The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the sport of American football. The Demon Deacons compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Wake Forest plays its home football games at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium and is coached by Jake Dickert.

Wake Forest struggled in football for much of the second half of the 20th century. The university is the sixth-smallest school in FBS in terms of undergraduate enrollment (behind only Rice, Tulsa and the three FBS United States service academies). It is also the smallest school playing in a Power four conference. However, since the start of the 21st century, the Deacons have been mostly competitive, having made ten bowl games in the first two decades.

History

Early history (1888–1972)

Wake Forest first fielded a football team in 1888. The team was coached by W. C. Dowd and W. C. Riddick. That team played only one game, and went 1–0, a victory against North Carolina in the first-ever collegiate football game played in the state of North Carolina. From 1891 to 1893, under head coach E. Walter Sikes, Wake Forest posted a 6–2–1 record. Harry Rabenhorst coached Wake Forest for two seasons, posting a 3–8 record. Hank Garrity served as head football coach from 1923 to 1924. He compiled a 19–7–1 record in those two seasons. His .704 winning percentage is the highest in Wake Forest football history. F. S. Miller served as Wake Forest's head football coach for four seasons, posting a record of 18–15–4. His first two seasons were winning seasons, 6–5–1 and 5–3–1, respectively. Jim Weaver, who would become the ACC's first commissioner, coached the Demon Deacons football team for four seasons. His final record is 10–23–1.

Peahead Walker came to the Demon Deacons from Elon and was Wake Forest's head football coach for 14 seasons, compiling a record of 77–51–6. He is tied with Jim Grobe as the winningest head football coach in Demon Deacon football history. Walker led the Deacons to two bowl games, a win over South Carolina in the inaugural Gator Bowl in 1946 and a loss to Baylor in the 1949 Dixie Bowl. He resigned after the 1950 season and was inducted into the Wake Forest Athletics Hall of Fame in 1971. Tom Rogers led the Demon Deacons from 1951 to 1955, succeeding Walker. Rogers yearly records at Wake Forest were 6–4, 5–4–1, 3–6–1, 4–7–1 and 5–4–1. In 1951, the Demon Deacons compiled a 6–4 record and finished in a tie for seventh place in the Southern Conference. End Jack Lewis and linebacker Bill George were selected by the Associated Press as first-team players on the 1951 All-Southern Conference football team. In their second season under Rogers, the Demon Deacons compiled a 5–4–1 record and finished in a tie for second place in the Southern Conference with a 5–1 record against conference opponents. End Jack Lewis was selected by the United Press as a first-team player on the 1952 All-Southern Conference football team. This was followed by a 3–6–1 campaign in 1953 that saw Wake Forest finish in a three-way tie for third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 2–3 record against conference opponents. In 1954, the Demon Deacons compiled a 3–6–1 record and finished in sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 1–4–1 record against conference opponents. End Ed Stowers and tackle Bob Bartholomew were selected by the Associated Press as first-team players on the 1954 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. Bartholomew was the only unanimous selection by all 43 voters. In 1955, their fifth season under Rogers, the Demon Deacons compiled a 5–4–1 record and finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 3–3–1 record against conference opponents. Tackle Bob Bartholomew was selected by both the Associated Press and the United Press International as a first-team player on the 1955 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. Rogers was replaced as Wake Forest head coach after five seasons.

Paul Amen, who succeeded Rogers, came to Wake Forest from his post as an assistant at Army and also struggled but managed to go 6–4 in his final season, his only winning record. He coached the Demon Deacons from 1956 to 1959. Amen was hired over another former assistant to Red Blaik, then-New York Giants offensive assistant Vince Lombardi.

In their first season under Amen, the Demon Deacons compiled a 2–5–3 record and finished in seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 1–5–1 record against conference opponents. Halfback Billy Ray Barnes rushed for over 1,000 yards and was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1956 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. Amen's 1957 team posted a winless 0–10 record. This was followed by a 3–7 season in 1958. In 1958, the Demon Deacons compiled a 6–4 record and finished in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Quarterback Norm Snead and end Pete Manning were selected by the Associated Press and United Press International as first-team players on the 1959 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. Snead later played 16 seasons in the NFL and was a four-time All-Pro selection. Guard Nick Patella was selected to the All-ACC team by the UPI. Amen was selected in 1956 and 1959 as ACC Coach of the Year, however, Amen retired after four seasons. Bill Hildebrand was promoted from defensive line coach to head coach following Amen's retirement. Hildebrand, like his predecessors, struggled to find much success. His best season came in 1961 in which the Demon Deacons posted a 4–6 record. In its first season under Hildebrand, the Demon Deacons compiled a 2–8 record and finished in seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Quarterback Norm Snead was selected by the United Press International as a first-team player on the 1960 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. Snead later played 16 seasons in the NFL and was a four-time All-Pro selection. In 1961, its second season under head coach Hildebrand, the team compiled a 4–6 record and finished in seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Halfback Alan White was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1961 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team. In 1962, the team compiled a 0–10 record and finished in last place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). This was followed by a 1–9 campaign in 1963 that saw Wake Forest finish in seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). After four seasons and a 7–33 overall record, Hildebrand was fired.

Bill Tate was hired as the Demon Deacons head football coach in January 1964. Tate coached the Demon Deacons for five seasons. In its first season under Tate, the team compiled a 5–5 record and finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Three players received first-team All-ACC honors from the Associated Press: fullback Brian Piccolo, quarterback John Mackovic, and end Richard Cameron. Piccolo was a unanimous selection for the all-conference team, and was also selected as a first-team All-American by Football News.referenced April 3, 2009.The Associated Press and Newspaper Enterprise Association selected Piccolo as a second-team All-American behind Gale Sayers, who would later be Piccolo's roommate with the Chicago Bears, as depicted in the film Brian's Song. He set three ACC records in 1964 with 1,044 rushing yards, 111 points scored, and 17 touchdowns. Piccolo also led the nation in 1964 in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and points scored. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year, yet went unselected in both the AFL and NFL drafts. Mackovic led the Demon Deacons with 1,340 passing yards while completing 89 of 195 passes. Cameron caught 29 passes for 410 yards. From 1964 to 1968, Wake Forest posted a 17–32–1 record and steadily declined year-by-year, going from 5–5 in Tate's first year worsening each year to 2–7–1 in his last. Tate won ACC Coach of the Year honors in 1964 but was fired after failing to post a winning record in any of his five seasons.

Cal Stoll was hired as Wake Forest's head coach away from Michigan State, where he served as an assistant. Stoll was able to have success with the Deacons, posting a 3–7 record his first year then back-to-back 6–5 records in his last two. In 1969, their first season under Stoll, the Demon Deacons compiled a 3–7 record and finished in seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1970, the team compiled a 6–5 record, finished in first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 5–1 record against conference opponents. In their third season under Stoll, the Demon Deacons compiled a 6–5 record and finished in a tie for fifth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Stoll left Wake Forest after the 1971 season to take the head coach position at his alma mater Minnesota after initially declining the job. His final record was 15–17 and included Wake Forest's first ACC championship in 1970. Stoll won ACC Coach of the Year honors in 1970. Tom Harper was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Stoll's departure. In their first and only season under Harper, the Demon Deacons compiled a 2–9 record and finished in a tie for last place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Harper was replaced as Wake Forest's head football coach after the 1972 season.

Chuck Mills era (1973–1977) Chuck Mills was hired away from Utah State and served as the Demon Deacons head football coach for five seasons, compiling an 11–43–1 record before he was fired due to the team's continued lackluster on-the-field performance. In 1973, Mills' first season, the Demon Deacons compiled a 1–9–1 record and finished in last place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This was followed by a 1–10 record and last place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1974. Mills' third season in 1975 saw the Demon Deacons go 3–8 record and finish in fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1976, the Demon Deacons compiled a 5–6 record and finished in third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In their fifth and final season under Mills in 1977, the Demon Deacons compiled a 1–10 record and finished in last place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

John Mackovic era (1978–1980) Purdue offensive coordinator and associate head coach John Mackovic took over as head coach of his alma mater in 1978 and re-energized the Wake Forest football program, turning the program around from 1–10 to 8–4 in one year, for which Mackovic won ACC Coach of the Year honors. His teams were aggressive and fast. In 1979, its second season under head coach John Mackovic, the team compiled an 8–4 record, finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and lost to LSU in the 1979 Tangerine Bowl. Mackovic won the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award in 1979. In its third season under head coach John Mackovic, the team compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Following the 1980 season, Mackovic left Wake Forest to take an assistant coaching position with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. Mackovic's final record at Wake Forest is 14–20.

Al Groh era (1981–1986)