Wake Forest Football Faces Clemson in Sold-Out Matchup Amidst Scheduling Controversy

Wake Forest University’s football team is set to host No. 10 Clemson at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium on Saturday, October 12, in a highly anticipated matchup that has sold out the stadium. The game, scheduled to kick off at noon ET, will be nationally televised on ESPN.

The Demon Deacons are coming off a 34-30 win over NC State, which ended their three-game losing streak. However, they face a significant challenge against Clemson, which has been one of the hottest teams in college football over the last month. Clemson’s offense, led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, has been particularly strong, and their defense remains as formidable as ever.

Wake Forest’s quarterback, Hank Bachmeier, will need to find a rhythm in the offense to have any chance of pulling off an upset. The Demon Deacons have struggled defensively, giving up big numbers on the scoreboard, including 71 combined points to Louisiana and NC State in recent games.

In other news, Wake Forest has been involved in a scheduling controversy after canceling their planned home-and-home series with Ole Miss. The Demon Deacons agreed to pay Ole Miss $750,000 to escape the contract, which was signed in 2014. This decision was made to facilitate a new home-and-home series with Oregon State, a move described by Wake Forest’s athletics director, John Currie, as the “right business decision” due to ongoing financial pressures in college athletics.

The cancellation has left Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin frustrated, as it forces his team to find another major conference opponent to meet SEC scheduling requirements. Meanwhile, Wake Forest has managed to cover the cancellation costs through the new agreement with Oregon State, which includes additional payments for travel and other expenses.

Despite the off-field drama, the upcoming game against Clemson is expected to be a high-energy event, with Allegacy Stadium at full capacity for the 11th time since 2021. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the “WEAR BLACK SATURDAY” theme, and the game promises to be an exciting matchup between two ACC rivals.