The 2025 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Demon Deacons were led by Jake Dickert in his first year as the head coach. The Demon Deacons played their home games at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons drew an average home attendance of 29,433.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Horatio FieldsWRAuburnWalker MerrillWRAustin PeayAmeir GlennDLBall StateChris MarableDLBoston CollegeAndrew Hines IIILBBowling GreenTrishstin GlassWRCoastal CarolinaAntonio Robinson Jr.CBFlorida AtlanticLuke PetitbonOLFlorida StateJaydon CollinsOLFurmanNick RaganoWRFurmanHarry LodgeTEGeorgia TechJeremy HecklinskiQBIowaJaydn GirardWRLamarDemarcus RankinDBLamarTyler BlackKLibertyJamare GlaskerDBMarylandJason WoodsWRMercyhurstMatt GulbinOLMichigan StateKeagen TrostOLMissouriBailey BensonLBNC StateDeuce AlexanderWROle MissLuca PuccinelliTEPurdueTayshaun BurneyCBRichmondEldrick Robinson IILBRobert MorrisCharlie GilliamQBSamfordNick SharpeOLSouth CarolinaSam NeelyCBStanfordMitch GriffisQBTexas TechAJ HassonIOLUC DavisDonavon GreeneWRVirginia TechZach VaughanOLWestern MichiganBusbee PhillipsCBUnknownRyan DupontTEUnknownKennedy FauntleroyRBUnknownDemond ClaiborneRBWithdrawnJacob DennisonOTWithdrawn
Incoming Deshawn PurdieQBCharlotteSterling BerkhalterWRCincinnatiNuer GatkuothDEColorado StateGabe KirschkeDLColorado StateJaMario ClementsRBDuquesneBrandon SmileyDLElonHarry LodgeTEGeorgia TechDallas AfalavaDLIdahoJa'Marion KennedyIOLLouisiana TechSawyer RacanelliWRMontanaAshaad WilliamsCBNorth AlabamaKaron PruntyDBNorth Carolina A&TJacob DennisonOLOhioLardarius Webb Jr.SSouth AlabamaRobby AshfordQBSouth CarolinaMelvin SianiOLTempleKarate BrensonWRTennessee StateLangston HardyDEUConnKamrean JohnsonTEVanderbiltBraylon JohnsonCBVirginia TechReginald Vick Jr.WRVirginia UnionFa'alili Fa'amoeOLWashington StateAJ HassonOLWashington StateChris BarnesWRWashington StateJaylon EdmondDBWashington StateCarlos HernandezWRWashington StateDevin KylanyOLWashington StateFrank CusanoLBWashington StateRodrick TialaveaOTWashington StateConnor CalvertKWashington StateJayden LovingDLWestern KentuckySascha GarciaDBWilliam & Mary
Schedule
Game summaries vs Kennesaw State
Statistics KENN WAKE First downs 18 20 Plays–yards 76–307 75–348 Rushes–yards 43–158 47–130 Passing yards 149 218 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–33–0 20–28–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 24:59 35:01 Team Category Player StatisticsKennesaw State Passing Dexter Williams II 12/33, 149 yards Rushing Coleman Bennett 17 carries, 66 yards, TD Receiving Gabriel Benyard 5 receptions, 103 yardsWake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 20/28, 218 yards Rushing Robby Ashford 18 carries, 42 yards, TD Receiving Eni Falayi 4 receptions, 52 yards
vs Western Carolina (FCS)
Statistics WCUWAKE First downs 17 21 Plays–yards 76–238 57–542 Rushes–yards 33–34 31–273 Passing yards 204 269 Passing: comp–att–int 26–43–1 16–26–1 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 35:58 24:02 Team Category Player Statistics Western Carolina Passing Bennett Judy 18/32, 155 yards, INT Rushing Isaac Lee 5 carries, 40 yards Receiving Malik Knight 5 receptions, 56 yards Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 13/22, 227 yards, TD, INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 10 carries, 193 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chris Barnes 6 receptions, 149 yards
vs NC State (rivalry)
Statistics NCSUWAKE First downs 24 12 Plays–yards 76–406 57–311 Rushes–yards 44–205 22–59 Passing yards 32–201 35–252 Passing: comp–att–int 23–32–0 21–35–0 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 38:05 21:55 Team Category Player Statistics NC State Passing CJ Bailey 23/32, 201 yards, 3 TD Rushing Hollywood Smothers 24 carries, 164 yards Receiving Noah Rogers 4 receptions, 52 yards Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 21/35, 252 yards, 2 INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 12 carries, 35 yards, TD Receiving Chris Barnes 3 receptions, 76 yards
vs No. 16 Georgia Tech
Statistics GTWAKE First downs 27 20 Plays–yards 85-411 71-445 Rushes–yards 42-163 39-212 Passing yards 248 233 Passing: comp–att–int 29-43-0 14-31-0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:46 27:14 Team Category Player Statistics Georgia Tech Passing Haynes King 28/42, 243 yards, TD Rushing 21 carries, 106 yards, 2 TD Receiving Eric Rivers 8 receptions, 77 yards, TD Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 13/28, 219 yards Rushing Demond Claiborne 21 carries, 119 yards, 2 TD Receiving Micah Mays Jr. 2 receptions, 65 yards
at Virginia Tech
Statistics WAKEVT First downs 19 16 Plays–yards 72–347 63–263 Rushes–yards 32–91 35–152 Passing yards 256 111 Passing: comp–att–int 24–40–1 14–28–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:40 27:20 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 24/39, 256 yards, TD, INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 7 carries, 29 yards, TD Receiving Sawyer Racanelli 3 receptions, 88 yards Virginia Tech Passing Kyron Drones 14/28, 111 yards, TD, INT Rushing Terion Stewart 9 carries, 62 yards Receiving Donavon Greene 4 receptions, 52 yards
at Oregon State
Statistics WAKEORST First downs 17 22 Plays–yards 54–468 80–309 Rushes–yards 26–198 38–134 Passing yards 270 175 Passing: comp–att–int 14–28–0 19–42–0 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 24:48 35:12 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Deshawn Purdie 14/27, 270 yards, 4 TD Rushing Demond Claiborne 16 carries, 144 yards, TD Receiving Chris Barnes 3 receptions, 102 yards, 3 TD Oregon State Passing Maalik Murphy 13/30, 130 yards, INT Rushing Anthony Hankerson 22 carries, 101 yards Receiving David Wells Jr. 6 receptions, 58 yards, TD
vs SMU
Statistics SMUWAKE First downs 8 17 Plays–yards 67–246 72–301 Rushes–yards 28–75 35–85 Passing yards 171 216 Passing: comp–att–int 21–39–1 18–37–2 Turnovers 3 5 Time of possession 27:38 32:22 Team Category Player Statistics SMU Passing Kevin Jennings 21/39, 171 yards, INT Rushing Chris Johnson Jr. 8 carries, 29 yards Receiving RJ Maryland 2 receptions, 51 yards Wake Forest Passing Deshawn Purdie 14/26, 183 yards, 2 INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 23 carries, 73 yards Receiving Chris Barnes 5 receptions, 66 yards
at Florida State
Statistics WAKEFSU First downs 19 18 Plays–yards 71–247 57–421 Rushes–yards 40–85 40–150 Passing yards 162 271 Passing: –– 18–31–1 12–17–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 34:24 25:36 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 12/21, 93 yards, INT Rushing Robby Ashford 12 carries, 59 yards Receiving Micah Mays Jr. 5 receptions, 51 yards, TD Florida State Passing Tommy Castellanos 12/16, 271 yards, TD Rushing Samuel Singleton Jr. 14 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Duce Robinson 5 receptions, 148 yards, TD
at No. 14 Virginia
Statistics WAKEUVA First downs 12 13 Plays–yards 64–203 64–327 Rushes–yards 41–139 30–163 Passing yards 64 164 Passing: comp–att–int 9–23–0 21–34–0 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 31:42 28:18 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 7/16, 46 yards Rushing Demond Claiborne 25 carries, 75 yards Receiving Ty Clark 1 catch, 22 yards Virginia Passing Daniel Kaelin 18/28, 145 yards Rushing J'Mari Taylor 19 carries, 98 yards Receiving Trell Harris 6 catches, 60 yards
vs North Carolina (rivalry)
Statistics UNCWAKE First downs 16 19 Plays–yards 61–257 64–414 Rushes–yards 24–56 39–223 Passing yards 201 191 Passing: comp–att–int 21–37–0 15–25–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 30:02 29:58 Team Category Player Statistics North Carolina Passing Gio Lopez 21/36, 201 yards Rushing Demon June 9 carries, 32 yards Receiving Jake Johnson 5 receptions, 54 yards Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 15/25, 191 yards, TD Rushing Demond Claiborne 23 carries, 98 yards, TD Receiving Carlos Hernandez 6 receptions, 100 yards, TD
vs Delaware
Statistics DELWAKE First downs 19 21 Plays–yards 76–300 60–577 Rushes–yards 29–67 34–263 Passing yards 233 314 Passing: comp–att–int 32–47–0 16–26–2 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 33:03 26:57 Team Category Player Statistics Delaware Passing Nick Minicucci 21/30, 140 yards, TD Rushing Viron Ellison Jr. 9 carries, 34 yards Receiving Viron Ellison Jr. 7 receptions, 60 yards, TD Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 15/22, 292 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Chris Barnes 1 carry, 78 yards Receiving Carlos Hernandez 5 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TD
at Duke (rivalry)
Statistics WAKEDUKE First downs 27 24 Plays–yards 75–468 74–378 Rushes–yards 32–126 39–110 Passing yards 342 268 Passing: comp–att–int 27–43–1 24–35–0 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:21 34:39 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 27/43, 342 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 13 carries, 58 yards Receiving Sawyer Racanelli 7 receptions, 123 yards, TD Duke Passing Darian Mensah 24/35, 268 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nate Sheppard 23 carries, 75 yards, 2 TD Receiving Cooper Barkate 8 receptions, 83 yards
vs. Mississippi State (Duke's Mayo Bowl)
Statistics WFMSST First downs 23 20 Plays–yards 68–451 69–408 Rushes–yards 35–148 42–114 Passing yards 303 294 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–33–1 16–27–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 31:35 28:25 Team Category Player StatisticsWake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 20/33, 303 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Ty Clark III 17 carries, 91 yards Receiving Carlos Hernandez 6 receptions, 73 yardsMississippi State Passing Kamario Taylor 13/22, 241 yards, TD Rushing Kamario Taylor 18 carries, 63 yards, TD Receiving Brenen Thompson 4 receptions, 106 yards
References