The Jake Dickert era at Wake Forest is beginning to take shape after almost a year in charge, and it’s already producing thrilling results. Nine months after landing quarterback Deshawn Purdie through the transfer portal, the Demon Deacons pulled off one of their most dramatic wins in recent memory, defeating the SMU Mustangs 13-12 on Saturday with a clutch 50-yard field goal at the buzzer.
Pete Thamel of ESPN summed it up perfectly on social media: “Wake Forest hits a 50-yard game winner to drop SMU at the buzzer. SMU drops first regular season ACC game.”
Purdie, who earned his second straight start with Robby Ashford still recovering from a thumb injury, led the offense efficiently against one of the ACC’s most explosive teams. He threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns in his previous outing against Oregon State and managed the game calmly on Saturday, showing poise in the final drive that set up the game-winning kick.
Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert, hired last year after Dave Clawson’s decade-long tenure ended, is already proving he can get results out of a team that had struggled for consistency. His decision to stick with Purdie while easing Ashford back into action paid off, as the young quarterback displayed maturity beyond his experience.
Purdie, a former Florida commit who transferred from Charlotte, has become an emblem of Dickert’s aggressive approach to rebuilding the Demon Deacons. “My arm talent was something he complimented,” Purdie said shortly after joining the program. “He said he was impressed with how poised I was in the pocket at my age. My goal is to keep developing and growing.”
For Dickert, this 13-12 victory marks a defining early moment. SMU entered the game with one of the ACC’s top-ranked offenses but was held to just one touchdown all night. The Deacons’ defense, long seen as a weakness, held firm in crucial situations, a testament to the physical, disciplined identity Dickert has been trying to instill since arriving in Winston-Salem.
When former Washington State coach Dickert took over for Clawson, it was clear Wake Forest was entering a new era. Clawson’s 10-year run produced stability but had plateaued at 4-8 in each of his last two seasons. Dickert, who led Washington State to an 8-4 record and one of the nation’s most efficient offenses the previous year, was brought in to modernize the program.
If Saturday’s win is any indication, Wake Forest may be turning the corner sooner than expected. The combination of grit, clutch execution, and belief under a new head coach could signal the start of something special for the Demon Deacons.
