Wake Forest’s 57-3 demolition of Stanford did more than pad a record. It put a spotlight on a program that keeps stacking results and still hasn’t cracked the AP Top 25.
The Demon Deacons are 4-1, and the case for more national attention is sitting right there in plain view: a loss by fewer than 20 points to top-ranked Miami, plus a road win over a ranked opponent. Add in the biggest margin of victory in school history in a conference game, and the second year of the Jake Dickert Era is starting to look like something real, not a one-week fluke.
And yet Wake Forest is still on the outside looking in.
That omission is the kind of thing that can sting, but it can also sharpen a team’s edge. Dickert talked about darkness when he took the job, and this feels like part of that same message: keep grinding, keep winning, and don’t expect the respect to arrive on schedule.
The ranking numbers do tell part of the story. Wake Forest’s offense sits No. 16 nationally in points per game and No. 25 in yards per game, putting up 36.6 points and 445 yards a contest through the first five weeks. That’s the kind of production that travels.
But there’s another number that can’t be ignored. The Deacs are No. 130 in penalties per game across all FBS teams, averaging 9.2. That puts them among the 10 most undisciplined teams in college football, and it’s a reminder that the profile is not complete yet.
So yes, the results are there. The offense is humming, the record is strong, and the statement wins keep coming.
But the rankings still haven’t caught up, and maybe that’s exactly the point. Wake Forest keeps working in the dark, waiting for the kind of shine that can’t be dismissed anymore.
In Other News...
NC States Wake Forest Rivalry Test Just Got A Tougher Feel
The calendar just got a little more interesting for Wake Forest, which now knows its trip to NC State will come on Saturday, Oct. 3 at noon ET from Carter-Finley Stadium. The ACC also set the rivalry matchup for The CW, adding another layer to a game that already carries plenty of familiarity and history.
It will be the 119th meeting between the Demon Deacons and Wolfpack, with NC State holding the edge in the all-time series. Wake Forest heads into it coming off a strong win against Stanford, while the Wolfpack sit at 3-2, giving this one a little more bite than a typical early-October conference date. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forests Womens Golf Pipeline Just Delivered Another Huge Milestone
Rachel Kuehns path from Wake Forest standout to the professional ranks has moved another step forward, giving the Demon Deacons a fresh reason to take pride in what their womens golf program keeps producing. Kuehn won eight times at Wake Forest and was part of the schools 2023 national championship team, a run that already made her one of the most accomplished players in program history. Now, after earning her way onto the LPGA Tour through her work on the Epson Tour, she is set to become a rookie on the big stage in 2027.
For Wake Forest, it is another reminder that the pipeline from Winston-Salem to elite golf is not just a talking point. Kuehns rise through the developmental circuit shows the kind of steady progression that can turn college stardom into a lasting pro career, and it adds another notable name to a program that has built real credibility at the highest levels of the womens game. The next step will be seeing how she translates that success once her LPGA journey officially begins. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Women Sent A Rivalry Message Against NC State
Wake Forests womens soccer team gave Spry Stadium a result worth circling, beating NC State 3-1 in a matchup that carried the feel of more than just another conference night. The win stood out not only because it came against a familiar rival, but because it gave the Demon Deacons a clear, authoritative answer on their home field.
For a program looking to keep building momentum, results like this can matter beyond the standings. NC State always brings extra edge to the meeting, and Wake Forest made sure this one belonged to the home side, leaving the Demon Deacons with a win that should resonate the next time these teams see each other. [Read more 🡒]