What The Stats Say About Wake Forest vs. Duke

What do the analytics say about the Wake Forest Demon Deacons matchup against the Duke Blue Devils?

Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Jaquez Moore (9) tries to elude Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Nick Andersen (45) during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons continue to be one of the best stories in college football, showing one of the best program turnarounds from this time last season under the direction of first-year head coach Jake Dickert.

Now, as the regular season wraps up, and having nearly doubled their predicted win total on the season, the Demon Deacons look to continue their ways and finish off the season one win shy of a double-digit season against the Duke Blue Devils.

So what does the analytics say about the Demon Deacons' odds to win their ninth game in a season, for only the fourth time since 2000?

Defend The Unexpected

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarter back Darian Mensah (10) drops back for a pass against Virginia Cavaliers defensive lineman Jacob Holmes (23) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils, much like the Delaware Blue Hens the Demon Deacons just handled, love to move their offense through the air, which benefits Dickert's team and truly plays to their strengths. The difference here is that the Blue Devils have the talent to attack opposing teams through the air and do it with force.

Their offensive numbers will 'wow' you, ranking in the top 50 or better in nearly every state. They are 18th in pass play percentage (55.38), 32nd in completion percentage (65.65), 43rd in yards per pass (7.8), 19th in passes per game (36.1), 16th in passing yards per game (281.5), and seventh in interceptions thrown percentage (1.11).

The one stat that they aren't in the top 50 for is sack percentage, as they allow Darian Mensah to be sacked 5.25 percent of the time. However, as of late, they have been struggling on offense. In their first eight games of the season, they never finished below 265 passing yards, including five games over 300 yards. In their last three games, though, they are only averaging 203 yards, a steep drop off that has led to two losses in that span.

For the Demon Deacons, the key is to keep them off the field and prevent them from establishing a rhythm. Control the ball, find success running it, using featured back Demond Claiborne, who has taken a backseat during their recent winning streak. The Blue Devils won't turn the ball over, and the Demon Deacons don't force turnovers at an impressive rate either.

If it comes to a shootout, while the Daacs' offense has been better over the past few weeks, they have also shown signs of struggle. Find a way to control the ball and limit self-imposed mistakes, and the Demon Deacons should reach nine wins.