the end zone.
SMU fumbled it at their own 21 on the ensuing possession to give Wake Forest a short field once more. And, once more, the Demon Deacons cashed in. This time, Lopez took it in himself from five yards out for a 28-0 lead with 9:42 to go until the break. That lead grew to 35-0 with 4:31 to go as Searcy broke off a 38-yard carry to the SMU 1 before Deuce Lawrence punched it in to finish the drive.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
