A Thursday night opener against Akron. A road trip to Purdue the following week. And Miami visiting for a Friday night showdown before September’s even over. The 2026 Wake Forest Football Schedule front-loads a demanding stretch before settling into a more even middle.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football opens with a short week, a Big Ten road test, and an early high-profile home date against Miami. Here is the complete 2026 Wake Forest Football Schedule with dates, locations, times and television information.
2026 Wake Forest Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Akron ZipsAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | 7:00 PM ETACCN | ||
| Saturday | at Purdue BoilermakersRoss-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN | 12:00 PM ETFS1 | ||
| Friday | Miami (FL) HurricanesAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | 7:30 PM ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | at Louisville CardinalsL&N Stadium, Louisville, KY | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | Stanford CardinalAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at NC State WolfpackCarter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at California Golden BearsCalifornia Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | OFF | |||
| Saturday | Virginia CavaliersAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Homecoming | ||||
| Saturday | Merrimack WarriorsAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at SMU MustangsGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsBobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | Duke Blue DevilsAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | vs ACC ChampionshipBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 12:00 PM ETABC | ||
A Thursday Night Opener, Then a Big Ten Road Trip
Wake Forest opens the 2026 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football schedule on a Thursday night against Akron before an unusual early road trip to Purdue the following Saturday — a cross-conference test just two weeks into the season. Miami visits Allegacy Stadium for a Friday night showdown on September 18, one of the marquee dates of the entire year, before a road trip to Louisville closes out the opening month.
That early gauntlet will test depth and recovery right away.
Stanford at Home, Then Consecutive Road Games
Stanford visits Winston-Salem to open October before the Wake Forest ACC schedule 2026 sends the Demon Deacons on the road for back-to-back weeks — first NC State, then a cross-country trip to California. A bye week on October 24 gives the roster a chance to recover from that stretch.
Virginia, Homecoming, Then a Road Swing
Virginia visits Allegacy Stadium on Halloween before Merrimack comes to town for Homecoming on November 7. From there, Wake Forest hits the road again for SMU and Georgia Tech in consecutive weeks — a demanding late-season travel stretch before the year wraps up at home.
Closing at Home Against Duke
The regular season closes at Allegacy Stadium against Duke on November 28. If Wake Forest is still playing December 5, the Demon Deacons will be in Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game.
Wake Forest Football Home Games 2026
Wake Forest has six home games at Allegacy Stadium in 2026: Akron, Miami, Stanford, Virginia, Merrimack and Duke. The early Friday night date against Miami stands out as the highest-profile home opportunity on the schedule.
The 2026 Wake Forest Football Schedule starts hard with a short week, a Big Ten road game, and an early Miami showdown, then settles into a mix of home dates and late-season travel. How the Demon Deacons handle the opening stretch and the October road swing through NC State and California will shape the rest of the year.
FAQ
When does Wake Forest football play its first game in 2026?
Wake Forest opens the 2026 Wake Forest Football Schedule at home against Akron on Thursday, September 3, at Allegacy Stadium.
When is Wake Forest vs Miami 2026?
Wake Forest vs Miami 2026 is set for Friday, September 18, at home at Allegacy Stadium, kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How many home games does Wake Forest play in 2026?
Wake Forest has six Wake Forest football home games in 2026 at Allegacy Stadium: Akron, Miami, Stanford, Virginia, Merrimack and Duke.
What is Wake Forest’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
The back-to-back road trip to NC State and California — October 10 and October 17 — ranks as the toughest travel stretch on the Wake Forest ACC schedule 2026, alongside the September road trip to Louisville right after the Miami game.
