We are finally just one day away from the 2023 Wake Forest football season! While constant discussion of realignment and the death of the ACC kind of killed a lot of my excitement during the offseason, now that we are officially on the eve of the first game day of the season, I can confidently say that I am all the way back and ready to watch the Deacs play some football. With the season starting tomorrow, this is the final day of speculation and predictions before we can finally start talking about some real games, so let’s dive into some predictions for the 2023 season.
Overall Record: 7-5 (4-4)
It seems like we have the same question every year heading into the season: can the defense stop anyone? The offense, which is averaging 36 points per game with 3 different starting QBs since 2017, has consistently been good enough to keep the Deacs in almost every game. The defense, unfortunately, has been just the opposite, giving up almost 30 points per game in that same time span. We will find out if the defense has made any improvements when we get into some real games, but until then, I am operating under the assumption that both sides of the ball are going to be pretty similar to last year. With that in mind, here’s how I think the schedule breaks down this season:
Wins:
- Elon
- Vanderbilt
- at Old Dominion
- Georgia Tech
Losses:
- at Clemson
- Florida State
- at Notre Dame
Tossups
- at Virginia Tech
- Pitt
- at Duke
- NC State
- at Syracuse
The Deacs should absolutely start out the season 4-0. A loss in any of the first 4 games would not be a great sign for how the season is going to go. On the road at Clemson and Notre Dame, both ranked teams, are probably going to be losses, to be blunt. If the Deacs are going to steal one in the “loss” category, it’s going to be the Florida State game at home—time will tell if the FSU hype is for real or if they are once again overrated. Wake should be able to go 3-2 in the remaining tossup games. I think I’d have VT and Syracuse in the win category if they were home games, but Blacksburg is not an easy place to play in and Syracuse typically gives Wake all they can handle in the dome. That puts my worst-case scenario at 4-8 and my best-case scenario at 9-3—I think the Deacs fall comfortably in the middle at 7-5.
Most Important Game: NC State
This is almost always one of the biggest games of the year for the Deacs, especially when the game is in Winston. Not only is a win great for bragging rights, but this season it will likely be pivotal in whether or not Wake gets to a bowl game.
Offensive MVP: Taylor Morin
Morin had 47 catches for 575 yards and 9 touchdowns last season. I think he is poised for a Jaquarii Roberson type year in the slot and will serve as a sort of security blanket for Mitch Griffis in his first season as the starting QB.
Defensive MVP: Jasheen Davis
With a secondary that struggles at staying with receivers, a pass rush is going to be crucial this season. It seems like 3rd and long is always the Achilles heel for the defense, so the ability to get into the backfield and blow up the play before the receivers can get separation would really help the defense get off the field. Davis finished last season with a team high 7 sacks, so another big year could be on the horizon.
Breakout Player: Mitch Griffis
Who else could it be? The Deacs run a pretty favorable system for quarterbacks, as seen by the success of every QB who has run it. While Griffis may not yet be on the level of Sam Hartman in the passing game, his ability to run the ball should open up the offense even more.
Bowl Game: Military Bowl
Anything but Fenway, please.
How do you feel about the Deacs this season? Fill out the poll and leave a comment!
Poll
How many games will Wake Forest win this season?
This poll is closed
-
0%
0-2
(0 votes) -
3%
3-5
(3 votes) -
53%
6-7
(51 votes) -
42%
8-9
(41 votes) -
1%
10+
(1 vote)
Poll
What game are you most excited about this season?
This poll is closed
-
23%
Florida State
(19 votes) -
35%
NC State
(28 votes) -
30%
Notre Dame
(24 votes) -
5%
Duke
(4 votes) -
6%
Other
(5 votes)
Poll
Who will the be the Offensive MVP this season?
This poll is closed
-
58%
Mitch Griffis
(47 votes) -
13%
Jahmal Banks
(11 votes) -
13%
Taylor Morin
(11 votes) -
13%
Justice Ellison
(11 votes) -
1%
Other
(1 vote)
Poll
Who will be the Defensive MVP this season?
This poll is closed
-
16%
Jasheen Davis
(12 votes) -
4%
Chase Jones
(3 votes) -
6%
Caelen Carson
(5 votes) -
70%
Malik Mustapha
(52 votes) -
2%
Other
(2 votes)
Poll
Who will be the breakout player for the Deacs this season?
This poll is closed
-
55%
Mitch Griffis
(38 votes) -
2%
Horatio Fields
(2 votes) -
16%
Wesley Grimes
(11 votes) -
23%
Demond Claiborne
(16 votes) -
1%
Other
(1 vote)
Poll
Bonus Question: Do you want the ACC to expand and add Cal, Stanford, and SMU?
This poll is closed
-
58%
Yes
(48 votes) -
29%
No
(24 votes) -
12%
I don’t care, please stop talking about realignment.
(10 votes)