Wake Forest Football Opens Sept. 3 as Preseason Honors Build Around Deacs

Wake Forest football is less than a month from kickoff, with the Demon Deacons scheduled to open the 2026 season Thursday, Sept. 3 against Akron at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ACC Network.

The early schedule quickly picks up. Wake Forest travels to Purdue on Sept. 12 for a noon kickoff on FS1, then returns home for a Friday-night ACC matchup against Miami on Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

The Deacons also enter the season with several players receiving preseason recognition. Senior wide receiver and return specialist Carlos Hernandez was named a Phil Steele Third Team Preseason All-American as a punt returner and a First Team All-ACC selection as a returner. Defensive lineman Langston Hardy, linebacker Aiden Hall and defensive back Davaughn Patterson also earned preseason All-ACC recognition from the publication.

For Triad fans, the Sept. 3 opener begins a home schedule that also includes Miami, SMU, Florida State, Syracuse and Duke later in the fall.