Duke and Wake Forest have had some intense battles over the years. Last season’s matchup might have been the best yet.
After trailing 17-3 late in the third quarter, the Blue Devils made a furious comeback to steal the game on the road. Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jordan Moore as time expired to win 23-17.
Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) looks for an open receiver against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
This time around should be another close battle. While Wake Forest is 8-3 this season, Duke still has a slim path to the ACC title game in Charlotte with a 6-5 record.
Right now, two scenarios exist where the Blue Devils could clinch a spot in the conference championship, both of which involve a win over the Demon Deacons on Saturday.
Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images
With a win, Duke needs Pitt to lose to Miami and SMU to lose against Cal. The other scenario includes a Duke win followed by a Pitt loss, a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech and either a win by Syracuse (vs Boston College) or NC State (against North Carolina).
Again, the chances are slim, but at the very least, a victory over Wake Forest would boost Duke’s bowl positioning. Duke’s defense remains a question, but facing a team that relies on the run, there is a chance Duke’s explosive offense can gain the upper hand.
Aug 28, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a touchdown pass against the Elon Phoenix during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images
Darian Mensah has been great this season, despite recent struggles. In his first season with Duke, the sophomore quarterback has thrown for 3,182 yards, 26 touchdowns and four interceptions.
A quick preview of the Demon Deacons and live updates from the game can be found below. To read more about what to watch for Duke in this game, click here.
Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; The Wake Forest Demon Deacon during the third quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Wake Forest has had big wins over SMU and Virginia this season, boosting the team to 8-3 on the season. Still, with a 4-3 conference record, the Demon Deacons don’t have a chance to wind up in Charlotte.
The offense has been middle of the road in the ACC this season, averaging 26.4 points per game (11th in ACC) and 381.9 total yards per game (11th). The Demon Deacons take control on the ground, rushing for 159.6 yards per game (4th).
Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Kyle Efford (44) during the fourth quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Demond Claiborne leads Wake Forest on the ground with 849 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, picking up 5.1 yards per carry. He has some incredible quickness to bounce runs outside and has great contact balance. He’s tough to bring down, which is concerning for the banged-up Duke defense.
Quarterback Robby Ashford is also a huge part of the run game. He has 460 rushing yards and six touchdowns, frequently using designed runs to keep Wake Forest in front of the chains or convert in short-yardage spots.
Oct 4, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford (2) looks to run the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images / Brian Bishop-Imagn Images
Ashford is, however, a subpar passer, completing just 58.5% of his passes for 1,827 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He is inaccurate at times over the middle and sometimes late outside the numbers. That’s where the Duke secondary could take advantage.
Chris Barnes leads the team with 37 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns, while Carlos Hernandez falls slightly behind him with 28 catches for 445 yards and three touchdowns. Hernandez has been a monster as of late, totaling 297 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games.
Nov 15, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Carlos Hernandez (8) reacts after a play against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wake Forest Athletics via Imagn Images / Wake Forest Athletics via Imagn Images
On defense, Wake Forest can be beaten on the ground, but its pass defense is one of the best in the ACC. The Demon Deacons allow 193.5 passing yards per game (4th in ACC) and just nine passing touchdowns this season.
Safety Nick Andersen leads the team with 89 tackles, third-most in the conference. He also has seven pass deflections and patrols the back end of the defense and doesn’t let much get over the top.
Oct 4, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Terion Stewart (8) runs with the ball against Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Davaughn Patterson (5) during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images / Brian Bishop-Imagn Images
Slot corner Davaughn Patterson has 69 tackles and nine pass deflections. Duke runs a lot of different players in the slot and throws there often, so Patterson could make life difficult on the Blue Devils.
Duke’s offense got back on track using the ground game last week, but this is a game where the Blue Devils could opt to try to beat the Demon Deacons through the air to finish the season above .500.
Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts during the second half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Duke’s final availability report lists receiver Andrel Anthony and cornerback Landan Callahan as out for a second consecutive game. Linebacker Tre Freeman is good to go for the Blue Devils.
