Story by
Wake Forest Football 2026 Schedule Breakdown, Season Outlook
- Story by
- Wake Forest Football 2026 Schedule Breakdown, Season Outlook
Really, who saw Wake Forest coming up with a nine-win season under Jake Dickert? That was fun, and the 2026 schedule is there to do it all again.
The non-conference slate isn't bad, most of the tough games are at home, and while it won't be a breeze, there's a lot to like in the hopes for a big Year Two under Dickert.
Breaking Down Wake Forest's 2026 Football Schedule
Jan 2, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Jake Dickert ready to lead his team onto the field during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bank of America Stadium© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Good
Akron and Merrimack are layups in the non-conference schedule, and going to Purdue is a must-win if Wake Forest is good enough to be an ACC player this season.
Getting Duke, Miami, and Virginia at home is a plus, but ...
Advertisement
The Bad
The Demon Deacons have to play Duke, Miami, and Virginia, and go on the road for five ACC games - six in all - including the long trip to Cal. They'll likely be the underdogs in all the ACC road games.
What ACC Teams Wake Forest Will Miss
Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech.
Again, having to play Miami and Georgia Tech is tough, but missing Clemson and Florida State is never a bad thing. And, again, there's no Notre Dame to deal with.
Wake Forest's Best and Worst Case Scenarios in 2026
Best Case: The Demon Deacons get hot early
It's a sneaky-tough start to the season with four road games in six dates after starting with Akron, and one of the home games is against Miami. Wake Forest goes 4-2, at least, and comes out revived after the late October week off.
Advertisement
Worst Case: The start is too much to overcome
The Demon Deacons lose at Purdue, drop the Miami and Louisville games, and they're 1-3 before diving into October. After struggling against NC State and Cal on the road, they need a few upsets just to get to a bowl game.
Wake Forest Football 2026 Schedule
Sept 3 Akron
Sept 12 at Purdue
Sept 18 Miami
Sept 26 at Louisville
Oct 3 Stanford
Oct 10 at NC State
Oct 17 at Cal
Oct 24 OPEN DATE
Oct 31 Virginia
Nov 7 Merrimack
Nov 14 at SMU
Nov 21 at Georgia Tech
Nov 28 Duke
Games That Will Decide Wake Forest's Season
1. at Louisville, Sept. 26.Coming off the date with Miami, lose this, and the rest of the ACC season will be a scramble.
2. at Purdue, Sept. 12.To keep hammering this home, it's all about the start. Beat Purdue, and the Miami game six days later isn't quite as make-or-break to the season overall.
3. Virginia, Oct. 31.Coming off the week off, lose this, and with road games at SMU and Georgia Tech to come, that's about it for the season.
Advertisement
ACC Schedule Analysis
Boston College
| Cal
| Clemson
| Duke
Florida State
| Georgia Tech
| Louisville
Miami
| North Carolina
| NC State
| Pitt
SMU
| Stanford
| Syracuse
| Virginia
Virginia Tech
| Wake Forest
This story was originally published by College Football News on Jan 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
