The North Carolina A&T Aggies are gearing up for their season opener, traveling to Winston-Salem to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The game is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Tickets start at $15.

Despite the two schools being only 40 minutes apart, this will be their second meeting since 2004, when the Demon Deacons won decisively 42-3. Before that game, the Aggies had never faced an ACC team. Since then, they have played only two ACC opponents.

The Aggies, coming off a disappointing 1-10 season with a 0-8 conference record, are looking to secure their first win of the 2024 season and their first ACC victory. Senior safety Ty Williams Jr., who is returning as the team's leading tackler, is optimistic about the matchup. 

“The key to success for us on the defensive side is to be great tacklers and eliminate explosive plays,” Williams said. “Coach JZ (Josh Zidenberg) has emphasized this all summer. We win games with turnovers.”

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Williams, a fourth-team preseason All-Conference player, recorded 36 tackles last season—22 solo and 14 assisted—in six games. Williams is tied for second-most total tackles as a defensive back with redshirt junior safety David Laney.

The Demon Deacons are aiming to start the season with a home win. They ended 2023 with a five-game losing streak, finishing 4-8 overall and 1-7 in conference play.

A standout player to keep an eye on for the Deacons is senior defensive lineman Jasheen Davis. Standing tall at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 270 pounds, this defensive force calls Snellville, Georgia his hometown.

Currently, he shares the fifth position on Wake Forest’s career sacks list and is just 10 sacks away from surpassing the program record. Notably, in the previous season, he secured the 32nd spot nationally and ranked fifth in the ACC for sacks. Additionally, he stood at ninth place nationally and second in the ACC for tackles for loss, showcasing his impactful presence on the field.