The AP preseason Top 25 has given Wake Forest a much clearer picture of what lies ahead in 2026, and the early read is simple: the Deacs are staring at a tougher run of ranked ACC opponents than they saw a year ago.
Last season, Wake Forest faced two teams that finished in the AP poll at the end of 2025. The Deacs split those games, taking down No.
19 Virginia on the road and dropping a close one at home to No. 22 Georgia Tech.
This fall, though, the path includes three ranked opponents, all in conference play, which would mark an increase from last year if those rankings hold.
The first big test arrives in Wake Forest’s third game, when Miami comes to Winston-Salem. The Hurricanes are slotted at No. 7 after falling to Indiana in last season’s National Championship game, and they bring plenty of firepower back with Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney. Miami also adds transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, who came over from Duke.
That matchup will be played on a Friday night at Allegacy Stadium, and it figures to draw a big crowd. For Wake Forest, the assignment is a tough one right out of the gate, but it also gives the Deacs an early chance to see how they stack up against one of the ACC’s most highly regarded teams.
The next ranked opponent on the schedule comes immediately after that. Wake Forest heads to Louisville to face the preseason No.
24 Cardinals in what should be another strong conference measuring stick. Louisville has been a steady presence near the top of the ACC, and it will try to make noise with transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.
There is still some uncertainty around the Cardinals’ ranking, though, since they have to get through games against ranked Ole Miss and SMU before Wake arrives.
The last ranked opponent on the slate is SMU in November, and this one carries a familiar edge. The Mustangs are ranked No. 19 in the preseason poll and will host the Deacs in Dallas after Wake beat them in Winston-Salem last year on Connor Calvert’s game-winning field goal. That victory gave the Demon Deacons a major boost, and now SMU gets the chance to answer back on its own field.
SMU brings back a lot on defense, along with veteran quarterback Kevin Jennings, so Wake Forest will be walking into a different kind of challenge this time around.
All told, the Deacs are lined up for one home game and two road trips against ranked teams. Compared with last season, this looks like a more demanding schedule, and the AP poll has made that plain.