Three Players to Watch on Wake Forest Against Virginia Tech Tomorrow
Virginia Tech will look to stay undefeated in ACC play as it takes on Wake Forest Saturday afternoon. Wake Forest has playmakers on both sides of the ball that could shift the odds in favor of the Demon Deacons. Here are three players on Wake Forest to keep an eye on during Saturday's game.
No. 1: Demond Claiborne - Running Back
Demond Claiborne is the engine to Wake Forest's offense. When he is at his best, he is one of the most dangerous runners in the ACC. In the Demon Deacon's overtime loss to No. 16 Georgia Tech, Claiborne was their best player on the offensive side of the ball. He ran the ball 21 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
On the season, he is averaging eight yards per carry and is fourth in the ACC this season in rushing yards. Last week, the Hokies' defense did an excellent job against Hollywood Smothers, who leads the ACC in rushing yards, holding him to only 67 yards on the ground. Virginia Tech needs to continue that level of run-stopping against Claiborne.
No. 2: Nick Andersen - Defensive Back
Nick Andersen is in his fifth year at Wake Forest out of Clifton, Virginia. He currently leads the defense in total tackles at 34 and solo tackles at 14. Andersen was named to the All-ACC Third Team last season.
He is not the flashiest player, but he always seems to find himself around the football. He is also one of Wake Forest's team captains and relies on his leadership and experience to help the younger players on the defense.
Virginia Tech knows what kind of presence he brings. In his freshman year, Andersen picked off Hokies' quarterback Hendon Hooker three times in a 23-16 victory over No. 19 Virginia Tech. That kind of performance cannot happen again if the Hokies want to win.
No. 3: Chris Barnes - Wide Receiver
Despite only being a redshirt freshman, Chris Barnes has emerged as the number one target for quarterback Robby Ashford this season. The transfer from Washington State has caught 15 passes this year for 287 yards.
Barnes is listed at just 5'7", 168 pounds, so he is not a go up and get it sort of receiver. He relies on his shiftiness and speed to create separations against cornerbacks who are much bigger than he is.
His best game of the season came against NC State. Barnes caught three balls for 76 yards. Where he truly made his presence known was in the return game. He returned a 98-yard kickoff to start the game and give Wake Forest an early lead. He is second in the ACC in terms of yards off of kickoffs at 171 yards, just behind Virginia's Cam Ross.
Chris Barnes returned it 98 yards to start the game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hwO1LQ2reB
— ESPN (@espn) September 11, 2025
More Virginia Tech Football News:
James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.