ESPN SportsCenter live at Wake Forest: Hearn Plaza to host Sept. 11 campus show

• oleh Fahri Setiawan
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Campus goes national as SportsCenter sets up at Wait Chapel

Wake Forest is getting a primetime pregame spotlight. ESPN SportsCenter is taking its 2 p.m. ET hour live from Hearn Plaza on Thursday, Sept. 11, setting up in front of the iconic Wait Chapel and inviting students, alumni, and Winston-Salem neighbors to be part of the broadcast. Anchor Matt Barrie will host on site, turning the heart of campus into a TV set and a tailgate all at once.

The timing lines up with one of the most familiar dates on the Demon Deacons’ calendar: Wake Forest vs. NC State. The in-state matchup is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium and will air on ESPN. The series has been played every year since 1910, making it one of the longest-running streaks in college football. Thursday’s live show is built to capture that longevity and the feel of a rivalry week before the first snap.

Fans can start gathering at Hearn Plaza at 1:30 p.m. to fill the backdrop and soak up the atmosphere. Expect the Spirit of the Old Gold & Black Marching Band, the cheer and dance teams, and the Demon Deacon mascot to bring the noise. Producers are planning crowd shots, campus features, and interactive segments throughout the hour, plus exclusive giveaways for those who show up early. A coaching segment featuring Jake Dickert is slated as part of the broadcast rundown.

Hearn Plaza—bordered by brick walkways, old oaks, and Wait Chapel’s spire—doesn’t need much staging to look good on television. It’s the campus commons where prospective students get their first look, club fairs spill across the lawn, and big moments are marked. On Thursday, it doubles as a national set piece, showcasing the Old Gold and Black to viewers around the country and putting the Triad’s college town energy on display.

ESPN’s campus editions of SportsCenter aren’t weekly fixtures; they’re drop-ins for moments that carry weight—rivalries, milestones, or special atmospheres. For Wake Forest, the draw is a mix of history and hospitality. The network plans to spotlight the traditions that give the school its texture: the pregame walk through, the noise the band makes when the team enters, and the way black-and-gold fills the plaza on game weeks.

What fans should know—and why the spotlight matters

If you’re heading to Hearn Plaza, think simple: arrive early, wear black and gold, and be camera-ready. Hand-held signs are usually encouraged on these shows, but oversized props, poles, or anything that blocks sightlines can be turned away by production staff. Bags are typically subject to inspection near the set perimeter, so pack light. Hydration is smart for an afternoon standing on the bricks, and comfortable shoes beat anything fancy.

• Arrival: Crowd build starts at 1:30 p.m. ET; the live hour begins at 2 p.m. ET.
• Location: Hearn Plaza, in front of Wait Chapel, at the center of campus.
• Atmosphere: Marching band, spirit squads, and the Demon Deacon on site.
• Giveaways: On-air segments will include fan interaction and prizes.
• Game night: Wake Forest vs. NC State, 7:30 p.m., Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.

The show is designed to be participatory. Producers will cue the crowd for countdowns, live tosses, and segment openers. Between hits, there are resets where on-air talent and crew mingle, test audio, and line up the next feature. That pacing gives fans a close look at how national TV gets made in real time—far different from watching at home.

For the university, there’s a broader play here. A national pregame window puts Wake Forest’s identity in front of recruits, prospective students, and casual fans. It’s a stage to highlight the school’s academic-athletic balance, the compact, walkable campus, and the way Demon Deacon traditions scale from a leafy quad to a packed stadium. The Triad’s profile benefits, too: Winston-Salem restaurants, hotels, and local businesses tend to see a lift when big broadcasts come to town.

Rivalry context matters on this broadcast. Wake Forest and NC State have carried on a yearly meeting through wars, conference shifts, and scheduling overhauls, creating a rhythm that fans on both sides know by heart. The show will likely lean into those shared memories—the dramatic finishes, the road upsets, the seasons where a single October night changed a November race. Even without a trophy between them, the game has always felt like a measuring stick.

There’s also the campus cadence to consider. A Thursday night kickoff reshapes the week. Classes run as usual in the morning, the plaza turns into a TV set at midday, and then the focus moves to the stadium by late afternoon. Parking patterns and campus shuttles typically adjust on game days; fans driving in should plan cushion time between the broadcast and the stadium gates. Students who stay on the plaza through the show often walk straight over to tailgates, keeping the energy continuous.

For ESPN, the appeal is the look and the sound: a chapel spire, a brick quad, and a band that can carry through a live hit without washing out the microphones. For Wake Forest, it’s the chance to show the country what a September afternoon feels like in Winston-Salem when a rivalry is in town. If you’ve got a free hour and a black shirt, the national feed will be taking its cues from the crowd right in front of Wait Chapel.