Wake Forest keeps finding ways to win, and the latest proof came in a convincing victory over California that pushed the Demon Deacons to 6-1 overall and their fourth straight win.
That run has Wake sitting as the No. 17 team in the AP Top 25, ahead of programs such as Texas, LSU, and Florida. The Deacons are also the second-highest-ranked ACC team, trailing only the No. 1 team in the country, the Miami Hurricanes. For a group that has started the season this well, the momentum is real - and so is the attention.
What stood out against Cal wasn’t just the final result, but how Wake handled the challenge. Questions swirled about the cross-country travel and whether it might affect the Deacs, but coach Dickert’s team brushed those aside. They looked prepared, locked in, and fully comfortable playing on their terms.
That showed up even more clearly because Wake did it without some key pieces. Top receiver Carlos Hernandez was unavailable, and defensive back Davaughn Patterson was out for the majority of the game. Instead of letting those absences slow them down, the rest of the roster filled the gap.
Dominick Barry was one of the biggest reasons why. The tight end put together a breakout night with 100 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, the first three touchdown receptions of his career. On defense, Myles Turpin did his part too, leading the team with seven tackles.
That kind of production from players outside the usual spotlight has been central to Wake Forest’s early success. The Deacons have built a team that can absorb losses in personnel and still keep rolling, which is a big part of why they’ve been able to keep winning.
Just as important, the rankings haven’t changed their approach. Newly ranked teams sometimes let the moment get to them, but Wake came out focused and ready to beat Cal anyway. That speaks to the coaching staff, and to a team that has kept buying in.
The chemistry is obvious. This group looks like it enjoys the grind, and it’s playing with the kind of energy that makes winning look natural. They also seem to stay on task, no matter the opponent.
Now comes the bye week, a chance to recover before the stretch ahead. Wake still has tough games waiting, including Virginia and SMU in the coming weeks. If the Deacons keep leaning on the same formula - staying together, covering for each other, and keeping their edge - they have plenty of reason to believe this season can keep building.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Just Entered An Unexpected USC Bowl Conversation
USCs bowl picture is still very much tied to what happens over the final stretch of the regular season, but the early projections have already started to get interesting from Wake Forests side. The Trojans sit at No. 16 with a 6-1 record, and ESPNs Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach both have them slotted for either the Holiday Bowl or the Las Vegas Bowl as the calendar inches toward December.
Schlabachs latest version nudges Wake Forest into the conversation, replacing Pittsburgh as the projected opponent and creating a matchup the Demon Deacons would have every reason to watch closely. USC still has several ranked teams ahead, including Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA, and those games will help determine whether the Trojans stay in the playoff mix or land somewhere more familiar on the postseason map. [Read more 🡒]
Marcis Ponder Is Giving Florida State A Reason To Believe Inside
Several ACC programs have already gotten a first look at themselves in preseason exhibition games, and the early read has been mixed from one school to the next. Duke saw freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje put up 19 points, UNC has some concern around Terrence Brown Jr.s scoring, Syracuse has been easing Kiyan Anthony in with limited minutes, and Florida State has at least one reason to feel better about its frontcourt depth after Marcis Ponder turned in a strong showing.
Wake Forest has its own reason for optimism, and it comes from a pair of freshman guards who have looked ready for the jump in their first run against college competition. The early exhibitions against Georgetown and South Carolina offered a promising glimpse of what the brothers can bring, and while it is still only October basketball, their performances are already nudging expectations upward around Winston-Salem. [Read more 🡒]