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Wake Forest Demon Deacons

ACCWinston-Salem, NCAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium

2026: 6–⁠1 (4–⁠1 ACC), No. 17 in the AP poll. Last: won at California 41–⁠7. Next: Virginia, Saturday, Oct 31.

  1. W 38–⁠16Akron
  2. W 38–⁠36at Purdue
  3. L 20–⁠33No. 5 Miami
  4. W 30–⁠27at No. 16 Louisville
  5. W 57–⁠3Stanford
  6. W 38–⁠14at NC State
  7. W 41–⁠7at California
  8. Oct 31Virginia
  9. Nov 7Merrimack
  10. Nov 14at SMU
  11. Nov 21at Georgia Tech
  12. Nov 28Duke
  • Outfitted by Nike

Wake Forest has played football since 1888 and is 501–⁠694–⁠31 in the 1,226 games on record here, which start in 1908. Their best finish in the final AP poll is No. 15, in 2021. They have won two Atlantic Coast Conference titles (the last in 2006), counting shared titles. Since 1941, the NFL Draft has taken 75 players from here in its first seven rounds, 5 of them in the first round. The AAFC and AFL drafts also took three players from here. Jim Grobe (2001–⁠2013) won more games here than any other coach: 77. The most-played rival is NC State: 120 meetings, NC State leads 70–⁠44–⁠6. This season, under Jake Dickert, they’re 6–⁠1.

Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem
Allegacy Federal Credit Union StadiumPhoto: BobHWS, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On this date in 1974Wake Forest lost to No. 18 Maryland 47–⁠0 on the road.

Résumé

All-time record
506–⁠697–⁠33 official; 501–⁠694–⁠31 on file; how we count
Postseason
12–⁠6 matches the official bowl record
AP No. 1 finishes
0
Weeks at No. 1
0 of 64 ranked
Elo now
1638 22nd of 138 FBS
Computer rankings
Massey No. 21 · Composite No. 19 in FBS, Oct 17; up 4 since Oct 11. From Massey Ratings
Best season by Elo
2007 rated 1661
Conference titles
2 last in 2006
Seasons
119 since 1908, 1,226 games

Identity

Fight song
O’ Here’s to Wake Forest
Student section
Screamin’ Demons
Apparel
Nike

2026 season 6–⁠1

RosterFull 2026 season
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3vsAkronW 38–⁠1672%
Sep 12atPurdueW 38–⁠3662%
Sep 18vs5MiamiL 20–⁠3335%
Sep 26at16LouisvilleW 30–⁠2729%
Oct 3vsStanfordW 57–⁠371%
Oct 10atNC StateW 38–⁠1443%
Oct 17atCaliforniaW 41–⁠765%
Oct 31vsVirginiaPreview71%
Nov 7vsMerrimackPreview94%
Nov 14atSMUPreview39%
Nov 21atGeorgia TechPreview62%
Nov 28vsDukePreview63%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

This season, game by game

Wake Forest’s Elo through 2026: 1526 going into the opener, 1638 after the latest game; AP rank from No. 21 to unranked.155016001650Elo 1526 going in; beat Akron 38–16Elo 1543 going in; beat Purdue 38–36Elo 1551 going in; lost to Miami 33–20Elo 1533 going in; beat Louisville 30–27Elo 1554 going in; beat Stanford 57–3Elo 1576 going in; beat NC State 38–14Elo 1614 going in; beat California 41–7; AP No. 21Now: Elo 1638 after the latest game1638
······21·
AkronPurdueMiamiLouisvilleStanfordNC StateCaliforniaNow
Elo going into each game, then after the latest. Filled dots: wins; open: losses. Numbers under the line: the AP rank going into each game, and in the newest poll (a dot: unranked).

Future schedule

2027–⁠37
20273 games: 2 home, 1 neutral, non-conference only
20284 games: 4 home, non-conference only
20294 games: 3 home, 1 away, non-conference only
20302 games: 1 home, 1 away, non-conference only
20311 game: 1 away, non-conference only
20321 game: 1 away, non-conference only
20371 game: 1 home, non-conference only

Wake Forest’s announced games beyond the seasons on our schedule, as its Wikipedia article lists them (announced schedules as of December 16, 2025). Schedules change; a season shows only the games named so far, and many articles list non-conference games only. Future schedules: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

Players

The 2026 rosterRecord bookThe money

On the 2026 team

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.

Program greats See all

Heisman finalists, College Football Hall of Famers, consensus All-Americans, national award winners and first-round picks, for what they did at Wake Forest.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.

Around the program

Apparel
Nike · Official source
Mascot
Demon Deacon · Official source
Student section
Screamin’ Demons · Official source
Athletic director
John Currie · Official source
Offensive coordinator
Rob Ezell · Official source
Defensive coordinator
Scottie Hazelton · Official source

Found by several AI researchers searching the web, then kept only where the page loads and says so in words naming the program; every quote is checked again each time the data is rebuilt. Official source: the school’s own page. All of them.

The apparel deal

Nike. Nike partnership confirmed in December 2021. The term hasn't been published.

Apparel deals: Field Drip. Terms as the outlets reported them; checked Oct 3, 2026.

Program strength since 1908

Best seasons ever
Wake Forest end-of-season Elo from 1908 to 2026, best in 2007 at 1661.13001500170019001920194019601980200020202007 peak: Elo 1661
End-of-season Elo. Dashed line: 1500, an average FBS team.

On Bluesky

  • David Hale

    Just as I'm sure I predicted before the season, the best explosive play rate differentials in the country belong to... Northwestern and Wake Forest. Explosives vs. success + offense and defense splits...

    Read on Bluesky

From reporters and writers who cover college football, linked to their posts on Bluesky.

More coverage

Found through the GDELT Project, which indexes news sites worldwide. Each link opens the story on the outlet’s own site; each picture is that outlet’s own preview of its story, shown from its site and credited to it.

Podcasts

Found through Podcast Index, the open podcast directory. Each link opens the episode’s page.

Head coaches

CoachYearsRecord
Jake Dickert2025–⁠202615–⁠5
Dave Clawson2014–⁠202467–⁠69
Jim Grobe2001–⁠201377–⁠82
Jim Caldwell1993–⁠200026–⁠63
Bill Dooley1987–⁠199229–⁠36–⁠2
Al Groh1981–⁠198626–⁠40
John Mackovic1978–⁠198014–⁠20
Chuck Mills1973–⁠197711–⁠43–⁠1
Tom Harper19722–⁠9
Cal Stoll1969–⁠197115–⁠17
William Tate1964–⁠196817–⁠32–⁠1
Billy Hildebrand1960–⁠19637–⁠33
Paul Amen1956–⁠195911–⁠26–⁠3
Tom Rogers1951–⁠195521–⁠25–⁠4
D.C. Walker1937–⁠195077–⁠51–⁠6
Jim Weaver1933–⁠193610–⁠23–⁠1
F.S. Miller1929–⁠193218–⁠15–⁠4
Stanley Cofall19282–⁠6–⁠2
James Baldwin1926–⁠19277–⁠10–⁠3
Hank Garrity1923–⁠192519–⁠7–⁠1
George Levene19223–⁠5–⁠2
J.L. White1920–⁠19214–⁠15
Harry Rabenhorst1918–⁠19193–⁠8
E.T. MacDonnell19171–⁠6–⁠1
G.M. Billings19163–⁠3
W.C. Smith1914–⁠19156–⁠10
Frank Thompson1911–⁠19135–⁠19
Reddy Rowe19102–⁠7
A.T. Myers19092–⁠4
A.P. Hall19081–⁠5

Most-played series

All rivalries
OpponentGamesWAKE record
NC State12044–⁠70–⁠6 ‡
North Carolina11337–⁠74–⁠2 ‡
Duke10541–⁠62–⁠2 ‡
Clemson9017–⁠72–⁠1
Maryland6218–⁠43–⁠1
South Carolina5620–⁠34–⁠2
Virginia5218–⁠34
Florida State429–⁠32–⁠1

Official records. † Without wins the NCAA vacated. ‡ The rivalry’s own count, where it differs from the games on file. Each series page gives both.

Rivals the program names: Duke, NC State, North Carolina.

Every opponent (128)

Every program Wake Forest has played, A to Z, with Wake Forest’s record against it. Each links to the series, game by game.

Official records. † Without wins the NCAA vacated, or with forfeits counted. ‡ The rivalry’s own count, where it differs from the games on file.

Conference titles

2, counting shared titles
Atlantic Coast Conference 2
1970, 2006
ACC Atlantic 2
2006, 2021

As the program counts them in its Wikipedia article, shared titles included, and listed under each conference’s current name (a Western Conference title of the 1900s counts as a Big Ten title); season pages use the name the conference had that year. A title the article files under a conference the team wasn’t in that season is listed under the one it was. Division titles include years the team tied for its division.

Conferences

  1. Independent 1888–⁠1889, 1891–⁠1893, 1895 and 1908–⁠1935
  2. ACC since 1953
  • 1953Joined the ACC from the SoCon. Source

Wake Forest’s football conferences by season, from CollegeFootballData.com’s memberships (renamed conferences keep the name of the time). The moves and their announcement dates from Wikipedia’s lists of NCAA Division I conference changes; the year is the first season in the new conference. Conference realignment: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

National award winners

All awards
2008Aaron Curry OLBButkus
2006Jim Grobe coachBobby Dodd Award
2005Ryan Plackemeier PRay Guy
1979John Mackovic coachWalter Camp Coach

Consensus All-Americans 3

2008Alphonso Smith CB
2005Ryan Plackemeier P
1976Bill Armstrong DB

Led the nation 7

1964Brian Piccolo rushing yards (1,044 yds), rushing touchdowns (15 TD), points (111 pts)
1962Donny Frederic kickoff return yards (660 yds)
1960Norm Snead passing yards (1,676 yds)
1952Larry Spencer kickoff return average (42.2)
1948Bill Gregus kickoff return yards (503 yds)
1948Red O’Quinn receptions (39 catches), receiving yards (605 yds)
1939John Polanski rushing yards (882 yds)

The NCAA’s official national leaders since 1937, from Wikipedia’s yearly leader lists.

In the draft

By college
NFL picks, rounds 1–⁠7
75 since 1941
First-round picks
5
AAFC and AFL picks
3 1947, 1961–⁠62
2015Kevin Johnson CBNo. 16, Houston Texans
2009Aaron Curry OLBNo. 4, Seattle Seahawks
2003Calvin Pace DENo. 18, Arizona Cardinals
1961Norm Snead QBNo. 2, Washington Redskins
1945Elmer Barbour QBNo. 10, New York Giants

Who came and went in the 2026 transfer portal, and every portal year.

The school

Wake Forest University
Enrollment
9,322 5,490 undergraduates, fall 2024
Where
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Public or private
Private nonprofit; Research 2
Founded
1834
Graduates’ median earnings
$78,158 10 years after starting

Enrollment, place and Carnegie research tier from the National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS, public domain). Earnings from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard (CC BY 4.0): the median for students who received federal aid and were working, not in school. Founding year from Wikidata. Every school’s in the data.

Official accounts

Football
X @WakeFBInstagram @wakefootballFacebook WakeForestFootball
Athletics department
X @DemonDeaconsInstagram @demondeacons

Official accounts: the schools’ athletics websites: the ones godeacs.com lists for its football program and athletics department, as of Oct 12, 2026.

Films

Films: Wikidata (CC0) and Wikipedia’s lists and categories (CC BY-SA), about the program, its seasons, games and rivalries.

Season by season

National champions
SeasonRecordConf.AP preAP finalCoachEloSP+
20266–⁠14–⁠1Jake Dickert163810.5
20259–⁠44–⁠4Jake Dickert15405.7
20244–⁠82–⁠6Dave Clawson1415-5.7
20234–⁠81–⁠7Dave Clawson1444-7.9
20228–⁠53–⁠522Dave Clawson15998.2
202111–⁠37–⁠215Dave Clawson163210.1
20204–⁠53–⁠4Dave Clawson15110.8
20198–⁠55–⁠4Dave Clawson15422.0
20187–⁠63–⁠5Dave Clawson15673.6
20178–⁠54–⁠4Dave Clawson156610.5
20167–⁠63–⁠5Dave Clawson1472-0.6
20153–⁠91–⁠7Dave Clawson1353-4.5
20143–⁠91–⁠7Dave Clawson1365-7.8
20134–⁠82–⁠6Jim Grobe1436-2.8
20125–⁠73–⁠5Jim Grobe1398-11.9
20116–⁠75–⁠3Jim Grobe1427-3.5
20103–⁠91–⁠7Jim Grobe1409-12.1
20095–⁠73–⁠5Jim Grobe15303.3
20088–⁠54–⁠423Jim Grobe16006.4
20079–⁠45–⁠3Jim Grobe16616.4
200611–⁠36–⁠218Jim Grobe16246.5
20054–⁠73–⁠5Jim Grobe1447-3.9
20044–⁠71–⁠7Jim Grobe1439-0.9
20035–⁠73–⁠5Jim Grobe14647.5
20027–⁠63–⁠5Jim Grobe15267.5
Every season back to 1908 (94 more)
SeasonRecordConf.AP preAP finalCoachEloSP+
20016–⁠53–⁠5Jim Grobe14431.5
20002–⁠91–⁠7Jim Caldwell1368-18.8
19997–⁠53–⁠5Jim Caldwell15264.0
19983–⁠82–⁠6Jim Caldwell1403-5.3
19975–⁠63–⁠5Jim Caldwell1416-0.3
19963–⁠81–⁠7Jim Caldwell1276-18.9
19951–⁠100–⁠8Jim Caldwell1288-15.9
19943–⁠81–⁠7Jim Caldwell1344-21.3
19932–⁠91–⁠7Jim Caldwell1394-17.0
19928–⁠44–⁠425Bill Dooley15516.2
19913–⁠81–⁠6Bill Dooley1367-14.6
19903–⁠80–⁠7Bill Dooley1376-11.7
19892–⁠8–⁠11–⁠6Bill Dooley1384-14.9
19886–⁠4–⁠14–⁠3Bill Dooley15184.9
19877–⁠44–⁠3Bill Dooley1491-0.7
19865–⁠62–⁠5Al Groh1452-0.7
19854–⁠71–⁠6Al Groh1413-6.2
19846–⁠53–⁠4Al Groh1438-5.4
19834–⁠71–⁠6Al Groh1372-9.4
19823–⁠80–⁠6Al Groh1357-12.6
19814–⁠71–⁠5Al Groh1433-10.0
19805–⁠62–⁠4John Mackovic150910.5
19798–⁠43–⁠2John Mackovic146211.3
19781–⁠101–⁠5John Mackovic1285-9.5
19771–⁠100–⁠6Chuck Mills1312-18.5
19765–⁠63–⁠3Chuck Mills1458-1.6
19753–⁠83–⁠3Chuck Mills1350-12.8
19741–⁠100–⁠6Chuck Mills1238-16.0
19731–⁠9–⁠10–⁠5–⁠1Chuck Mills1257-20.8
19722–⁠91–⁠5Tom Harper1300-18.7
19716–⁠52–⁠3Cal Stoll1501-2.1
19706–⁠55–⁠1Cal Stoll14867.3
19693–⁠72–⁠5Cal Stoll1342
19682–⁠7–⁠12–⁠3–⁠1William Tate1417
19674–⁠63–⁠4William Tate1467
19663–⁠72–⁠4William Tate1407
19653–⁠71–⁠5William Tate1384
19645–⁠54–⁠3William Tate1426
19631–⁠91–⁠5Billy Hildebrand1227
19620–⁠100–⁠7Billy Hildebrand1275
19614–⁠63–⁠4Billy Hildebrand1429
19602–⁠82–⁠5Billy Hildebrand1379
19596–⁠44–⁠3Paul Amen1481
19583–⁠72–⁠4Paul Amen1372
19570–⁠100–⁠7Paul Amen1297
19562–⁠5–⁠31–⁠5–⁠1Paul Amen1445
19555–⁠4–⁠13–⁠3–⁠1Tom Rogers1488
19542–⁠7–⁠11–⁠4–⁠1Tom Rogers1394
19533–⁠6–⁠12–⁠3Tom Rogers1463
19525–⁠4–⁠15–⁠1Tom Rogers1571
19516–⁠45–⁠3Tom Rogers1583
19506–⁠1–⁠26–⁠1–⁠1D.C. Walker1643
19494–⁠63–⁠3D.C. Walker1540
19486–⁠45–⁠220D.C. Walker1574
19476–⁠43–⁠4D.C. Walker1540
19466–⁠32–⁠3D.C. Walker1580
19455–⁠3–⁠13–⁠1–⁠119D.C. Walker1569
19448–⁠16–⁠117D.C. Walker1586
19434–⁠53–⁠2D.C. Walker1493
19426–⁠2–⁠16–⁠1–⁠1D.C. Walker1576
19415–⁠5–⁠14–⁠2–⁠1D.C. Walker1492
19407–⁠34–⁠2D.C. Walker1556
19397–⁠33–⁠3D.C. Walker1521
19384–⁠5–⁠13–⁠4–⁠1D.C. Walker1405
19373–⁠61–⁠4D.C. Walker1384
19365–⁠42–⁠3Jim Weaver1412
19352–⁠7Jim Weaver1308
19343–⁠7Jim Weaver1312
19330–⁠5–⁠1Jim Weaver1335
19323–⁠3–⁠2F.S. Miller1414
19314–⁠4F.S. Miller1409
19305–⁠3–⁠1F.S. Miller1438
19296–⁠5–⁠1F.S. Miller1397
19282–⁠6–⁠2Stanley Cofall1320
19272–⁠6–⁠2James Baldwin1307
19265–⁠4–⁠1James Baldwin1477
19256–⁠2–⁠1Hank Garrity1539
19247–⁠2Hank Garrity1513
19236–⁠3Hank Garrity1410
19223–⁠5–⁠2George Levene1267
19212–⁠8J.L. White1257
19202–⁠7J.L. White1326
19192–⁠6Harry Rabenhorst1375
1918few games on file1–⁠2Harry Rabenhorst1420
19171–⁠6–⁠1E.T. MacDonnell1351
19163–⁠3G.M. Billings1409
19153–⁠4W.C. Smith1360
19143–⁠6W.C. Smith1303
19130–⁠8Frank Thompson1229
19122–⁠6Frank Thompson1318
19113–⁠5Frank Thompson1338
19102–⁠7Reddy Rowe1259
19092–⁠4A.T. Myers1364
19081–⁠5A.P. Hall1393

Officially 506–⁠697–⁠33 since 1888 (per Wikipedia, rechecked weekly); game by game here, 501–⁠694–⁠31 (−5 wins, −3 losses, −2 ties). Our file starts in 1908; the program began in 1888. Some games are missing from our source.

Records are computed from every game on file at CollegeFootballData.com, whose coverage of the earliest seasons can be incomplete. Elo is this site’s own rating; see how it works on the records page.