Wake Forest Routs No. 25 SMU 49-7 to Make Its College Football Playoff Case
No. 11 Wake Forest left no doubt on Saturday. The Demon Deacons traveled to Dallas and demolished No. 25 SMU 49-7, building a 42-0 halftime lead and strengthening their case for a place in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Quarterback Gio Lopez ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as Wake Forest extended its winning streak to seven games and handed the Mustangs their first Atlantic Coast Conference loss at home since joining the league.
A First Half That Ended the Argument
Wake Forest opened the scoring with Ty Clark’s 27-yard touchdown on third-and-18, the first of four first-half touchdowns on third down. The Demon Deacons scored six touchdowns on seven drives before halftime, and the 42-0 lead at the break told the story of a game that was effectively decided long before the second half began.
Lopez added to his late Heisman Trophy push with a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Carlos Hernandez early in the second quarter. He finished 14-of-25 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown, while adding 34 yards and two scores on the ground.
The defense did its part, too. Aiden Hall made a diving interception, tipping the ball to himself, and Wake Forest forced three turnovers in all. The Demon Deacons outgained SMU 535-275, including a 286-66 edge on the ground, in a matchup of two of the top offenses in the country.
SMU’s only points came with 3:55 left in the third quarter, when Kevin Jennings threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Yannick Smith. The seven points were SMU’s fewest in a home game since 2016.
The Numbers Behind the Rout
The blowout was not an isolated performance. Wake Forest has now scored 119 points in six quarters, going back to last week’s 77-0 rout of Merrimack. Over the last six games, all wins, the Demon Deacons have outscored their opponents 313-38.
Wake Forest also became the first team since Alabama in 2013 to score at least 20 points while keeping the opposition scoreless in the first half of four consecutive games.
SMU, meanwhile, entered the game 12-0 in ACC home games since joining the conference in 2024. The Mustangs fell to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the ACC, and their flickering playoff hopes were all but snuffed out. Jennings had entered the season hoping for a second playoff trip in three ACC seasons while making a Heisman push of his own; neither goal survived Saturday.
Why This Matters
The result is a direct challenge to the College Football Playoff selection committee. Wake Forest entered the weekend ranked 13th in the committee’s rankings, just outside the 12-team field, despite an 8-1 record and a No. 11 ranking in the Associated Press poll. The committee’s own numbers said the Demon Deacons’ record was the same as or better than 10 of the 12 teams in the field.
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Saturday’s performance was the kind of statement the committee cannot easily ignore. A 42-point road win over a ranked conference opponent, with total dominance on both sides of the ball, is exactly the evidence Wake Forest needed. The committee releases its third rankings on Tuesday night, and the Demon Deacons have made their argument as loudly as possible.
The context matters, too. Wake Forest started the season far outside the national conversation and has climbed steadily under head coach Jake Dickert, whose team has not lost since September. No team in the Football Bowl Subdivision has played better since the calendar turned to October.
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Wake Forest, now 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the ACC, visits Georgia Tech next Saturday. A win there would clinch a spot in the ACC Championship Game, most likely against the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes.
SMU travels to No. 5 Notre Dame next Saturday, where its playoff hopes, already close to gone, face a final test.
Elsewhere on Saturday, No. 3 Alabama’s 21-6 win over Vanderbilt earlier in the day kept the Crimson Tide’s own playoff position secure, while former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman made headlines of a different kind this week when he was named the lead of ABC’s “The Bachelor” for Season 30.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Wake Forest vs. SMU?
Wake Forest beat SMU 49-7 on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Dallas. The Demon Deacons led 42-0 at halftime.
How did Gio Lopez play against SMU?
Lopez threw for 201 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-25 passing and ran for two more touchdowns, adding 34 yards on the ground.
Will Wake Forest make the College Football Playoff?
Wake Forest was ranked 13th in this week’s playoff rankings, just outside the 12-team field, before the SMU win. The committee releases updated rankings on Tuesday night, and the 49-7 rout strengthened the Demon Deacons’ case considerably.
What is next for Wake Forest?
Wake Forest visits Georgia Tech next Saturday. A win would clinch a berth in the ACC Championship Game.
Wake Forest did not just win on Saturday. It delivered the loudest possible answer to a committee that had kept it outside the playoff field, and it did so on the road, against a ranked opponent, in a game that was over by halftime. Tuesday night’s rankings will show whether the committee was listening.
Sources: AP via The Herald Review; theScore; SMU Athletics; On3.
