Venue & Kickoff
Location: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM ET
Broadcast: ACC Network Extra
Capacity: 31,500
Weather Forecast
Conditions: Mostly sunny, warm
Temperature: ~76°F at kickoff
Wind: Light, 4–6 mph
Precipitation: 0%
Impact: Ideal conditions for both passing and rushing; no weather-related disruptions expected
Injury Report
Western Carolina
WR/KR Anthony Lowe – Questionable (undisclosed)
QB Taron Dickens – Listed as starter but was inactive Week 1 (eligibility/injury uncertainty)
Wake Forest
RB Demond Claiborne – Questionable (rib injury; left Week 1 early)
OG Clinton Richard – Out indefinitely (broken foot)
Team Records & Recent Form
Western Carolina: Explosive offense (454 total yards in opener) but defensive collapse — allowed 24 unanswered in 4Q vs. Gardner-Webb.
Wake Forest: Won opener despite offensive struggles; defense allowed just 9 points but offense managed only 10 vs. FCS Kennesaw State.
Key Player Matchups
QB Bennett Judy / Isaac Lee / Taron Dickens (WCU) vs. QB Robby Ashford (WF)
Judy: 151 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT in opener
Lee: 82 yds, 1 TD in relief
Dickens: FCS All-American in 2024; status uncertain
Ashford: 218 pass yds, 71.4% comp., 42 rush yds, 1 rush TD in debut
RB Patrick Boyd Jr. (WCU) vs. LB Nick Anderson (WF)
Boyd: 142 yds, 1 TD on 15 carries; 70-yd TD run vs. Gardner-Webb
Anderson: 9 tackles in opener; leader of WF defense
WR Malik Knight (WCU) vs. CB DaShawn Jones (WF)
Knight: 69-yd TD reception in opener
Jones: Key cover corner; part of unit that allowed 149 pass yds in Week 1
WF WR Eni Falayi vs. WCU Secondary
Falayi: 4 rec, 52 yds in opener; top target with Claiborne out
Series History
All-Time: Wake Forest leads 1–0
Last Meeting: Wake Forest 38–7 (2022, Winston-Salem)
Note: This is only the second meeting between the programs
Betting Trends
Western Carolina: Lost 20 straight road games; 0–10 SU in last 10 overall vs. FBS; OVER has hit in 7 of last 9
Wake Forest: 0–1 ATS in 2025; UNDER in 4 of last 5 games; 7–1 SU in last 8 vs. FCS opponents
Head-to-Head: Last meeting went UNDER (45 total points)
Game Odds
Western Carolina Catamounts 61.5
Wake Forest Demon Deacons – 18.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 5, 2025
