The 2006 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe, in his fifth season at the school, and played its home games at Groves Stadium (now known as BB&T Field). The Deacons finished the regular season with a 10–2 record, giving them the first 10-win season in their history, and won the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The subsequent victory ain the conference championship game gave Wake Forest their first conference championship in 36 years. As such, they represented the ACC in the Orange Bowl. The team ended the season with an 11–3 record and a number 17 ranking in the nation. The team and its star linebacker Jon Abbate would become the subject of a 2011 feature film, The 5th Quarter. They did not win the Atlantic Division again until 2021. Pre-season After finishing 4–7 in 2005 and in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, the Deacons were picked in the pre-season to finish last in the division by the ACC media, among others, making the Deacons' run at the ACC title largely unexpected. Coaching change After Deacons' wide receivers coach Kevin Sherman left to take an assistant coaching position at Virginia Tech, Tim Billings was hired as his replacement. Billings was touted as having 23-years of experience at the college football level, including a six-year stint as head coach of Southeast Missouri State. Roster changes Although the Deacons returned an ACC high 18 starters from the 2005 team, they lost four key starters to graduation. On defense, the only starter to leave was nose tackle, Goryal Scales. On offense, three starters graduated, including wide receiver Chris Davis, quarterback Cory Randolph, and running back and ACC Player of the Year award-winner Chris Barclay. Finally, Ray Guy Award-winning punter Ryan Plackemeier also graduated. Recruiting During recruiting, the Deacons signed 15 new players for the team, including a number of three-star recruits and Josh Adams, a top-10 ranked running back. The team added eight players on offense, six on defense and a kicker, however before the season began, tight end recruit, Dennis Godfrey, decided not to enroll to the school. Award candidates Five Demon Deacon players were named to pre-season national award watchlists: Jon Abbate – Heisman Trophy Micah Andrews – Doak Walker Award Josh