What's Hiding Out West? Wake Forest - Oregon State Preview
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There is a lot to be excited about with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3–2, 1–2 ACC), but this weekend's game against the Oregon State Beavers (0–6) presents unique challenges.
Here is what you can expect.
The Blundering Beavers
There is really no way to sugarcoat being 0–6. Two of their first four games were against top-10 opponents, and they lost by a combined seven points in their last two games, but they are still winless.
Here is where the interesting part lies: a winless team welcomes a cross-country foe for what should not be a contest. Does that ring a bell?
Last week, the winless UCLA Bruins welcomed the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions to town as 24.5-point underdogs. UCLA is no longer winless, after upending Penn State, 42–37. Wake Forest is not ranked, and they are only 2.5-point favorites over Oregon State. Could Wake Forest have their hands full this weekend?
The farthest the Dickert-era Deacs have traveled is two hours to Blacksburg, Virginia—a rather pleasant drive. This week, they will fly through three time zones to reach Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. Additionally, the Beavers have absolutely nothing to lose, while Wake Forest is desperately trying to present themselves as players in a competitive ACC.
This weekend has all the makings of a trap game, if Wake Forest allows it.
Oregon State's 2025 Opponents | Score |
|---|---|
vs California | Lost 34–15 |
vs Fresno State | Lost 36–27 |
at No. 9 Texas Tech | Lost 45–14 |
at No. 3 Oregon | Lost 41–7 |
vs Houston | Lost 27–24 |
at Appalachian State | Lost 27–23 |
ACC Connection
The name Maalik Murphy might sound familiar to some Demon Deacons fans. He is the quarterback for Oregon State, but played for the rival Duke Blue Devils in 2024. Murphy has yet to see a jump in performance this season, but that could partially be due to the extreme difficulty of their schedule.
Statistical Categories | Maalik Murphy 2025 Stats |
|---|---|
Completion Percentage | 59.7% |
Passing Yards | 1,523 |
Passing Touchdowns | 9 |
Interceptions Thrown | 7 |
While Robby Ashford gets to play against his old rival from his early days at Oregon, Murphy will get to do the same from his time in Durham. Ashford has already made it known that he is fired up to play against Oregon State, and we can assume the same is true for Maalik Murphy.
How Do the Deacs Stack Up?
The biggest concerns are Demon Claiborne and Robby Ashford being and remaining healthy. Jake Dickert had no insights for the media at his weekly press conference, but Ashford looked good and was in great spirits at the post-game interviews on Saturday. While there is nothing official, the signs are promising.
Beyond the offensive pillars and their potential availability, the defense was stifling last week and looks to be the Deacs' strongest asset this weekend. We saw that when the offense struggled against Virginia Tech in the second half, the defense stepped up until the offense could go on a sustained drive late in the game to help ice the Hokies.
This week, especially if Claiborne and/or Ashford are still banged up or unavailable, the defense will be critical in creating balance. However, Ty Clark stepped up in Claiborne's absence, and many players—Sawyer Racanelli, Carlos Hernandez, and Eni Falayi—are filling in nicely on the receiving end. A "next man up" mentality is necessary to win and is clearly being developed in Winston-Salem.
On paper, Wake Forest stacks up well against Oregon State, but it will likely come down to the mindset and mental preparation of the team. So far, it appears Coach Dickert is doing his part to get his team ready and prepared, but the truth will be revealed out west on Saturday.
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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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