Thursday, September 3, 2026. Kickoff 7:00 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
Wake Forest opens the season at home against Akron in the 7 p.m. Thursday window, one of four games on opening night.
| Kickoff | 7:00 p.m. ET · 6:00 CT · 5:00 MT · 4:00 PT |
| TV | ACC Network |
| Streaming | ESPN App, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream |
| Venue | Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC |
Wake Forest’s Position
Wake Forest is the smallest school in the ACC by enrolment and has spent years punching above that weight. Opening on a Thursday gives the Demon Deacons a national window they would not get on a crowded Saturday.
Their ACC schedule includes a trip to Georgia Tech on November 21.
Akron’s Trip South
Akron is a MAC program from northeast Ohio. Like most Group of Five teams opening at a Power Four school, the trip is worth more financially than competitively — though the MAC has produced enough upsets in these spots that nobody dismisses them entirely.
How to Watch
ACC Network is cable-only, with no antenna option. Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream carry it, and the ESPN App streams it for authenticated subscribers. Sling does not include ACC Network on all packages.
It shares the 7 p.m. Thursday window with three other games, before Colorado at Georgia Tech kicks off at 8.
The Bottom Line
Akron at Wake Forest kicks off 7:00 p.m. ET Thursday, September 3 on ACC Network from Winston-Salem. A cable or streaming subscription including ACC Network is required.