Is the Wake Forest turnaround real? Oddsmakers aren't so sure.
Wake Forest went 8-4 in the 2025 regular season, finishing 4-4 in ACC play and clearing a 4.5-win total by three and a half wins to snap a three-year Under streak. The Demon Deacons enter 2026 with a modest bump in their win total, but one that still sits well below the totals Wake faced during its stronger seasons earlier this decade.
Here's a look at the recent history of Wake Forest win totals, along with predictions on whether the Demon Deacons will surpass or fall short of their 2026 number of 5.5:
Wake Forest 2026 win total predictions
(Confidence legend: 🟢 = high, 🟡 = medium, ⚪ = low)
| Name | Outlet | Pick | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Powers |  |
UNDER 5.5 | ⚪ |
| Rob Paul | |
OVER 5.5 | ⚪ |
| Colby Marchio | |
UNDER 5.5 | 🟡 |
Covers expert betting predictions
Brad Powers
Head coach Jake Dickert did an outstanding job getting the Demon Deacons to nine wins in his first year (win total was only 4.5). However, I’ve downgraded their power rating this year and they could be underdogs in as many as seven games.
Rob Paul
All Jake Dickert ever does is exceed expectations.
In his first season at Wake Forest last year, he took a team that had won four games in each of the previous two seasons and managed eight regular-season wins with a journeyman QB. This season, he brings in QB Gio Lopez from North Carolina, who reunites with offensive coordinator Rob Ezell – the two were together at South Alabama.
The Demon Deacons bring back several key players, too, including wide receiver Carlos Hernandez, pass rusher Langston Hardy, and defensive back Davaughn Patterson. Plus, they added Deuce Blades II (FIU), Ryan Berger (Oregon State), and a plethora of wide receivers in the portal.
This is going to be a feisty team hungry for bowl eligibility.
Colby Marchio
The Demon Deacons should have a solid offense, but the defense worries me.
They lost Dylan Hazen and Quincy Bryant, who combined for 130 tackles a season ago. Stepping in are Aiden Hall and Frank Cusano, who saw some reps in 2025, but can they fill those massive shoes in 2026? Their schedule is also pretty brutal, and they will likely be underdogs in every road game.
Coming off a nine-win season that included four upset victories is incredibly difficult to replicate. Matching that total feels like a tall task in 2026.
Wake Forest win totals, odds and results (2018-25)
(Wake Forest historical win totals courtesy Sports Odds History)
| Year | Win Total | Over | Under | Actual Wins | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.5 | +105 | -125 | 8 | Over |
| 2024 | 5 | -110 | -110 | 4 | Under |
| 2023 | 6.5 | +115 | -140 | 4 | Under |
| 2022 | 8.5 | +100 | -130 | 7 | Under |
| 2021 | 7 | -120 | +100 | 10 | Over |
| 2019 | 6 | -115 | -105 | 8 | Over |
| 2018 | 6.5 | +110 | -130 | 6 | Under |
🔑 Key Takeaways
- A slight Under lean: Wake Forest has gone Under its win total four times in seven graded seasons, against three Overs. Seven seasons is a thin sample, so the overall record carries less weight than the recent pattern.
- One bad run: Wake Forest missed its win total in three straight graded seasons, the longest streak in this dataset; totals fell from 8.5 down to 5 but the program still came up short each year.
- An easy bar to clear: After three straight misses, Wake Forest easily cleared a 4.5-win total, the lowest number the program has faced in this series.
How Wake Forest win totals are priced
Last year's eight-win regular season caught plenty of people by surprise, but oddsmakers aren't exactly keen on a repeat performance in 2026.
The win total of 5.5 carries -136 odds on the Over, so a six-win campaign is a reasonable expectation according to the books. Non-conference tilts with Akron and Merrimack should be easy Ws, but Wake Forest is one of just a handful of ACC teams that will face five out of six teams that picked up 6+ conference wins in 2025 (including ACC champion Duke and nationally renowned Miami.)
The Deacons' ACC win total is set at 3.5 and is a virtual toss-up at sports betting sites, with the Over at +100 and the Under at -120.
Wake Forest has gone 19-3 SU (12-10 ATS) in non-conference games over the past five seasons.
Wake Forest win total FAQs
Will Wake Forest make the CFP?
Wake Forest is a long shot to reach the 2026-27 playoff, priced at +4000.
What is Wake Forest's projected win total?
The Demon Deacons' win total sits at 5.5 for 2026, with the Over at -136 and the Under at +115.
Who is Wake Forest's starting QB?
Gio Lopez sits atop the Demon Deacons' quarterback depth chart entering the summer. He threw for 1,747 yards and 10 touchdowns with UNC in 2025.
What's the best bet for Wake Forest this season?
Based on our expert consensus, the UNDER has a flimsy majority, but our analysts don't have a great deal of confidence in either side.
