Wake Forest No Longer a Football Power

Unfortunately for backers of Wake Forest, it appears this program is heading in the wrong direction after the Demon Deacons finished last season 5-7 after reaching a bowl game in the previous three seasons. Wake started 4-2 and looked like an ACC sleeper but then lost five games in a row – three by a total of seven points — before ending the year with a win over Duke.

Now Wake has the unenviable task of replacing record-setting quarterback Riley Skinner, a four-year starter at the school. It appears junior Skylar Jones, who can also run the ball, will enter the fall as the starter, although he wasn't anything special in the spring. It helped that his two competitors both suffered injuries. Still, there could be a change before the season opener.

Regardless, Wake should run the ball more this season than it did with Skinner, and the Deacs have two solid backs in Josh Adams and Brandon Pendergrass. The receiving corps might be the strength of the offense with the top three guys all back: Devon Brown (61 catches, 671 yards, six TDs), Marshall Williams (60-867-6) and Chris Givens (45-629-8). The offensive line struggled last year and could again with only two returning starters. Overall there are six back on offense.

The defense brings back seven starters, although both tackles are gone – that won't help a unit that was 10^th in the ACC in stopping the run in 2009. Defensive end should be a strength, with Kyle Wilber back after missing most of last year with an injury. The secondary brings three starters back, although that unit got torched often last year. The defense forced only 15 turnovers last year and that number must improve by plenty if Wake is going to contend for a bowl. The Deacons are 9/1 on Bodog's college football odds to win the ACC Atlantic Division and 30/1 to win the ACC but there's basically zero chance either of those happens.

Sept. 2 Presbyterian

Sept. 11 Duke

Sept. 18 at Stanford

Sept. 25 at Florida State

Oct. 2 Georgia Tech

Oct. 9 Navy

Oct. 16 at Virginia Tech

Oct. 30 at Maryland

Nov. 6 Boston College

Nov. 13 at NC State

Nov. 20 Clemson

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Grandmaster Sports Handicapper Joe Duffy's expert take: Wake Forest fans can say one thing this year, "Thank God for Maryland." That's the only thing that will keep the Demon Deacons out of last place. Enjoy being No. 5.