Wake Forest walks into Thursday night with a chance to snap a streak that has hung around for more than 16 years.
The Demon Deacons have been trying to climb back into the national conversation under Steve Forbes, and they’ve had their moments. But one line on the ledger has stayed stubbornly out of reach: a true road win over an Associated Press Top 25 team.
The last one came on January 20, 2010, when Wake Forest beat No. 24 North Carolina 82-69.
That history gives Thursday’s trip to No. 24 Vanderbilt a little extra weight.
It also makes the assignment look even tougher. Wake Forest is already dealing with a roster that has been almost completely rebuilt, and now it has to prove itself in Memorial Gymnasium against a team coming off a 27-win season and another NCAA Tournament trip.
The Demon Deacons opened the 2026-27 season Monday with an 83-62 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, but that game and this one are worlds apart. Vanderbilt is a much sharper test, and the Commodores made that clear in their opener by rolling past Bellarmine 93-47.
Tyler Tanner set the tone for Vanderbilt with 20 points, six assists and four steals. Three other starters also finished in double figures, and the Commodores forced 23 turnovers. That kind of pressure could be a real problem for Wake Forest’s new backcourt if the Demon Deacons aren’t clean with the ball from the jump.
Wake Forest has beaten ranked teams during Forbes’ time in Winston-Salem, including an 83-79 win over No. 8 Duke in February 2024. But doing it on the road has been the missing piece, and Vanderbilt already showed last December how difficult this matchup can be by beating Wake Forest 98-67.
The Demon Deacons got a strong first look at several newcomers in their opener, especially freshman twins Gavin and Gallagher Placide. The brothers combined for 33 points and nine rebounds against Maryland Eastern Shore, and both made an immediate impression.
Gavin posted 20 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Gallagher added 13 points and helped fuel a key second-half push. For a team that needs new faces to step into real roles right away, that kind of production matters.
Wake Forest also got a promising debut from transfer guard Kevair Kennedy, who finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. His ability to manage possessions and create for others could be especially valuable against Vanderbilt’s pressure.
That mix of Kennedy’s steadiness and the Placide brothers’ energy gives Wake Forest some intriguing options. Thursday should tell a lot more about how those pieces hold up when the opponent is ranked and the building is hostile.
The game matters beyond the early-season spotlight, too. A win at Vanderbilt wouldn’t lock up anything, but it would give Wake Forest a quality nonconference road victory that could matter later when records start getting compared in March.
For Vanderbilt, the stakes are straightforward as well. The Commodores are trying to build on back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and beating an ACC opponent at home would only help their case.
For Wake Forest, though, this is about more than one November game. It’s a shot at ending a drought that has lasted since 2010 and a chance to show that this rebuilt roster can do something the program hasn’t done in a long time.
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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 🡒]