College Football Tour visits Wake Forest and Allegacy Stadium
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Editor's Note: The Deacs play their fourth home game of the season and have yet to hit the road. Are you headed to Winston-Salem for the game this weekend against Georgia Tech? Here's what to expect from a game day experience at Allegacy Stadium. Andrew Bauhs of College Football Tour is a college football superfan. He is on a journey to attend a game at all 136 FBS stadiums. He desires to have an immersive experience so he can tell the stories of the traditions, rivalries, mascots, bands, and fans that make each venue unique.
Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest brings spirit and tradition to the landscape of college football. Opened in 1968 as Groves Stadium, the newly named Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium features two high-rising slabs of concrete that border the length of the field. Hillside seating closes the south end, giving a cozy touch to a grand venue. Smaller in capacity compared to its ACC rivals, the Demon Deacon fanbase can make this place rock.
Tailgating sets up deep into the parking lots that surround Allegacy Stadium. License plates that read “GO DEACS” and “DEACMOBL” indicate an intense devotion to the team. Pregame festivities are highlighted by The Deacon Walk, featuring the Wake Forest team arriving at the stadium and circling the famous Deacon Statue. Fans gather for the spectacle, enriched by the band, mascot, and cheerleaders. “O Here’s To Wake Forest” proudly rings through the air, and gameday begins.
The Demon Deacon mascot, complete with top hat, white hair, bow tie, and coat tails, is one of college football’s most unique symbols. He distinctively stands out, which only enhances his popularity. Once seated in the stadium, fans adjust their view toward the tunnel where the Demon Deacon makes his entrance onto the field by way of a roaring motorcycle. The team follows behind as the gridiron battle looms, and the energy of the old gold and black radiates throughout the stands.
With a victory, the action shifts to The Quad where rolls of toilet paper become the symbol of success. With Wait Chapel in the backdrop, fans blanket the trees on Hearn Plaza in a frenzy of celebration. Draping the heart of campus with these familiar streams of white has been a tradition here since the 1950s. Few places can match such an expressive postgame tradition.
Winston-Salem is a charming campus town with a proud fanbase. Football Saturdays bring together the Wake Forest loyalists as they cheer on their beloved Deacs. Allegacy Stadium fills with black and gold and transforms into a cauldron of energy on gameday. While it may not immediately come to mind as a football school, Wake Forest shows that the capacity of a venue does not directly equate to the ardency it produces.
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Andrew runs College Football Tour, which documents his journey to thoroughly experience gameday at every FBS stadium. A graduate and fan of the University of Wisconsin, his visit to Wake Forest was a favorite along the college football landscape.