A Pair of Demon Deacons Take Home ACC Weekly Honors

Chris Barnes and Demond Claiborne were both named to this week’s ACC honors for their performances against Oregon State.

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Chris Barnes (10) catches his third touchdown pass of the day during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

After leading Wake Forest to a blowout win over Oregon State this past weekend, a pair of Demon Deacons were named to the ACC Weekly honors, including Chris Barnes for Rookie of the Week and Demond Claiborne for Running Back of the Week.

Chris Barnes:

Redshirt-freshman Chris Barnes was named ACC Rookie of the Week after a three-touchdown performance against the Beavers. Barnes reeled in three touchdowns on three catches for 102 yards.

Barnes and the Deacons drew first blood after he was found by quarterback Deshawn Purdie for a 36-yard passing touchdown on the first drive of the game. In the second quarter, Purdie picked out Barnes again, this time for an 11-yard touchdown grab to give Wake Forest a 22-0 lead. And for Barnes, the last catch was the longest with what was a 55-yard house call to cap off a lightning fast one-play drive.

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

It was the second time this season that Barnes has crossed 100 yards receiving. He last did so against Western Carolina when he reeled in six catches for 149 yards. Barnes continues to be one of the best deep threats in the country, averaging 17.8 yards per reception. In addition, the redshirt-freshman poses a threat on kick returns with six for 234 yards, an average of 39 yards per return.

Demond Claiborne:

In the 39-14 victory, Claiborne rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. The senior averaged nine yards per attempt and punched it into the end zone for the fifth straight game. Claiborne put the exclamation point on his performance with a 66-yard house-call in the fourth quarter against the Beavers. This is the second time Claiborne has been tabbed ACC Running Back of the Week. He was previously awarded the honor after his performance against Western Carolina.

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

He had himself a bounce-back game after totalling just 29 rushing yards against Virginia Tech the week prior. It also marks the third time this season Claiborne has crossed the 100 rushing yards, as he did so against Western Carolina with 193 yards and No. 16 Georgia Tech with 119 yards.

This season, Claiborne and the Demon Deacons continue to turn heads around the conference. The Virginia native has 69 carries for 539 yards. His eight rushing touchdowns put him tied-fifth in the nation. Claiborn has also been one of the most efficient backfield threats in the country, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. That ranks third in the nation among running backs with 65 carries or more.

What’s Next?

Head coach Jake Dickert and Wake Forest will have time to recover with their bye week. The Demon Deacons are now 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. They will begin preparations for their homecoming matchup against the SMU Mustangs on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. from Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. The game will be televised on The CW.