Wake Forest has emerged as one of the ACC’s most dangerous teams under second-year coach Jake Dickert, and last week’s 38-14 road victory over NC State certainly reinforces that impression!

The Demon Deacons trailed 14-10 at halftime before dominating the second half, outscoring the Wolfpack 28-0 and allowing just 63 yards after the break. Quarterback Gio Lopez completed 26 of 33 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score, and finished with four total touchdowns. Wide receivers Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez both topped 100 receiving yards, giving Lopez multiple reliable options. Wake is now 5-1 overall, with three Power Four road victories, and its ability to make adjustments after halftime has been particularly impressive.

Also take into consideration that Jake Dickert did spend from 2021 through 2024 coaching in Pullman at Washington State, so he is quite familiar with dealing with the Golden Bears, especially in Berkeley, so this rare coast-to-coast foray should not bother the Deacs all that much, especially with the pacific time zone night time start.

California’s recent 25-20 upset of Virginia Tech shows why this matchup deserves respect, but the Golden Bears still have significant issues to solve. New play-caller Pat McCann has brought better offensive rhythm, and Jackson Brousseau delivered an impressive first start, completing 29 of 43 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown without an interception. 

Cal also has a productive receiving corps, led by Ian Strong and Chase Hendricks, so Wake cannot afford to rely exclusively on stopping the run. However, the Bears have struggled to establish a consistent ground game, and Wake’s defense showed against NC State that it can take control once its front starts winning at the line of scrimmage.

The question of whether Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele returns at quarterback adds uncertainty, but Brousseau’s strong performance also means Cal is no longer entirely dependent on its starter. The Bears’ passing ability is the biggest obstacle to a comfortable Wake Forest cover.

The Deacons have demonstrated an ability to finish games strongly, and their defense has recently overwhelmed opposing offenses. Cal’s 46-36 victory over Wake in 2024 is worth noting, but these are different teams, and the Deacons arrive with considerably more momentum.

Wake 'Em up tonight in Berkeley. Play Wake Forest.