2026 season · Week 8

Wake Forest Demon Deacons Playoff Chances

Updated October 18, 2026 · Based on 6,000 simulated seasons

Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1 ACC) has a 33% chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, a 17% chance to win the ACC and a 1% chance to win the national title, according to the A to Z Sports model (6,000 simulated seasons, updated October 18, 2026). It earns a first-round bye in 4% of simulations. Projected regular-season wins: 9.9. Biggest game left: at SMU (Sat, Nov 14, Week 11) — a win puts Wake Forest at 51%, a loss at 5%. Playoff odds by final regular-season record — 11-1: 75% · 10-2: 19% · 9-3: 1%.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons odds (October 18, 2026)
Make the College Football Playoff33%
Win the ACC17%
Reach the conference championship54%
First-round bye4%
Reach the semifinals6%
Win the national title1%

Wake Forest playoff odds at a glance

Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1 ACC) has a 33% chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, a 17% chance to win the ACC and a 1% chance to win the national title, according to the A to Z Sports model (6,000 simulated seasons, updated October 18, 2026). It earns a first-round bye in 4% of simulations. Projected regular-season wins: 9.9. Biggest game left: at SMU (Sat, Nov 14, Week 11) — a win puts Wake Forest at 51%, a loss at 5%. Playoff odds by final regular-season record — 11-1: 75% · 10-2: 19% · 9-3: 1%.

More ACC: ACC championship odds · Boston College · California · Clemson · Duke · Florida St · Georgia Tech · Louisville · Miami · NC State · North Carolina · Pitt · SMU · Stanford · Syracuse · Virginia · Virginia Tech · All teams

About the A to Z Sports CFB Playoff Predictor

The A to Z Sports CFB Playoff Predictor: every FBS team's path to the 2026 College Football Playoff. It gives all 138 FBS teams their odds to make the 12-team playoff, win their conference, earn a first-round bye and win the national title, from 6,000 simulations of the rest of the season. Pick the winner of any game and every team's odds update, with each conference's official tiebreakers and the 2026 CFP format applied. Every team has a page with what it needs and who to root for, and you can build, download and share your own bracket. Free to use. No account needed.

Last updated October 18, 2026 · results through Week 7 · based on 6,000 simulated seasons.

How to use the College Football Playoff Predictor

  1. See every team's odds. We simulate the rest of the season thousands of times and count how often each team makes the 12-team playoff.
  2. Pick any game. Tap a team to make them the winner. Both teams' strength updates the way it would after a real result, and every team's odds update nationwide.
  3. Sim the rest. Use "Sim this week" or "Sim to Selection Day" — your picks stay locked.
  4. Pick the title games. "Title games" (after the last week) shows each conference's likely championship matchups. Pick a winner — the pick follows that team if it gets there.
  5. Make the bracket yours. Your picks shape the projected bracket — tap See the Bracket on any page. Tap any team to send it through, or edit the 12 to swap in any team. It follows the 2026 rules, so every Power 4 champion and the top Group of 6 team stay in.
  6. Go deeper. Conference pages apply each league's official tiebreakers. Team pages show what your team needs and who to root for.
  7. Share it. Copy a link to your scenario, or download a ready-to-post graphic of your team's odds, the projected 12-team field or your bracket.

Frequently asked questions

What are Wake Forest's chances to make the College Football Playoff?

A 33% chance, according to the A to Z Sports model (6,000 simulated seasons, updated October 18, 2026). The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 6-1 (4-1 in the ACC). Chance of a first-round bye: 4%. Chance to win the national title: 1%.

What does Wake Forest need to make the playoff?

If Wake Forest finishes the regular season 11-1, it makes the playoff in 75% of simulated seasons; at 10-2, 19%; at 9-3, 1%. The biggest game left is at SMU (Sat, Nov 14, Week 11): a win puts Wake Forest at 51%, a loss at 5%. Winning the ACC is an automatic bid: Wake Forest wins it in 17% of simulations.

Who should Wake Forest fans root for?

The results elsewhere that help Wake Forest most: Syracuse over SMU (Week 9, +3 points); NC State over Duke (Week 10, +3 points); Virginia Tech over SMU (Week 10, +3 points). Each number is how much that result alone raises Wake Forest's playoff odds.

Can Wake Forest win the ACC?

Wake Forest reaches the ACC Championship in 54% of simulated seasons and wins the conference in 17%. Ties for a title-game spot are broken with the ACC's official tiebreakers.

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