The 2026 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Demon Deacons are led by Jake Dickert in his second season as their head coach. They play their home games at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Drew PickettRBAlabama A&MKendal HowardEDGEAustin PeayWilliam WiebushSAustin PeayKa'Shawn ThomasDLBall StateElijah OehlkeQBBryantReginald VickWRColorado StateJeremiah MelvinWREast CarolinaMicah Mays Jr.WRFloridaJaylon EdmondCBHawaiiJuju TackieDBHoly CrossDeshawn PurdieQBLibertyCole FunderburkEDGEMarshallDarius JonesLBMorgan StateIan VerSteegWROhioChris BarnesWROklahoma StateDominic DeLucaTERhode IslandBen GriceWRRiceSterling BerkhalterWRTexasMelvin SianiOTTexasBryce ButlerDLTexas TechMateen IbirogaDLTexas TechEJ ReidWRUABHarry LodgeTEUCLANathan PahanichOTUConnJacob Cosby-MosleySWestern KentuckyTate CarneyRBUnknownDerrell Johnson IIIOLWithdrawn
Incoming Kam ShanksWRArkansasJohn OhnegianIOLBucknellBuom JockLBCaliforniaLandon MorrisTECaliforniaVincent FirenzeSDaytonChase TylerWRDukeBrian Blades IICBFIUKD DanielsRBFloridaBernard CauseyCBGeorgia StateJoshua PattersonSIowa StateAntonio MeeksWRLouisvilleEthan CallowayOTLSUSydir MitchellDLLSUNy CarrWRMiami (FL)D. J. JohnsonEDGENew HampshireTolu OlajideOTNew HampshireGio LopezQBNorth CarolinaSawyer SeidlRBNorth DakotaRyan BergerOTOregon StateDrayden DickmanWRRiceEli PottsWRTulsaTylan McNicholsLBUABWondame DavisWRUTEPMatt HeronDLWeber StateWill WayIOLWeber State
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs. Akron
Statistics AKRWAKE First downs 20 20 Plays–yards 69–305 68–559 Rushes–yards 36–149 33–203 Passing yards 156 356 Passing: –– 28–33–0 22–35–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:36 29:24 Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Cibastian Broughton 21/26, 111 yards Rushing Cibastian Broughton 14 carries, 82 yards Receiving Marcel Williams 4 receptions, 38 yards Wake Forest Passing Gio Lopez 21/32, 350 yards, 3 TD Rushing Ty Clark III 7 carries, 105 yards Receiving Carlos Hernandez 5 receptions, 165 yards, TD
at Purdue
Statistics WAKEPUR First downs 25 29 Plays–yards 68–411 82–455 Rushes–yards 41–186 40–126 Passing yards 225 329 Passing: –– 16–27–0 32–42–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:48 32:12 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Gio Lopez 16/27, 225 yards, TD Rushing Gio Lopez 13 carries, 59 yards, 2 TD Receiving Carlos Hernandez 6 receptions, 88 yards Purdue Passing Ryan Browne 32/42, 329 yards, TD Rushing Fame Ijeboi 27 carries, 114 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chauncey Magwood 5 receptions, 77 yards
vs. No. 5 Miami (FL)
Statistics MIAWAKE First downs 23 20 Plays–yards 68–378 62–334 Rushes–yards 34–158 16–22 Passing yards 220 312 Passing: –– 30–34–0 29–46–1 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:24 26:36 Team Category Player Statistics Miami (FL) Passing Darian Mensah 30/34, 220 yards, 3 TD Rushing Mark Fletcher Jr. 16 carries, 85 yards, TD Receiving Malachi Toney 12 receptions, 114 yards, TD Wake Forest Passing Gio Lopez 29/46, 312 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Deuce Lawrence 6 carries, 27 yards Receiving Jack Foley 6 receptions, 118 yards, TD
at No. 16 Louisville
Statistics WAKELOU First downs 20 24 Plays–yards 61–402 74–399 Rushes–yards 42–177 38–75 Passing yards 225 324 Passing: –– 12–19–0 27–36–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:26 33:34 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Gio Lopez 12/19, 225 yards, TD Rushing Ty Clark III 21 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD Receiving Carlos Hernandez 9 receptions, 194 yards, TD Louisville Passing Lincoln Kienholz 27/36, 324 yards, TD, INT Rushing Keyjuan Brown 12 carries, 48 yards Receiving Tre Richardson 5 receptions, 85 yards
vs. Stanford
Statistics STANWAKE First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Stanford Passing Rushing Receiving Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving
at NC State
Statistics WAKENCSU First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving NC State Passing Rushing Receiving
at California
Statistics WAKECAL First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving California Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Virginia
Statistics UVAWAKE First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Virginia Passing Rushing Receiving Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Merrimack
Statistics MRMKWAKE First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Merrimack Passing Rushing Receiving Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving
at SMU
Statistics WAKESMU First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving SMU Passing Rushing Receiving
at Georgia Tech
Statistics WAKEGT First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving Georgia Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Duke
Statistics DUKEWAKE First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Duke Passing Rushing Receiving Wake Forest Passing Rushing Receiving
References