Wake Forest Demon Deacons News

Carlos Hernandez - Expected to return at Purdue Hernandez (chest) is expected to return in Week 2 at Purdue, per Andrew Kube of Deacons Illustrated.

Impact Hernandez erupted for five catches for 165 yards and a score in Wake Forest's opener, but left the game after taking a hard hit. Now, however, head coach Jake Dickert says "I think he'll be 100% this week" against Purdue, and that's big news for the Demon Deacons as they look to start 2-0 and knock off their first P4 opponent of the season.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

How Much Is Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell's Buyout? Contract Details In 2026

What to know about Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell's contract in 2026.

2 DAYS AGO • FOX SPORTS

How Much Is Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell's Buyout? Contract Details In 2026

Boise State Returned A Championship Roster. Can The Group of Six Still Compete?

College football spending has ballooned, but Boise State going away and is fixated on a second CFP berth in three years.

4 DAYS AGO • FOX SPORTS

Boise State Returned A Championship Roster. Can The Group of Six Still Compete?

Kam Shanks - Registers TD in Thursday's win Shanks registered five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 38-16 win over Akron.

Impact Shanks was listed as a co-starter heading into the game. He had the team's first touchdown of the season on a 27-yard pass from new quarterback Gio Lopez, one of three first-half TD passes. Shanks and the Wake Forest passing offense faces another favorable matchup on the road against Purdue next Saturday.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Antonio Meeks - Cracks off long TD in victory Meeks supplied 93 receiving yards on three receptions with a touchdown in Thursday's 38-16 win over Akron.

Impact The highlight of the evening was a first-half scoring hook-up with new quarterback Gio Lopez for 72 yards. He had one of the team's two scoring strikes of at least 72 yards, as the Wake Forest passing attack carved up the Akron secondary. It was quite the debut, as he is nearly halfway to his career-high of 189 receiving yards set at Louisville in 2025.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Ty Clark III - Hits triple digits on ground in opener Clark amassed a game-high 105 rushing yards on seven carries in Thursday's 38-16 victory over Akron.

Impact Clark did not have any receptions in the game, and his touch total was limited. With a lopsided score, head coach Jake Dickert turned to reserves to get some experience in the offense in the second half. The junior posted 323 rushing yards and three scores in 2025, and he is already on pace to smash his previous career high in yardage.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Carlos Hernandez - Posts big stats prior to injury Hernandez (upper body) left Thursday's game late in the second quarter against Akron after a hard hit to the midsection.

Impact Prior to the hit, Hernandez was off to a red-hot start, going for five receptions, 165 yards and a 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Head coach Jake Dickert said Hernandez sat the rest of the way, due to precautionary reasons, per Conor O'Neill of Rivals.com, as he was struggling to get his wind back after a hard hit to the chest. His status for next Saturday's game at Purdue is uncertain.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Gio Lopez - Lights up Akron in first half Lopez completed 21 of 32 passes for 350 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Thursday's 38-16 victory over Akron.

Impact Lopez also ran seven times for 39 yards, the third-most rushing yards on the team. He had 313 passing yards at halftime, which was more passing yards than he had in any single game at North Carolina in 2025. He has two long scoring strikes of 72 yards to Antonio Meeks, and 78 yards to Carlos Hernandez. It's one game, and it's Akron, but Lopez is off to a fabulous start in Winston-Salem.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Lopez, Wake Forest get off to a fast offensive start in 38-16 win against Akron to open the season

Gio Lopez threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns in his Wake Forest debut to help the Demon Deacons beat Akron 38-16 in the season opener

5 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

How to watch Akron vs Wake Forest: Live stream College Football, TV channel The Akron Zips (0-0) travel to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium on Thursday night to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (0-0) as bot...

5 DAYS AGO • THEBIGLEAD.COM

Ny Carr - Not dressed Thursday Carr (undisclosed) is not dressed for Thursday's game versus Akron, Cam Lemons Debro of 247Sports.com reports.

Impact Carr was unable to dress for the team's season opener, presumably due to an injury. He transferred to Wake Forest this offseason after two quiet seasons with Miami. His next chance to suit up is next Saturday at Purdue.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

'Best home schedule we've had' awaits UConn as a new coach takes over in 2026

UConn's football schedule has transformed since leaving the American Athletic Conference

SEPTEMBER 1 • Associated Press

Will the pursuit of playoff berths at the top of college football cost FCS teams? Not so far

FCS teams often face FBS teams in "money games," where they endure losses but earn significant payouts

AUGUST 31 • Associated Press

Akron vs. Wake Forest Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 1 The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are set to begin their 2026 college football season on Thursday night when they host the Akron Zips. The Demon...

AUGUST 31 • SI.COM

Kam Shanks - Listed as co-starter for Week 1 Shanks is listed as a co-starter for Wake Forest's regular-season opener Thursday against Akron, Deacons Illustrated reports.

Impact Shanks is listed as a co-starting wideout alongside Drayden Dickmann and Elijiah Otieno, so it remains to be seen just how involved he'll be on offense. Shanks was limited to nine receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown this past fall with Arkansas, and he's looking for a bounce-back performance in 2026.

AUGUST 28 • ROTOWIRE

Jack Foley - Co-starter for Week 1 Foley is listed as a co-starter for Wake Forest's regular-season opener Thursday against Akron, Deacons Illustrated reports.

Impact Perhaps working with Wake Forest's first-team offense was an omen for what is to come, as Foley and Antonio Meeks were listed as co-starters for the same position going into Week 1. Even though Foley did not catch most of his five targets in 2025, the one target caught was one he took the house for a 64-yard touchdown in a bowl setting. If Foley does start, he can start showing the explosiveness that earned him a co-starting gig in the first place.

AUGUST 28 • ROTOWIRE

Antonio Meeks - Listed as co-starter for Week 1 Meeks is listed as a co-starter for Wake Forest's regular-season opener Thursday against Akron, Deacons Illustrated reports.

Impact Meeks and Jack Foley are listed as co-starters for Wake Forest's X-receiver position. If the former can land a starting spot, it would be a big deal for the ex-Louisville transfer. The top role would help Meeks better his chances of improving from his 2025, when he logged 17 receptions (on 27 targets) for 189 yards and one touchdown.

AUGUST 28 • ROTOWIRE

Gio Lopez - Named starting quarterback Lopez is officially the Demon Deacons' QB1 ahead of the 2026 season, per Pete Nakos of On3.com.

Impact This was the widely expected outcome in Winston-Salem, as Lopez is by far the most experienced quarterback on Wake Forest's roster. Lopez had an up-and-down season at North Carolina last year, tossing for 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions on 65.1% completion while adding 133 yards and three scores on the ground.

AUGUST 25 • ROTOWIRE

Jake Dickert on Wake Forest's New QB, ACC Depth & Building a Winner | Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated staff writer Bryan Fischer sits down with Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert at ACC Media Days in Charlotte, North Carol...

AUGUST 24 • SI.COM

The Miami Hurricanes have never won the ACC title. They're picked as the league's headliner in '26

Miami is following its run to last year's College Football Playoff championship game by entering this year as the Atlantic Coast Conference title favorite

AUGUST 17 • Associated Press

Wake Forest aims for strong follow-up to a 9-win debut season under Jake Dickert

Wake Forest is entering its second year under Jake Dickert, coming after the Demon Deacons won nine games in his debut season

AUGUST 17 • Associated Press

Liberty's Chadwell eyes a Conference USA rebound after surgery and a 4-8 stumble

Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell has been looking forward to the upcoming season perhaps more than any other

AUGUST 12 • Associated Press

QB Gio Lopez gets a fresh start at Wake Forest in a reunion with his former offensive coordinator

Quarterback Gio Lopez has transferred from the spotlight of Bill Belichick's North Carolina program to be with his former offensive coordinator at Wake Forest

AUGUST 6 • Associated Press

A Way-Too-Early Look at Wake Forest's Bowl Possibilities The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are hoping to build on last season's bowl victory, but where could Jake Dickert's team land when the postseaso...

JUNE 27 • SI.COM

Wake Forest's Carlos Hernandez Is Primed for a Big 2026 After leading the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in every major receiving category last season, Carlos Hernandez is poised for an even bigger yea...

JUNE 25 • SI.COM

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How Much Is Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell's Buyout? Contract Details In 2026

Boise State Returned A Championship Roster. Can The Group of Six Still Compete?

Lopez, Wake Forest get off to a fast offensive start in 38-16 win against Akron to open the season

'Best home schedule we've had' awaits UConn as a new coach takes over in 2026

Will the pursuit of playoff berths at the top of college football cost FCS teams? Not so far

The Miami Hurricanes have never won the ACC title. They're picked as the league's headliner in '26

Wake Forest aims for strong follow-up to a 9-win debut season under Jake Dickert

Liberty's Chadwell eyes a Conference USA rebound after surgery and a 4-8 stumble

QB Gio Lopez gets a fresh start at Wake Forest in a reunion with his former offensive coordinator