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Wake Forest Basketball's List of Opponents Continues to Come Together

We are getting a fuller picture of the road ahead
Justin Kontul|
Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons bench reacts after taking the lead in the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons bench reacts after taking the lead in the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Wake Forest Demon Deacons

We are continuing to gain a fuller view of what lies ahead for Wake Forest basketball as their 2026-27 opponents are continuing to be announced. Last week, the ACC announced the home/road opponents for men's basketball. We saw which conference opponents Wake will be facing, and whether the game will be at the Joel or on the road.

Let's go through some of the key takeaways from some of these ACC matchups, plus some of the nonconference games already announced.

Logging Flight Miles

The Deacs will certainly get used to spending time on a plane next season, as they will need to go cross-country on several occasions for tougher matchups. This year, Wake has the California swing, where they will face both Stanford and Cal. In 2025, Wake was the first team to win both games in the California swing, as most teams struggle to win both games out West.

Wake will also need to travel to sun-filled Miami to face the Hurricanes, coming off a standout year under first-time head coach Jai Lucas. This is coupled with a trip down to Dallas, where the Deacs will face the SMU Mustangs, another challenging place to play. Another longer trip will also be made earlier in the season, as we know, Wake Forest will be playing in the Battle for Atlantis alongside Penn State, Xavier, and Memphis in November.

All the travel to face high-quality opponents will certainly present challenges for the Deacs. However, there are parts of this schedule that will certainly bring a smile to Wake Forest fans.

Wake defends play at the basket against Clemson
Feb 18, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers forward Nick Davidson (11) shoots against Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Omaha Biliew (0) and forward Marqus Marion (11) during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Big Four Matchups at the Joel

One thing that irked fans last year was that UNC and Duke never came to Winston-Salem. Wake faced the task of playing on the road. The Deacs did play NC State at the Joel, but it was during a snowstorm in the area, and most fans could not make it to the game. This season, Wake gets Duke, UNC, and NC State all at home. This should bring bigger crowds to the Joel and give the Deacs some Quad 1 home opportunities.

Along with this, we now know the opponent Wake will see twice, in addition to rival NC State, is Notre Dame. This means Wake will get a home and road game against the Fighting Irish. The ACC team the Deacs will not face in the regular season is Virginia. This is a good trade-off as it gives the Deacs an easier conference matchup. Picking up as many ACC wins as possible is key to finding success in March.

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Justin Kontul
JUSTIN KONTUL

Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.

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