2020 season: 4-5, 3-4 in the ACC (10th in the ACC)
Head coach: Dave Clawson (8th season)
While Wake Forest has competed in a program-record five-straight bowl games, last season was a stump in progress. The Demon Deacons' 2020 campaign was plagued with COVID-19 restrictions, causing postponed and cancelled games throughout the season and interrupting any consistency.
The NCAA’s ruling for an extra year of eligibility due to the impact of the pandemic will be very beneficial for Wake Forest this year, as nine players will be taking advantage of this rule as “super seniors.” In general, the team will heavily rely on returners, including an offensive line that played about 90 percent of the Demon Deacons' snaps last year.
Quarterback Sam Hartman will also be returning this season. The redshirt sophomore set Wake Forest’s record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception and threw only one pick in the entire 2020 regular season. However, he then threw four in the Demon Deacons' bowl game loss to Wisconsin.
Duke and Wake Forest have not faced off since the 2019 season, as last year's game was cancelled due to COVID-19, and thus the Blue Devils will have the challenge of competing against Hartman and a good chunk of the Demon Deacons' offense for the first time.
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