Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Earns First Road Win of 2026 Campaign in Double-Overtime Thriller at Purdue
9/12/2026 4:37:00 PM | Football
Quarterback Gio Lopez rushed for the game-tying touchdown and game-winning two-point conversion in the double-overtime win.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Quarterback Gio Lopez rushed for both the game-tying touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion to power the Wake Forest football team to a 38-36 road victory at Purdue in a double-overtime thriller inside Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Lopez finished the game going 16-of-27 for 225 yards and a touchdown through the air. The Madison, Ala., native also found success on the ground as he finished with a team-high 59 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Boilermakers.
Wide receiver Carlos Hernandez led the Demon Deacons with six catches for 88 yards, including a miraculous 15-yard reception on fourth down in double overtime to set up the winning touchdown.
Elsewhere, Deuce Lawrence logged 45 yards on the ground, while Ty Clark III added 36 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, three Demon Deacons recorded double-digit tackles, led by linebackers Aiden Hall and Vincent Firenze, who both ended the game with 11 tackles. Meanwhile, Davughn Patterson added 10 tackles, including three solo efforts.
The Deacs put constant pressure on the Purdue backfield, combining for three sacks and eight tackles for loss. Notably, defensive linemen Langston Hardy and Gabe Kirschke both recorded a sack, with Hardy finishing the game with seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
"What a fight from this team. It takes me back to last year against Virginia Tech where you just have to go earn it some way. When things are going your way or when things aren't going your way, you just have to keep believing. We talked a lot about being the better team in our team meeting yesterday, and man did these guys show it. They kept fighting. I'm so proud of our team, and that shows in our celebration in our locker room right now."
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will enter the national spotlight for Week 3 action, hosting No. 7 Miami for UNRIVALED Weekend at Allegacy Financial Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
The quickest and most efficient way to order tickets is to click the link here you want to purchase, or fans can call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lopez finished the game going 16-of-27 for 225 yards and a touchdown through the air. The Madison, Ala., native also found success on the ground as he finished with a team-high 59 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Boilermakers.
Wide receiver Carlos Hernandez led the Demon Deacons with six catches for 88 yards, including a miraculous 15-yard reception on fourth down in double overtime to set up the winning touchdown.
Elsewhere, Deuce Lawrence logged 45 yards on the ground, while Ty Clark III added 36 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, three Demon Deacons recorded double-digit tackles, led by linebackers Aiden Hall and Vincent Firenze, who both ended the game with 11 tackles. Meanwhile, Davughn Patterson added 10 tackles, including three solo efforts.
The Deacs put constant pressure on the Purdue backfield, combining for three sacks and eight tackles for loss. Notably, defensive linemen Langston Hardy and Gabe Kirschke both recorded a sack, with Hardy finishing the game with seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Purdue scored on their opening possession to make it 7-0.
- Wake Forest capped off a 13-play, 73-yard drive with a rushing touchdown by junior Ty Clark III from four yards out to tie the game with 4:58 remaining in the first quarter.
- The Demon Deacons forced a missed field goal to keep the game tied.
- Redshirt junior Davaughn Patterson made a critical pass breakup on third down to halt the Purdue drive.
- The Deacs took the lead as redshirt freshman Connor Calvert connected on a 39-yard field goal at the 11:49 mark in the second quarter.
- Wake Forest extended its lead to 17-7 as quarterback Gio Lopez kept it himself for a one-yard rushing touchdown.
- Lopez went 4-for-4 for 60 yards on the drive.
- Purdue added a field goal in the final seconds of the first half to cut the Wake Forest lead to seven.
- The Demon Deacons headed into halftime with a 17-10 lead.
- The Deacs pushed their lead to 10 points as Calvert converted a 22-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half.
- The Boilermakers made it 20-13 with 4:49 left in the third quarter.
- Wake Forest restored its 10-point advantage as Calvert drilled a 44-yard field goal at the 9:13 mark in the fourth quarter.
- Redshirt junior Drayden Dickmann recorded a 44-yard rush to help spark the drive.
- Purdue made it 23-20 with under four minutes to play.
- The Boilers tied the game with a field goal as regulation expired.
- The Demon Deacons struck first in overtime as Lopez found redshirt freshman Bryce Kania on a 24-yard strike to make it 30-23.
- Purdue tied the game with a touchdown on their first overtime possession.
- The Boilermakers added a touchdown to make it 36-30 in double overtime.
- Redshirt sophomore Rushuan Tongue made a pivotal stop on the two-point conversion to keep it a six-point game.
- Lopez recorded his second rushing touchdown of the game to tie the game.
- The Madison, Ala., native kept it himself on the two-point conversion to give the Demon Deacons the 38-36 win in double overtime.
- Quarterback Gio Lopez rushed for the game-tying touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion against the Boilermakers. He finished the game with three total touchdowns, 225 passing yards and a team-high 59 rushing yards. He was 16-for-27 through the air.
- Including his two seasons at South Alabama and the 2025 campaign at North Carolina, Lopez has been efficient against non-conference opponents as he's thrown for 2,060 yards with 18 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He has also added five rushing scores in those games.
- Over his first two games with the Demon Deacons, Lopez has thrown for 575 yards (62.7% completion) with four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
- He is one of just four players in the country with the above stats so far this season.
- This marked the second overtime game for the Demon Deacons in the Jake Dickert era and the first overtime win since the 23-17 victory against Tulane on Aug. 20, 2018.
- With the victory, Wake Forest is now 6-0 against non-conference opponents under second-year head coach Jake Dickert. In those six contests, the Demon Deacons have outscored opponents 219 to 99.
- Wake Forest 38, Purdue 36 (Sept. 12, 2026)
- Wake Forest 38, Akron 16 (Sept. 3, 2026)
- Wake Forest 52, Delaware 14 (Nov. 22, 2025)
- Wake Forest 39, Oregon State 14 (Oct. 11, 2025)
- Wake Forest 42, Western Carolina 10 (Sept. 6, 2025)
- Wake Forest 10, Kennesaw State 9 (Aug. 29, 2025)
"What a fight from this team. It takes me back to last year against Virginia Tech where you just have to go earn it some way. When things are going your way or when things aren't going your way, you just have to keep believing. We talked a lot about being the better team in our team meeting yesterday, and man did these guys show it. They kept fighting. I'm so proud of our team, and that shows in our celebration in our locker room right now."
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will enter the national spotlight for Week 3 action, hosting No. 7 Miami for UNRIVALED Weekend at Allegacy Financial Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
The quickest and most efficient way to order tickets is to click the link here you want to purchase, or fans can call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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