Game times announced for Wake Forest's first three football games

Wake Forest, along with the ACC, has announced its first three game times for this coming football season.

The Demon Deacons will play host to Akron at Allegacy Stadium on the ACC Network on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.

On Sept. 12 the Demon Deacons will face Purdue on the road and that game is set for noon and will be broadcast by FS1.

To open ACC play on Sept. 18, which is a Friday night, Wake Forest will play host to Miami. That game will be at 7:30 p.m. and be broadcast on ESPN.

Lots of expectations

Coach Jake Dickert had a fantastic debut season going 9-4 and winning the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte over Mississippi State.

Those nine wins were the most by any first-year coach in school history. It also tied for the most among all FBS and Power 4 programs in the Carolinas.

Dickert surpassed Bill Dooley, who won seven games during his first season in Winston-Salem in 1987 and the 2025 campaign was highlighted by marquee College Football Playoff Top-25 wins over SMU and No. 12 Virginia – the Cavaliers' only home loss of the year.

Defensively, the Demon Deacons were among the ACC's elite in 2025, ranking seventh in the league and 44th nationally in scoring defense while finishing in the top six in the conference in both total defense and passing defense. Wake Forest did not allow a touchdown against either No. 12 Virginia or North Carolina during the season.

Individual success followed team success, as 12 Demon Deacons earned All-ACC honors in 2025. The selections marked the ninth consecutive season Wake Forest placed six or more players on the all-conference teams, and since 2019, the program's 74 All-ACC honorees rank fifth most in the ACC. Additionally, three Demon Deacons garnered All-America honors as senior tailback Demond Claiborne and redshirt senior safety Nick Andersen were named honorable mention by Phil Steele and rookie kicker Connor Calvert was named a FWAA Freshman All-American.

Wake Forest returns defensive back Davaughn Patterson, breakout offensive weapon Carlos Hernandez and the ACC leader in tackles for loss in end Langston Hardy.

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