The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Wake Forest's Win Over Oregon State

The Demon Deacons moved to a 4-2 record with their win over the Beavers in Corvallis.

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Chris Barnes (10) runs for a touchdown after the catch during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

With their 39-14 win over the Beavers this past weekend, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, 1-2 in ACC) moved to 4-2 on the season. Below, we've outlined the good, the bad, and the ugly from this past weekend's win over Oregon State.

Before their matchup against Oregon State, the news broke that quarterback Robby Ashford would not be suiting up, resulting in Deshawn Purdie, a sophomore from Baltimore, Maryland, getting his first career start with the Demon Deacons.

Wake Forest is now only two wins away from being bowl eligible, something they haven't achieved since 2022 when the Demon Deacons began the season 6-1 before finishing the season 8-5. With a younger quarterback who's delivered as the head of the Wake Forest offense, could we see a quarterback battle in Winston-Salem?

The Good: Deshawn Purdie's Passing Ability

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Deshawn Purdie (5) on the field for warmups prior to the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

With Ashford sidelined, Purdie got the go-ahead against the Beavers, making his first start for Wake Forest. With only eight passing attempts this season, many wondered what the sophomore would look like with a full four quarters of action.

Purdie made the most of his time on the field by throwing for 270 passing yards and four touchdowns, completing 14 of 27 passes. Despite the low completion percentage, Purdie showed off the deep threat passing ability by averaging nearly 20 yards per completion.

The Bad: Fourth Quarter Struggles Return

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs the ball during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Throughout the season, Wake Forest has struggled in the second half. If the Demon Deacons had held on to beat NC State, they might be 5-1 at this point. While it wasn't a significant factor during the game against Oregon State, these are still concerns for Jake Dickert's team and their ability to finish the job after halftime.

In the fourth quarter this past weekend, the Beavers found the endzone twice against a Wake Forest defense that was playing without the majority of their starters. Again, while it isn't the most pressing takeaway from the win, it's still something to keep an eye on, especially when the Demon Deacons have yet to face some of the better teams in the ACC.

The Ugly: A Lack of Depth on Defense

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Myles Turpin (22) brakes up a pass intended for Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Trent Walker (7) during the second quarter at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Alongside their second half woes this season, there's a looming issue concerning the depth that the Deacons have on defense. While the offense has been able to put up points when needed, the second half defense has allowed other teams to get back into the game.

Against No.12 Georgia Tech, Wake Forest led at halftime by a whopping two touchdowns as Claiborne and Ashford both found the endzone. In the second half, the Deacons were outscored 20-6 before they eventually lost 30-29. While the end result of the game may have come into question, there's no excuse for a second half to get that out of hand.