Wake Forest gets its first real read on the 2025 season Thursday, Sept. 3, when Akron comes to town, and the opener should reveal a lot about what Jake Dickert’s team is trying to become.
There are still loose ends coming out of fall camp, so this game won’t answer every question. Even so, it ought to offer a clear look at how Dickert and his staff want this roster to function once the schedule stiffens. And it will stiffen quickly, with Miami, Louisville and Virginia all waiting later on.
That makes the matchup with Akron more than just a tune-up. Wake Forest needs an early offensive identity, especially with so much change arriving through the transfer portal. The Deacons are going to have to figure out what works now, because the margin for error gets smaller against the better teams on the slate.
The expectations are also different this year. After a strong first season for Dickert, Wake Forest is carrying more pressure than it did a year ago.
The opener won’t be handed to them, either. Kennesaw State pushed the Deacons to the wire in last year’s opener, a reminder that the first game can turn messy fast if the favorite isn’t sharp.
Akron brings its own credibility to the table. It’s a solid conference opponent, a battle-tested program that shouldn’t be brushed aside. How Wake Forest handles that challenge will say plenty about how it responds when the opponent doesn’t carry the same expectations the Deacons do.
Last season, Wake’s identity lived in the trenches. The team wanted to run the ball and stop the run, and that physical edge helped define what it was trying to be. The defense brings back plenty of familiar pieces, but the offense has been reshaped.
Robby Ashford and Demond Claiborne are gone from the backfield picture, which means the old dynamic on the ground is no longer there. In their place, quarterback Gio Lopez and running back Ty Clark III give the offense a different look. The commitment to running the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage is still there, but the way Wake Forest gets there will look different.
So Thursday should tell fans something important: not everything, but enough. It will show how the Deacons look in their first live action, how quickly the new pieces settle in, and whether the team can start the year with the kind of momentum that carries into the tougher part of the schedule.
In Other News...
Wake Forest's New-Look Offense Took Over Fast Against Akron
Wake Forest did not need long to show how different the new-look offense could look against Akron. The Demon Deacons raced to a 28-3 halftime lead behind a string of explosive passing plays, with Gio Lopez steering the attack and the defense helping by piling up sacks and forcing a key turnover to keep the Zips on their heels.
The big-play burst came quickly and often, giving Wake Forest the kind of momentum shift it has been looking for as the season gets rolling. Lopez delivered multiple touchdown passes, and the scoring pace kept Akron scrambling even after the Zips finally pieced together a late drive before the break. For Wake Forest, the early takeaway is clear: when the passing game starts hitting in stride, the whole operation can change in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forests Fast Start Came With One Early Concern
Wake Forest got the new season off to a convincing start by beating Akron 38-16, and the early signs were encouraging on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Gio Lopez settled in quickly in his first game after transferring from UNC, while Carlos Hernandez, Antonio Meeks and Kam Shanks all helped stretch the field in an offense that also got strong protection up front.
The defense did its part, too, holding Akron to just 3 points through three quarters and getting a busy afternoon from linebacker Vincent Firenze, who finished with 9 tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Even the kicking game was a weapon, with Ethan Hyams averaging 49 yards per punt and ranking second nationally, though the bigger question coming out of the opener is how long Wake Forest can keep that early rhythm if one of its key receiving threats is forced to miss extended time. [Read more 🡒]