How to Watch Wake Forest Football Face Akron in 2026's Season Opener

Everything you need to know before the Demon Deacons take on the Zips

Wake Forest Wide Receiver and Punt Returner Carlos Hernandez returns a punt for a touchdown against the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2025 season. Hernandez is one of only a few offensive skill-position players returning for the 2026 season. | Evan Harris/Wake Forest on SI

Wake Forest Football is finally back for the 2026 season, as Head Coach Jake Dickert and the Demon Deacons look to start on a good note against the Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference.

The Demon Deacons arrive at Allegacy Stadium on Thursday night with a mixture of familiar names and fresh faces. Captains Gio Lopez (QB), Will Way (C), Langston Hardy (DE), Aiden Hall (LB), Davaughn Patterson (S), and Matthew Lusardi (TE) will each lead the Deacs into the 2026 campaign, starting with the Zips.

Wake Forest vs. Akron - Game Details

• Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Kickoff Time: 7:00 P.M. ET
• Location: Allegacy Financial Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C. (capacity 31,500)
• Television: ACC Network, with Matt Schick (Play-by-Play), Forrest Conoly (Analyst), and Ashley Stroehlein (Reporter)
• Radio: Wake Forest Radio Network with Stan Cotten (Play-by-Play), Lary Sorensen (Analyst), and Dave Goren (Sideline Reporter)
• Local: WBRF-FM 98.1 | WPOL 1340 AM / WPOL 103.5 FM
• SiriusXM: 382
• Internet: 972
• Web: GoDeacs.com
• Series History: First-ever game between the two programs

New Man Under Center

Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez throws pass in spring practice | Wake Forest Athletics

In case you missed it, Wake Forest Football has a new man at the helm this season- UNC transfer quarterback Gio Lopez.

Lopez, a redshirt junior from Madison, Alabama, reunites with offensive coordinator Rob Ezell, who coached the southpaw quarterback at South Alabama during the 2024 season. Lopez threw for 2,557 yards and 18 touchdowns over the course of 11 starts, and led the Jaguars to a 7-6 record and the 22nd-ranked total offense nationally (274.7 yards per game).

The quarterback enters into a passing attack that has been almost entirely revamped in comparison to last season. After wide receiver coach Nick Edwards departed for Oklahoma State, the program lost the likes of Chris Barnes, Micah Mays, and Sterling Berhalter, all of whom contributed to the passing attack last season.

New wide receiver coach Dyrell Roberts built the receiver room back through the transfer portal, as the Demon Deacons added transfers Kam Shanks (R-Jr., Arkansas), Drayden Dickmann (R-Jr., Rice), and incoming freshman Elijah Otieno (Forney, TX) in their slot.

One of the offense's main focal points will be Carlos Hernandez, who will be returning to Allegacy Stadium for another season. Hernandez, a senior who followed Dickert to Winston-Salem from Washington State, caught 40 passes for 611 yards and scored five total touchdowns last year, including a punt return touchdown in a win against Virginia.

Another will be Ty Clark III, who remains in the backfield after backing up for Demond Claiborne last season. It will be a tall task to replicate the efficiency that Claiborne ran with last season, and Clark does have to find gaps behind a newly reconstructed offensive line. Nevertheless, Clark ran for 4.3 yards per attempt and three touchdowns last season, and should bring a change of pace to the Wake Forest offense.