No. 13 Wake Forest takes its unbeaten run against Power Four competition into Dallas on Saturday, Nov. 14, when the Demon Deacons (8-1) visit SMU (7-2) at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET, and the biggest question entering this Wake Forest vs SMU preview is whether the Mustangs can slow down the nation’s highest-scoring offense in their own building.
Wake Forest has outscored its last five opponents by a combined 264-31, a stretch that includes a 77-0 win over Merrimack and a 57-3 rout of Stanford. SMU enters off a 51-28 win over Virginia Tech but is coming off a 30-27 loss to Syracuse on Oct. 31, its only defeat since Oct. 3.
Wake Forest Vs SMU Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- Venue: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX
- TV/Streaming: ESPN, Disney+, ERADM
- Weather: 60 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation
How Does Wake Forest’s Offense Compare To SMU’s Defense
Wake Forest averages 43.3 points and 487.7 total yards per game, both figures built on a passing attack that has produced 22 touchdowns against a single interception on the season. Quarterback Gio Lopez has completed 153 of 228 passes for 2,176 yards and 18 touchdowns with just one pick, and he is averaging 10.4 yards per pass attempt as a team. Running back Ty Clark III has added 416 yards and eight touchdowns on 86 carries, giving the Demon Deacons a balanced attack that has scored 5.6 touchdowns per game.
SMU’s defense has forced 13 takeaways through nine games, a number the Mustangs will need to test against a Wake Forest offense that has given the ball away only three times all season, the fewest giveaways in this matchup by a wide margin.
Can SMU’s Offense Keep Pace With Wake Forest
SMU is no slouch on the other side, averaging 475.8 total yards and 37 points per game behind quarterback Kevin Jennings, who has thrown for 2,764 yards and 25 touchdowns on a 74.1% completion rate. Running back Kendrick Raphael has rushed for 755 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries, and receiver Yamir Knight has caught 50 passes for 626 yards and six scores.
The Mustangs have scored at least 23 points in four of their last five games, including a 59-20 win over California. Their issue has been giveaways, with 12 on the season against 13 takeaways, a turnover margin of plus-1 that will be tested by a Wake Forest defense that has logged 21 sacks and 47 tackles for loss.
Who Are The Expected Starters And Is Anyone Hurt
Neither team carries a listed injury designation entering the weekend. Lopez is expected to start at quarterback for Wake Forest, with Clark III projected as the lead back and Carlos Hernandez, who has 61 catches for 945 yards and seven touchdowns, as the top target. For SMU, Jennings is expected to start under center, with Raphael as the probable starter at running back and Knight as the leading receiving option.
Key Matchup: Wake Forest’s Passing Game Against SMU’s Pass Defense
The game likely turns on how SMU’s defense handles Wake Forest’s passing attack. The Demon Deacons are averaging 311.9 passing yards per game with a 68.9% completion rate, and Lopez has thrown just one interception on 228 attempts. SMU’s defense has 25 passes defended and six interceptions by its own offense this year, numbers that show a unit capable of creating turnovers but one that has also allowed 321.6 passing yards per game on offense, a sign SMU’s own passing attack can move the ball through the air just as easily. Whichever secondary limits big plays through the air figures to set the tone.
Players To Watch
Gio Lopez, QB, Wake Forest
Lopez has thrown 18 touchdowns against one interception, a 180.3 passer efficiency figure for the Demon Deacons that has powered the nation’s most efficient offense through nine games.
Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU
Jennings has thrown for 2,764 yards and 25 touchdowns, and he will need a clean game against a Wake Forest defense that has intercepted five passes and forced three fumbles this season.
Carlos Hernandez, WR, Wake Forest
Hernandez leads Wake Forest with 61 catches, 945 yards and seven touchdowns, and his average of 15.5 yards per reception makes him the focal point of the Demon Deacons’ downfield passing game.
What To Watch
Wake Forest’s 8-1 start and its spot in the Top 13 have put the Demon Deacons in the College Football Playoff conversation, a positioning Total Apex Sports detailed in its CFP projections after Week 9. A win at SMU would extend the program’s longest unbeaten run of the season against Power Four opponents. SMU, at 7-2, is looking to bounce back after its loss to Syracuse and to show its offense can match a team averaging 43.3 points per game. Total Apex Sports covered Wake Forest’s most recent blowout in its recap of the 77-0 win over Merrimack, and the Demon Deacons’ October form was also the subject of a preview ahead of their win over Stanford.
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