Recap: Stanford travels cross country to attend their own Wake in the Forest

Oct 3, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Davis Warren (8) is tackled by Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive lineman Langston Hardy (11) and defensive back Davaughn Patterson (5) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images If you look up the word “wake” on Dictionary.com, one of the definitions you’ll see is “a watch or vigil by the body of a dead person before burial, sometimes accompanied by feasting or merrymaking.” It’s usually a solemn, somber occasion. A time to mourn, grieve, and remember one who has passed on. Stanford football took a cross country flight to Wake Forest to metaphorically attend their own wake as the Demon Deacons buried them 57-3 on Saturday behind the merrymaking of quarterback Gio Lopez, who rushed for three touchdowns and 88 yards while also throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns. That’s five touchdowns he directly accounted for. A simply sensational day as he ran through the Cardinal defense like a knife through butter. VIDEO: Stanford Football Postgame Press Conference-Wake Forest BOX SCORE: Stanford at Wake Forest-Saturday, October 3rd Stanford was not in this game. Ever. They trailed 15-0 at the end of the 1st quarter, they trailed 29-3 at halftime as a 43 yard field goal by Emmet Kenney prevented the shutout, and then proceeded to get outscored 28-0 in the second half, making for a 57-3 final score. The second worst margin of defeat in program history behind only the 72-0 beat down they experienced against UCLA back when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president of the United States. The Demon Deacons were very consistent, scoring 14 points in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters. They moved the ball exceptionally well even though none of their receivers or running backs had 100+ rushing yards or 100+ receiving yards. Wide receiver Carlos Hernandez had the most receiving yards on the day with seven receptions for 87 yards despite not finding the end zone. It was truly an all-around team effort by the Demon Deacons as they made the Cardinal defense look like they were just getting out of their beds. And to be fair to the Cardinal, that is not entirely untrue as it was a 9:00 AM PT kickoff. It was truly a very early game for them and whether or not that played a huge role in what happened is something I don’t really have an answer to. I do feel like not having linebackers Matt Rose (a late scratch) and Jahsiah Galvan was a major blow along with not having cornerback Brandon Nicholson. Even so, one can’t help but think the Cardinal could have put up a better fight than they did in this one. They were down 29-0 at Colorado a couple years back and were able to pull off a miraculous upset in Boulder. While asking for a repeat of Elic Ayomanor’s legendary performance is a tall order, asking for the same level of fight and determination is not. To add insult to injury, quarterback Davis Warren threw his first interception of the season for the Cardinal, tying the school record held by Davis Mills for most pass attempts without an interception (167). The interception came as the ball bounced off the foot of a receiver and into the air. It was truly that kind of day for the Cardinal. After getting buried at Wake Forest, Stanford now hopes to have a resurrection. There’s no better place for that to happen (metaphorically speaking) than in front of Touchdown Jesus, a massive mural that looms directly behind the north end zone of Notre Dame Stadium. That’s where Stanford will be playing next weekend as they take on the top-five Fighting Irish on Saturday, October 10th. Kickoff set for 12:30 PM PT on NBC. As Stanford looks ahead to facing the Irish with the Legends Trophy on the line, they better start saying some Hail Marys. Or better yet practicing some Hail Marys. They’re going to need all the divine help they can get. Sacrifice the Stanford Axe. Purify themselves in the waters of The Claw. Whatever it takes. Note: Cardinal Sports Report has you covered for all the latest news on Stanford as General Manager Andrew Luck looks to revive the Cardinal. Subscribe to Cardinal Sports Report and get your first year 60% off! Don’t miss out on this great offer! Sign up here: https://www.on3.com/sites/cardinal-sports-report/join/ CardinalSportsReport.com on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (Twitter), & Bluesky: @StanfordRivals Ben Parker on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (Twitter), YouTube, & Bluesky: @slamdunk406 Email: [email protected] Join the conversation on CardinalSportsReport.com