Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Wake Forest Demon Deacons roster and what to expect in the ACC this season. Can Jake Dickert build on an 8-5 debut in Winston Salem now that the deck rates his seat just 1 out of 10 on the hot-seat meter? And does transfer quarterback Gio Lopez, an RS junior who arrives at Wake Forest from UNC by way of South Alabama, give this offense a real jump?
Can an offense that ranked 62nd in total offense climb the charts under new coordinator Rob Ezell in 2026? Does Scottie Hazelton’s defense, which finished 26th in total defense and 28th against the run, keep carrying the roster while the offense settles? What do Carlos Hernandez, George Steih and a group that returns 45 percent of its offensive production give Gio Lopez to work with? Can a defense returning 61 percent of its production hold up through an ACC slate of Miami, Louisville, NC State, SMU, Georgia Tech and Duke? Is Wake Forest a 7-out-of-10 program on the rise after going 4-2 in one-score games a season ago? And where’s the betting value on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons win total, ACC odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Jake Dickert Bought Himself Room In Year One
This Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2026 preview starts with a head coach who bought himself room. Jake Dickert enters year two in Winston Salem after an 8-5 debut season. So the deck rates his seat just 1 out of 10. That is a rare spot for a Deacons coach this early. First, Wake Forest went 4-2 in one-score games a season ago. Then that close-game edge helped the Deacons reach a bowl in year one. Also the staff held the roster together through the transfer portal. Because of that base, 2026 reads like a step-forward season.
Gio Lopez And An Offense Looking For A Jump
Wake Forest’s offense ranked 62nd nationally in total offense in 2025. The scoring offense sat 64th over the same stretch. Rob Ezell now takes over as the offensive coordinator. First, RS junior Gio Lopez steps in at quarterback. He arrives from UNC by way of South Alabama. Then the returning core builds around receiver Carlos Hernandez and lineman George Steih. Meanwhile the group returns just 45 percent of its production. So Lopez inherits a roster that still has real holes. From there, Ezell must lift a passing game that finished 58th. He also has to fix a run game that ranked 69th.
Scottie Hazelton’s Defense Carries The Load
Scottie Hazelton runs a Wake Forest defense that carried the roster last year. First, the unit ranked 26th nationally in total defense in 2025. That was easily the strongest number on the team. Then the rushing defense finished 28th up front. Also the pass defense landed 46th on the season. The scoring defense checked in at 44th. Because that group returns 61 percent of its production, Hazelton keeps his pieces. So the defense should stay ahead of the offense early.
The Schedule, Allegacy Stadium And The Win Total
Wake Forest opens against Akron before Purdue and a road test at Miami. First, Louisville, Stanford and NC State follow in a tough ACC stretch. Then Cal, Virginia and Merrimack lead into the November grind. From there, SMU, Georgia Tech and Duke close the regular season. What does a Saturday feel like at Allegacy Stadium when the Deacons roll? The deck sets the Wake Forest win total at 5.5. It lists the Deacons at plus 1100 to win the ACC. It also tags them plus 4500 to make the College Football Playoff. So the hosts weigh the over against a 7-out-of-10 program on the rise.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:42 Wake Forest Season Preview Intro
05:16 Recapping Wake Forest’s 2025 Season
07:42 The NC State Fire Game
10:50 The Jake Dickert Culture Shift
16:14 Offensive Staff And Rankings Breakdown
18:37 Portal Quarterback Gio Lopez
24:34 Defensive Staff, Rankings And Returners
30:29 NIL, Beer And Tailgates
37:30 State Of The Program Grade
40:04 Schedule Picks And Midseason Stretch
47:14 The Finish And The Win Total
50:46 Fan Shoutouts And Wrap Up
