ACC Standings: Wake Forest Sets Single-Game Scoring Record in 77-0 Win

Steele Pizzella did not start the game as a primary option, yet he controlled the pace of a historic afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C. On Saturday, the redshirt freshman stepped in for injured starter Gio Lopez and guided No. 14 Wake Forest to a 77-0 victory over Merrimack. The Demon Deacons scored 11 touchdowns, surpassing the school single-game scoring record of 70 points set against Army in 2021. This marked the sixth consecutive win for Wake Forest, which improved its record to 8-1.

Pizzella accumulated 495 total yards of offense in his first 30 minutes of action. He threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns, adding 63 yards on the ground. His 432 passing yards represented the first 400-yard performance for a Wake Forest quarterback since Hank Bachmaier in 2024. The team finished with 546 passing yards, breaking the previous program mark. Jack Foley led the receiving corps with six catches for 162 yards.

The offense built a 49-0 lead by halftime. Ty Clark III opened the scoring with a 1-yard run on the second possession of the game. Pizzella then connected with Carlos Hernandez for two first-quarter touchdowns. The second of those connections concluded a 96-yard drive. Late in the second quarter, Pizzella ran for a 13-yard score. In the second half, the Demon Deacons added points on a 79-yard punt return and a 98-yard interception return.

Wake Forest finished with 730 yards of total offense, missing the school record by four yards. On defense, the team recorded its first shutout since a 3-0 win over Boston College in 2015. Merrimack, which fell to 4-6, managed only 102 rushing yards and 100 passing yards. The Warriors were penalized eight times for 74 yards and converted on only three of their 18 third-down attempts. They failed to score on a fourth-down goal from the 1-yard line midway through the third quarter.

Coach Jake Dickert emphasized the need for focus as the team prepares for a difficult stretch. "Everything’s right in front of us," Dickert said. "I’ve got a lot of respect for SMU and what they’re doing, and we got to go to their place. So, our best is going to be required this week in everything that we do, and we can’t miss a moment." Wake Forest is currently a half-game behind top-ranked Miami in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. The Hurricanes defeated the Demon Deacons 33-20 on September 18.

Lopez, who injured his right knee in the previous week’s win over Virginia, watched from the sidelines in gold shoes. He hopes to return when the team begins a three-game ACC schedule next Saturday against SMU. Dickert praised Pizzella's composure, calling him "dynamic," "smart," and "infectious to be around every day." The backup quarterback credited the group dynamic for his success. "What I told myself today.. was we just need to elevate each other," Pizzella said. "And my whole focus was just elevating the guys around me and really operating."

Wake Forest will travel to SMU next Saturday to continue its conference schedule. Merrimack will host Monmouth in its next matchup. The Demon Deacons were flagged 11 times for 120 yards against the Warriors, a statistic that may draw scrutiny from officials in the upcoming week.