For a few moments, Wake Forest’s first road win of the season appeared to have ended one yard short.
Instead, a replay reversal kept the Demon Deacons alive, and Gio Lopez did the rest. Lopez scored on a 3-yard run and then ran for the winning 2-point conversion as Wake Forest escaped Purdue with a 38-36 double-overtime victory Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Wake Forest (2-0) led 23-13 with 9:13 remaining in regulation before Purdue rallied to force overtime with a field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers survived fourth-and-9 with a touchdown in the first overtime, then took a 36-30 lead in the second OT before failing on the required 2-point conversion.
Then came Wake Forest’s turn. Facing fourth-and-15 from the Purdue 17, Lopez connected with Carlos Hernandez near the first-down marker. The play was initially ruled a yard short, which would have ended the game, but replay overturned the spot and gave Wake Forest a first down at the 2. Two plays later, Lopez scored from 3 yards out before keeping the ball for the winning conversion.
Wake Forest-Purdue Quick Hits
- Final: Wake Forest 38, Purdue 36 (2 OT)
- Records: Wake Forest 2-0; Purdue 1-1
- Gio’s day: Lopez completed 16 of 27 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown and led Wake Forest with 59 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He finished with 284 yards of total offense, three TDs and no turnovers — plus the winning 2-point conversion.
- The play that saved it: Hernandez’s fourth-and-15 reception in the second overtime was initially spotted short before replay gave Wake Forest the first down.
- First OT drama: Purdue faced fourth-and-9 from the Wake Forest 9 and stayed alive when Ryan Browne found De’Nylon Morrissette for the tying touchdown.
- Hernandez delivers: Carlos Hernandez led Wake Forest with six receptions for 88 yards, none bigger than the fourth-down catch in double overtime.
- Instant OT connection: Lopez found Bryce Kania for a 24-yard touchdown on Wake Forest’s first play of overtime.
- Perfect kicking: Connor Calvert made all three of his field-goal attempts, connecting from 39, 22 and 44 yards.
- Moving the ball: Purdue outgained Wake Forest 455-411, but the Deacons averaged 6.0 yards per play.
- No giveaways: Neither team committed a turnover.
- Red-zone perfection: Wake Forest finished 5-for-5 on red-zone opportunities.
- Defensive leaders: Aiden Hall and Vincent Firenze each made 11 tackles, while Langston Hardy, Gabe Kirschke and Kadear Dembele recorded sacks.
- Purdue workhorse: Fame Ijeboi rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries.
- Attendance: 50,363 at Ross-Ade Stadium.
What’s Next for Wake Forest?
The degree of difficulty is about to rise considerably.
Wake Forest returns to Winston-Salem on Friday night, Sept. 18, to host No. 7 Miami at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Hurricanes are also 2-0 after opening with a 45-6 win at Stanford and a 77-7 rout of Florida A&M. Miami was a preseason ACC and College Football Playoff favorite, making Friday night’s conference opener easily Wake Forest’s stiffest test yet.
The Demon Deacons, however, will enter it 2-0 as Jake Dickert continues the impressive start to his coaching tenure in Winston-Salem (11th win so far).
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