Behind Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest Has Air of Confidence Against NC State
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The Demon Deacons started their 2025 campaign in deflating fashion, squeaking by the Kennesaw State Owls, 10–9. The plethora of questions floating around to start the season was left largely unanswered. To make matters worse, Wake's superstar running back, Demond Claiborne, went out with a rib injury.
This past weekend, however, the script was flipped. After weather delays trampled the festivities, the Deacs took care of business against the Western Carolina Catamounts, 42–10.
As the NC State Wolfpack comes to Allegacy Stadium for a Thursday night showdown, the outlook is a lot brighter for Wake Forest. Here's what to expect.
Claiborne to Run Wild
Coming into the season, there was incredible hype around Demond Claiborne and the potential of this new Wake Forest offense with offensive coordinator Rob Ezell and transfer quarterback Robby Ashford. In their week one matchup, none of the anticipation was realized due to Claiborne's injury. This past Saturday against Western Carolina was a different story.
Demond Claiborne had his official debut under his sky-high expectations and ran all over the Catamounts (10 carries, 193 yards, three touchdowns). Claiborne's record-book chase is now back on track with this monstrous explosion.
While it is a huge relief for Deactown to see the originally intended offensive scheme have success, it is even more enticing for their matchup with NC State. The Woflpack allowed 257 rushing yards against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday— a salivating sign for Thursday night.
Really, NC State struggled to contain the Wahoos at all—allowing 514 total yards—but prevailed victorious due to clutch defensive moments in the fourth quarter—including a game-sealing interception.
Wake Forest's exciting offensive rebound was not without hiccups, though. They turned the ball over three times (2 fumbles and 1 interception). The Claiborne-centric scheme appears to be effective in early trials, but turnovers could make all the difference against a hungry Wolfpack.
A Truer Test of Wake's Defense
Wake Forest allowed just 19 points through the first two weeks, but they played opponents of lesser stature. This week, it is an ACC, Tobacco Road smackdown, where the Demon Deacons' engine will have to fire on all cylinders.
NC State quarterback CJ Bailey can get it done through the air and on the ground. Additionally, he has a touted running mate in redshirt sophomore Hollywood Smothers, who marched for 140 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia. In receiver land, five wideouts had 25 or more yards—giving the Wolfpack a charcuterie board of options.
In their limited capacity, the Deacs showed promise compared to their exposed defensive outing in 2024. This week, however, the first of the big tests for Scottie Hazelton's defensive bunch comes against one of the most important foes.
Robby Ashford's Litmus Test
The biggest question surrounding the Demon Deacons in 2025 is the quarterback position and Robby Ashford. They've failed to find a lasting identity at the position since the days of Sam Hartman ended after 2022.
In his Wake Forest debut against Kennesaw State and just his 12th-career start, Ashford was efficient and mistake-free in what was a scrapped-together game plan in the absence of Demond Claiborne.
Against Western Carolina, the journeyman was more explosive, scoring once through the air on 10.3 yards per attempt, and bringing in 66 rushing yards and a score. However, he did throw his first interception and lose two fumbles—mistakes that will be less palatable against NC State.
Side note: One of Ashford's lost fumbles was due to a bad snap.
Luckily for Ashford, he has already begun building connections with his new receivers. It was a much-improved scene on Saturday, with transfers Chris Barnes and Sterling Berkhalter leading the way. Barnes reeled in 6 passes for 149 yards, and Berkhalter had 2 receptions, 72 yards, and a score.
There is always drama in a Big Four matchup, and this one may call for Robby Ashford to step up and lead Wake Forest through tumultuous waters toward a victory. Sooner or later, Robby Ashford will be thrown to the wolves, forced to fend for himself.
Wake Forest and NC State meet for each team's first ACC contest of the season. Last year, Wake Forest marched into Raleigh and stole the victory. This year, the Wolfpack are considerable favorites. Despite this, current trends show that the Demon Deacons might steal back-to-back games against their in-state rivals and remain undefeated in the Jake Dickert era.
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Blake is a Sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. When not living on campus, he resides in West Virginia, where he was born and raised. He is studying communication and is invested in all things related to sports media. In his Freshman year, he completed an internship with the National Sports Media Association, and also worked as a sports editor at Wake Forest's student-run newspaper, the Old Gold & Black. Currently, Blake does play-by-play broadcasting for Wake Forest Club Ice Hockey and holds a job at Learfield, working as a studio host. In a perfect world, he would spend his free time road tripping and attending concerts all across the United States.
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