Oregon State football early opponent preview: Wake Forest

Former Washington State coach Jake Dickert is now at Wake Forest, seeking to rebuild the ACC program coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons.

The Demon Deacons peaked under prior coach Dave Clawson in 2021, going 11-3 including a win over Rutgers in the Gator Bowl. Now,

Oregon State

will face a Wake Forest team trying to climb back to that level of relevance.

Can Dickert do what he did in Pullman at his new job in Winston-Salem?

Game 7: Wake Forest at Oregon State

Date:

Oct. 11

Time:

12:30 p.m.

Location:

Reser Stadium

TV:

The CW

Wake Forest offense preview:

Gone are the days of Wake Forest’s unique, “slow mesh” offense. But the run game will still be a big part of things for the Demon Deacons, led by senior tailback Demond Claiborne.

Claiborne set career-highs in 2024 with 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding 23 catches for 254 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He will be the linchpin for Wake Forest, and his offensive line is re-tooled.

Incoming transfers Deshawn Purdie (Charlotte) and Robby Ashford (South Carolina) will compete for the starting quarterback job. Ashford is the more experienced and journeyman among the two, having spent one season at South Carolina, two at Auburn, and two at Oregon.

Wake Forest defense preview:

Wake Forest is experienced on the defensive side, and boasts several key returners, but finished 117th in total defense in 2024. It was 113th in scoring defense, allowing opponents to put up 32.5 points per game. Not a recipe for winning football.

As one might expect, given both their defensive struggles and coaching change, the Demon Deacons added a slew of players in the portal. That included three defensive linemen and three corners — two areas that desperately needed more quality last season.

Kicking off a four-game home stand with a Wake Forest team in transition is a solid draw for Oregon State. Uncertainties on both sides of the ball should allow for a comfortable return to Reser. The question will be whether OSU plays down to its level of competition, and if its offense shows up the way some around the program believe it capable of.

More OSU early opponent previews:

Game 1: California

Game 2: Fresno State

Game 3: Texas Tech

Game 5: Houston

Game 6: Appalachian State

—

Ryan Clarke

covers the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at RClarke@Oregonian.com or on Twitter/X:

@RyanTClarke

. Find him on Bluesky:

@ryantclarke.bsky.social

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