Wake Forest may not bring the biggest crowd, but the Demon Deacons still show up as one of the more recognizable stops on Miami’s schedule.
The school itself goes back a long way. Wake Forest was founded on February 3, 1834, and has worn three different names along the way: Wake Forest Manual Labor Institute in 1834, Wake Forest College in 1838/1839, and Wake Forest University in 1967.
It started in Wake Forest, North Carolina, then moved in 1956 to Winston-Salem, about 100 miles away, where it remains today. Winston-Salem has a population of 258,880, making it the sixth-biggest city in North Carolina.
The university is private, has an acceptance rate of 18%, and enrolls 9,300 students.
The mascot story is just as unusual as the name. Wake Forest did not always have a school mascot, and the Demon Deacon nickname reportedly came from a school reporter after a win over Duke.
The school’s own website says, "In 1941 Jack R. Baldwin ('43) took on a fraternity brother's dare and dressed up as he thought an old-time Baptist deacon would: top hat, tuxedo, and carrying a black umbrella."
That eventually became the look fans know now.
On game days, the Demon Deacon rides onto the field on a motorcycle to lead Wake Forest out before home games. It is one of the few traditions the program can really hang its hat on.
The quarterback situation is centered on North Carolina transfer Gio Lopez. He has been around the block, with stops at South Alabama, North Carolina, and now Wake Forest.
In college, he is 11-13 as a starter, and this season he has completed 37 of 59 passes for 575 yards and four touchdowns. He has also added 98 rushing yards and two scores on 20 carries, giving the Deacons some needed mobility at the position.
At the top, Wake Forest is led by Jake ****ert, who is in his second season as head coach. He guided the team to a 9-4 record last year, the program’s winningest season since 2021.
Before Wake Forest, he spent four seasons at Washington State from 2021-2024 and went 23-20 there. He also recruited Cam Ward to the Cougars before Ward transferred to Miami, and he coached John Mateer before Mateer moved on to Oklahoma.
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