The calendar flips to September and everything resets. Wake Forest opens its season at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, where the Demon Deacons will look to defend home turf and set the tone for a new campaign. There's something electric about a Thursday night opener — the stadium empty all day, then suddenly alive, the crowd filing in with that first-week anticipation that never gets old.
Akron makes the trip south looking to flip the script from the jump. Season openers are the great equalizer; nobody has film yet, nobody has established a rhythm, and every player on that field is running on months of offseason work finally unleashed. For a Zips squad getting an early crack at an ACC opponent, this is the kind of opportunity players circle in January.
Two programs, one night, zero margin for a slow start. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM EDT.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom