What happened: Gio Lopez scored two of Wake Forest's five first-half rushing touchdowns as the offense controlled the game from the opening series. After the Demon Deacons extended their second-quarter lead to 42-0, the defense held the Mustangs to a single touchdown across four quarters.

Why it matters: The victory strengthens Wake Forest's standing in the national rankings following head coach Jake Dickert's contract extension earlier in the week. For SMU, the 42-point home loss marks another setback following their drop to No. 24 in the coaches poll earlier this month.

What to watch: Wake Forest awaits the next College Football Playoff rankings release to see if the road rout moves them closer to the top 10. SMU will evaluate its defensive schemes heading into the next conference matchup.