Gio Lopez was placed into the difficult situation of being Bill Belichick’s first starting quarterback in college football.
A year ago, the North Carolina Tar Heels brought aboard the lefty QB from South Alabama. With all eyes on UNC, it was Lopez tasked with helping a new-look roster perform well in the 2025 season.
It didn’t happen, though. Lopez’s struggles were not his alone, but it certainly wasn’t the season he would’ve drawn up for himself, and so it made his year in Chapel Hill and one-and-done situation.
Lopez didn’t transfer far in the offseason, though. He ended up at Wake Forest, another ACC team located in the state of North Carolina.
This time, the transfer move has looked absolutely brilliant for Lopez, who is on a heater right now.
Gio Lopez at Wake Forest
Lopez has the Demon Deacons at 6-1 on the season, with their only loss a respectable 33-20 defeat at the hands of powerhouse Miami.
Since the Miami loss, though, Lopez has been dealing during a four-game winning streak for Wake Forest.
The first of those four wins was a narrow 30-27 victory at Louisville. Lopez completed 12-of-19 passes (63.2%) for 225 yards and a touchdown while running for 15 yards, as well.
Next up was a 57-3 bludgeoning of Stanford. Lopez went 2o-for-27 (74.1%) for 265 yards and two touchdowns while running 12 times for 88 yards and three more TDs.
After that, Lopez and Wake Forest dismantled NC State 38-14. He was 26-for-33 (78.8%) for 303 yards with three touchdowns and added a short rushing touchdown, too.
And on Saturday, Lopez and the Demon Deacons went out to Cal and came home with a 41-7 win. He was 16-for-23 (69.6%) for 267 yards with four TDs and added 51 rushing yards.
Even in the Miami defeat, Lopez had thrown for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
This season, he has thrown for 1,947 yards on a 67.6% completion rate with 17 touchdowns and just one interception.
Lopez also has run for 253 yards and six TDs so far this season.
It’s quite the bounceback for Lopez, who must be loving his life on the gridiron at the moment.
Does UNC Play Wake Forest?
North Carolina and Wake Forest are not on each other’s schedules this season.
The only way they could match up (aside from a bowl game) is if they both reached the ACC title game.
Miami leads the ACC with a 4-0 conference mark. Wake Forest (4-1) and UNC (2-1) are among the teams with just one conference loss.
So it’s unlikely, but not impossible, that Lopez would get a chance to play against UNC this season.
Gio Lopez On Fire Since Leaving UNC For Wake Forest