Wake Forest walks into Thursday with a very specific kind of chance: not just a road win, but a long-overdue one that has been out of reach for more than 16 years.
The Demon Deacons haven’t beaten an Associated Press Top 25 team in a true road game since Jan. 20, 2010, when they knocked off No. 24 North Carolina, 82-69.
That’s the backdrop for their trip to No. 24 Vanderbilt, and it gives this early-season matchup a little extra weight for a program trying to keep building under Steve Forbes with a roster that looks almost completely remade.
Wake Forest opened the 2026-27 season Monday with an 83-62 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, but Memorial Gymnasium is a different kind of test entirely. Vanderbilt is coming off a 27-win season and another NCAA Tournament trip, and this is one of the biggest nonconference opportunities on the Demon Deacons’ schedule.
The challenge gets sharper when you look at what Vanderbilt just did in its opener. The Commodores rolled past Bellarmine 93-47, with preseason All-American Tyler Tanner leading the way with 20 points, six assists and four steals. Three other starters also scored in double figures, and Vanderbilt forced 23 turnovers, a sign of the defensive pressure Wake Forest will have to handle from the jump.
That pressure is part of what makes this trip so tricky. Wake Forest can’t afford a slow start while it figures out the atmosphere or settles into the game. It will need clean possessions, steady offense and enough poise to keep Vanderbilt from getting comfortable early.
There is at least some reason for optimism on the Wake Forest side, and it came from the freshmen in the opener. Twins Gavin and Gallagher Placide were immediate factors against Maryland Eastern Shore, combining for 33 points and nine rebounds. Gavin put up 20 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks, while Gallagher added 13 points and helped fuel a key second-half surge.
Transfer guard Kevair Kennedy also made a strong first impression, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. His ability to manage possessions and set up teammates could matter even more against a Vanderbilt defense that likes to turn games into a grind.
Wake Forest has beaten ranked teams during Forbes’ tenure, including an 83-79 win over No. 8 Duke in February 2024. But winning on the road against a ranked opponent has remained a stubborn hurdle, and Thursday offers a clean shot at changing that.
The Commodores already showed last December what this matchup can look like, beating Wake Forest 98-67. That result is a reminder of how steep the task is, even before factoring in Vanderbilt’s home floor and the momentum from its season-opening win.
For Wake Forest, the payoff would go beyond one November result. A road win like this would give the Demon Deacons a valuable piece for their NCAA Tournament case later on, especially when the selection committee starts comparing resumes in March. More than that, it would show that this rebuilt group can do something the program hasn’t done since 2010.
That’s what makes Thursday so compelling: one game, one ranked opponent, one chance to end a drought that has lasted 16 years.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Faces Its First Real Test As One Early Strength Gets Checked
Vanderbilt opened the season with the kind of comfortable win coaches like to see, rolling past Bellarmine 93-47 behind Tyler Tanners 20 points. Mark Byington used the moment to keep the focus where he wants it for the long haul, stressing that the season is still young and the real task is steady improvement rather than getting carried away by one lopsided result.
Wake Forest now brings the first real measuring stick to Nashville on Thursday night after also opening with a win, setting up a rematch that should tell a little more about where Vanderbilt stands. The Commodores will get a better read on their early strength against a familiar opponent, and Tanners playmaking will be part of the spotlight again as the competition level rises. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Homecoming Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Anyone Expected
Saturdays homecoming game at Davis Wade Stadium was already on the calendar, but it has taken on a different kind of weight for both Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. CT, and what might have looked like a routine fall date now carries the feel of a reset opportunity for two teams trying to stop the slide.
Mississippi State comes in having dropped four straight, and the Bulldogs are trying to steady themselves after losing their starting quarterback for the season. Vanderbilt is searching for the same kind of relief after five consecutive losses, which makes this matchup feel less like a celebration game and more like a chance for one side to finally interrupt a rough stretch before it gets any longer. [Read more 🡒]
Clark Lea Admits Vanderbilt Still Has Problems He Needs To Fix
Clark Leas bye week was eventful in more ways than one, and not all of them had to do with football. Vanderbilts head coach welcomed his fourth child, Miles, during the break, then returned to a season that has not lived up to expectations. The timing offered a brief pause, but not much relief, for a program still trying to find steadier footing as the schedule rolls on.
Lea has been candid that there are problems he needs to address, even if the biggest answers will have to wait. He said the focus right now has to stay on winning the next games and improving how the team performs, while more significant staff and program decisions are put off until after the season. For a Vanderbilt team still searching for consistency, the coming weeks will say plenty about whether the fixes can start showing up on the field before any larger changes arrive. [Read more 🡒]