Two Key Things to Watch for as Wake Forest's Season Kicks Off
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The start of the 2026 college football season is almost here for Demon Deacon fans! The season kicks off tomorrow night against the Akron Zips of the MAC Conference. It's been a long offseason filled with high and low moments, but the season is finally upon us.
Before the opening game kicks off, let's take a look at some last-minute things to watch as the Deacs take the field.
Efficent Passing Attack
This was a big aspect that was lacking in last year's squad. Despite the impressive final record, last year's Deacs mightily struggled to find a consistent passing game. Sure, Robby Ashford showed off his mobility in big moments, but he was an inconsistent passer for much of the season. This led to the offense being very big-play dependent and overly reliant on Claiborne and Ashford's ability to run the ball.
Gio Lopez certainly seems like a better pure passer option at quarterback for Wake. The lefty can attack defensive coverages, and Coach Dickert has already talked about his ability to get the football out quickly. If this is the case, expect to see a lot more short- to medium-distance throws on Thursday night as the Deacs look to find a rhythm through the air. This year's offense can certainly be explosive, but can they show the consistency necessary to keep opposing defenses on their toes?
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Limiting Big Plays
Last season's defensive dominance in big games against highly touted teams like SMU and Virginia certainly played a major role in Wake's success. They were so dominant because they consistently prevented big plays from opposing offenses. In fact, last year Wake allowed the 11th fewest plays of 20 yards or more in the entire FBS. This makes it incredibly difficult for opposing offenses to get into any sort of rhythm and led to major success for the Wake defense.
Despite all the pieces coming back in this year's defense, last year's most important piece, defensive back Nick Andersen, is now in the pros. Starting linebackers Dylan Hazen and Quincy Bryant are also out the door. That's a lot of production right in the teeth of the defense that Wake needs to replace. The good news is we do expect guys like Davaughn Patterson and Aiden Hall to step into bigger roles and fill this production gap after having very good seasons in their own right last year. Can the defense still be nearly as good as it was last year at preventing big plays? We will have to see.
Game Time
The Demon Deacons are set to take on Akron tomorrow at 7:00 pm. Deac fans will need to arrive early and pack Allegacy Stadium for opening night. The game will stream on the ACC Network.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.