Wake Forest’s first real road exam of the 2026-27 season comes fast, and it comes with a number next to the opponent’s name. The Demon Deacons head to Nashville on Thursday night to face No.
24/21 Vanderbilt on ESPN2, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m.
CT.
The Deacs arrive off a solid start, rolling past Maryland Eastern Shore 83-62 in Monday night’s season opener. Wake Forest controlled that one with pressure and pace, turning 18 UMES turnovers into 31 points and piling up 25 fast-break points in the process.
Now the challenge gets sharper. Vanderbilt is 1-0 after blasting Bellarmine 93-47 on Monday, and the Commodores had plenty of production across the board. Preseason All-American Tyler Tanner led the way with 20 points, six assists and four steals, while Berke Buyuktuncel added 13 points, Ace Glass III scored 12 and Chandler Bing chipped in 11.
The Commodores are coming off a strong 2025-26 season, finishing 27-9 overall and 11-7 in SEC play before reaching the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt has also made the last two NCAA Tournaments.
This matchup is familiar territory. Wake Forest and Vanderbilt are meeting for the second straight season and the 12th time overall, with last year’s game in Winston-Salem ending in a 98-67 Vanderbilt win on Dec.
21, 2025. The Deacs are still looking for their first victory over the Commodores since 2006.
There’s a bigger milestone sitting out there for Wake Forest, too. A win Thursday would give the Demon Deacons their first true road victory over a top-25 AP Poll team in 16 years.
The last one came Jan. 20, 2010, when Wake Forest beat No. 24 North Carolina 82-69.
It would also be Wake’s first win over a ranked opponent since an 83-79 home victory over No. 8 Duke on Feb.
24, 2024.
For Steve Forbes, a victory would mean Wake Forest starts 2-0 for the sixth time in his seven seasons at the helm. It would also be the fourth ranked win of his tenure.
Monday’s opener offered plenty to build on. Wake Forest led wire to wire, but Maryland Eastern Shore hung around until a 20-0 Deacs burst blew the game open. The Deacs were especially sharp in transition, and the turnover margin did a lot of the heavy lifting.
The debut of freshmen twins Gavin and Gallagher Placide was one of the night’s biggest storylines. Together, they combined for 33 points, nine rebounds and a 66.7 FG%.
Gavin finished with a team-high 20 points, plus seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. He was one of just 14 freshmen in Division I to score 20 or more points on opening night.
Gallagher added 13 points, with 11 coming after halftime and nine of them arriving during Wake Forest’s decisive 20-0 run.
Wake also got immediate production from its new guard group. Kevair Kennedy nearly posted a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Justin Ray scored 15 points on 83.3 FG%, and Jamari McDowell added 11. The trio of transfer guards brings a combined 1,333 points, 352 rebounds and 257 assists to the roster.
Inside, graduate student Justin Abson gives Wake Forest a major rim-protection presence. He is Division I’s active career leader in blocked shots with 240, and he arrived in Winston-Salem after two years at Georgia and two at App State.
The broader picture is strong as well. Wake Forest has collected 44 non-conference wins over the last five seasons, tied for third-most among ACC programs, and has won 54 ACC games since the 2021-22 season, fifth-most in the league over that span.
Thursday night will tell a lot about how quickly this Wake Forest team can translate that opening-night promise into something bigger.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Faces A Dangerous ACC Test As SMU Eyes Payback
The ACCs Week 11 schedule drop gave Wake Forest a clearer picture of what waits after its tune-up against Merrimack, and it is a tricky one. The Demon Deacons head to SMU on Nov. 14 for a matchup that carries some real weight in the league race, especially with the Mustangs still carrying the sting of a slow start and recent losses that have dented their standing.
This is also a series with a little history behind it. SMU won the first three meetings between the programs before Wake Forest finally broke through last season, so there is no shortage of motivation on either side. For Wake Forest, the challenge is simple enough: handle business first, then walk into a road game where the opponent will be eager to settle things on its own field. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forests Playoff Push Now Comes Down To One Huge Unknown
Wake Forests playoff push got a real jolt this week when the first College Football Rankings of the season slotted the Demon Deacons at No. 16, their first appearance in the rankings since 2022. At 7-1, with the lone loss coming against top-ranked Miami, the Deacons have put themselves in the conversation in a way they have not been for a while, and the path ahead is clear enough: keep winning, then see what the ACC Championship Game can do for their rsum.
The problem is that the biggest variable in all of it is still sitting on the injury report, and it is hard to separate Wake Forests ceiling from the status of starting quarterback Gio Lopez. FanDuels odds reflect the stakes, with the Deacons listed for both an ACC title run and a College Football Playoff bid, but those numbers only matter if the offense can keep its footing and Lopez is available when it counts most. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Has A Real CFP Ranking Argument Fans Will Love
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season brought the usual mix of validation and frustration, and Wake Forest landed in a spot that should at least keep its fan base engaged. With Miami, Georgia and Utah filling the top three and a few other high-profile teams drawing plenty of debate, the committees opening Top 25 already has the feel of a weekly argument board, and the Demon Deacons are right in the middle of it.
Wake Forest checking in at No. 16 gives the program a real case to make as the season moves deeper into November, especially with the rankings now setting the tone for how the rest of the field is viewed. The committees logic will be picked apart from every angle, and for a team trying to climb, the next few weeks will matter a lot in deciding whether this placement looks like respect or a missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]