Wake Forest and No. 16 Louisville already have been in emotional, tight games this season.
Now it’s a matter of resetting when they meet Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference game in Louisville, Ky.
Louisville (2-1, 1-0) has split two games against nationally ranked foes, knocking off then-No. 16 SMU 41-31 last week in an ACC opener after falling to then-No. 9 Ole Miss 41-38 in the season opener on Sept. 6.
“This is, in my opinion, probably the most tested football team in the country with the schedule they’ve played,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said of the Cardinals.
This will be Wake Forest’s second consecutive game against a nationally ranked opponent after the team lost 33-20 last week to then-No. 5 Miami. The Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1) won 38-36 in double overtime on Sept. 12 at Purdue in their only previous road game.
“We’ll have another extreme challenge this week,” Dickert said. “Guys have to be playing at a fast, high rate. … The best is still out there for this team. A quarter of the season is already over. We’ve got to work tirelessly to find it quickly.”
Dickert has expressed concern for quarterback Gio Lopez, who has been hounded in the pocket at times this year. He already has said there is a physical toll. Lopez has thrown for seven touchdowns and 887 yards, but he has been sacked five times.
“Priority No. 1 offensively is protecting the quarterback,” Dickert said. “Every ACC team we face is going to have an elite edge rusher.”
Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said Lopez’s value is clear to Wake Forest’s offense.
“He fits great in their system; he really does,” Brohm said. “He’s doing a really good job.”
Louisville, one of six FBS teams yet to commit a turnover this season, has demonstrated several elements of a high-powered offense — including the elite running back combination of Keyjuan Brown and Isaac Brown. To highlight the team’s 265 rushing yards vs. SMU, Keyjuan Brown ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns — and he needed just 10 carries to do it.
“Add the third prong to it: the quarterback and the quarterback run element,” Dickert said. “It’s a physical football team. This isn’t Air Raid Louisville.”
Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has rushed for four touchdowns while averaging 51 yards per game on the ground. He has posted at least one rushing TD and two passing TDs in each game.
Eleven of the Cardinals’ 18 touchdowns on offense have come on rushing plays.
Much of Louisville’s success protecting the ball can be connected to Kienholz.
“Taking care of the ball is not easy to do, especially when it’s in your hand every play as a passer or runner, so he’s been outstanding in that aspect,” Brohm said.
“Hopefully, we can continue to do that, but I think his ability to scramble and create and make plays causes him not to throw the ball into traffic.”
Wake Forest would like a piece of that type of efficiency.
“Taking care of the ball will be at a premium,” Dickert said. “They’re plus-six in turnover margin through three games. So they’re elite at taking it away, and they’re elite at having ball security against really good opponents. So we have to flip that number in our favor.”
