Wake Forest Football Preview 2025: Jake Dickert Will Prove the Demon Deacons Can Win

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 2:07 AM ET

As SMU proved last year, and as Duke showed over the last three years, you don’t have to be Clemson, Florida State, or Miami to win in the ACC.

And Wake Forest showed in the 11-win 2021 that it was possible to win big. And under Dave Clausen, the program showed that going to a bowl game isn't just possible, it should be a given.

But it’s easy to underestimate the Demon Deacons.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons College Football Preview 2025

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Wake Forest Offense Breakdown
Wake Forest Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season

They don’t get the talent that most of the ACC schools can land, and it takes a combination of the right schedule, the right schemes, and the right breaks to pull off winning campaigns. And that’s where new head coach Jake Dickert comes in.

Thrown into the fire in 2021 at Washington State following the parting of ways with Nick Rolovich, Dickert wasn’t amazing, but he kept the program afloat with three bowl appearances in four years.

It helped that he was able to get Cam Ward through the transfer portal, and then John Mateer, but for a guy who spent his career as a top defensive assistant, his teams crank up the offenses.

He’s one of those coaches who knows how to get wins, but his Cougars collapsed late last season and closed 1-7 in 2023. Don’t worry about that.

His Demon Deacons have the right schedule and the right schemes, and they should have the right coach to prove that it’s possible to win lots of football games again.

Wake Forest Offense Breakdown
Wake Forest Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season

This article first appeared on College Football News and was syndicated with permission.

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