
Barnes Earns Recognition from Earl Campbell and Hornung Awards
10/14/2025 12:37:00 PM | Football
The redshirt freshman wide receiver finished the game with 170 all-purpose yards while having three touchdowns on three catches in the 39-14 win at Oregon State on Saturday.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After earning ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday afternoon, Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Barnes continued to have honors roll in, following a dominant showing in the Demon Deacons' 39-14 victory at Oregon State on Saturday.
Barnes was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award honorable mention while also being named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll on Tuesday afternoon.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award is given to the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity. Additionally, the player must have been born in the state of Texas, attended a Texas high school, or attended a Texas junior college or university.
The Hornung Award is an annual award given to the most versatile player in major college football, presented by the Louisville Sports Commission.
Among freshman this season, Barnes now ranks second in the country in receiving yards:
Additionally, he ranks second in the country in all-purpose yards by a freshman this season and ranks in the top 30 nationally in all-purpose yards per game:
On Saturday in Corvallis, the Demon Deacons recorded over 450 yards of total offense with a balanced effort including 270 passing yards and 198 rushing yards.
Wake Forest, who traveled over 2,700 miles, became one of just four teams to win this season when traveling 3-plus time zones.
Additionally over the last two seasons, Wake Forest is the only east coast team with multiple wins on the west coast. The rest of east coast teams are 8-16 when traveling west 3-plus time zones. Also going from Eastern to Pacific, Wake Forest became just the only team to have multiple wins in the last two seasons.
Chris Barnes vs. Oregon State
Barnes was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award honorable mention while also being named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll on Tuesday afternoon.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award is given to the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity. Additionally, the player must have been born in the state of Texas, attended a Texas high school, or attended a Texas junior college or university.
The Hornung Award is an annual award given to the most versatile player in major college football, presented by the Louisville Sports Commission.
Among freshman this season, Barnes now ranks second in the country in receiving yards:
Rank | Player | Team | Receptions | Receiving Yards |
1. | Braylon Staley | Tennessee | 31 | 431 |
2. | Chris Barnes | Wake Forest | 23 | 410 |
3. | Malachi Toney | Miami | 29 | 375 |
4. | Vernell Brown III | Florida | 27 | 368 |
5. | Dakorien Moore | Oregon | 23 | 335 |
Additionally, he ranks second in the country in all-purpose yards by a freshman this season and ranks in the top 30 nationally in all-purpose yards per game:
Rank | Player | Team | All-Purpose Yds | APY/G |
1. | Cameron Pettaway | BGSU | 721 | 120.2 |
2. | Chris Barnes | Wake Forest | 693 | 115.5 |
3. | Vernell Brown III | Florida | 643 | 107.2 |
4. | Nate Shepard | Duke | 571 | 95.2 |
On Saturday in Corvallis, the Demon Deacons recorded over 450 yards of total offense with a balanced effort including 270 passing yards and 198 rushing yards.
Wake Forest, who traveled over 2,700 miles, became one of just four teams to win this season when traveling 3-plus time zones.
Additionally over the last two seasons, Wake Forest is the only east coast team with multiple wins on the west coast. The rest of east coast teams are 8-16 when traveling west 3-plus time zones. Also going from Eastern to Pacific, Wake Forest became just the only team to have multiple wins in the last two seasons.
Chris Barnes vs. Oregon State
- Six different Demon Deacons recorded a catch in Wake Forest's win over Oregon State but the Deacs were led by redshirt freshman Chris Barnes, who hauled in three passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns.
- Saturday marked the first time a Wake Forest wide receiver has recorded three receiving scores since AT Perry accomplished that feat against Syracuse in 2022.
- Barnes recorded 170 all-purpose yards against the Beavers on Saturday.
- He accounted for four explosive plays on Saturday at Oregon State for the Wake Forest offense.
- 32-yard kickoff return by Chris Barnes (1st Quarter)
- 36-yard touchdown reception by Chris Barnes from Deshawn Purdie (1st Quarter)
- 55-yard touchdown reception by Chris Barnes from Deshawn Purdie (3rd Quarter)
- 31-yard kickoff return by Chris Barnes (4th Quarter)
- In three of the last five games, Barnes has put up electric performances, with 178 All-Purpose against Western Carolina, 177 All-Purpose against NC State and 170 All-Purpose at Oregon State.
- After the Oregon State game, Barnes ranks 51st nationally and third in the ACC with 115.50 all-purpose yards per game:
- 2025 ACC All-Purpose Per Game
- Rk. Games AP Yards APR/G
- 1. Caullin Lacy (Louisville) 5 757 151.4
- 2. Hollywood Smothers (NCST) 6 817 136.2
- 3. Adam Randall (Clemson) 5 625 125.0
- 4. Chris Barnes (Wake) 6 693 115.5
- 5. Jacob De Jesus (Cal) 6 648 108.0
- 6. Kenny Johnson (Pitt) 5 528 105.6
- Barnes's 98-yard return against NC State is the second-longest play by a Demon Deacon in Allegacy Stadium history, trailing just Alphonso Smith's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Maryland in 2007.
- Additionally, it was the third-longest play in the College Football Playoff era (2014-Pres.):
- Rk Play
- 1. 100-yd kick return by Demond Claiborne at Miami (11/23/24)
- 2. 99-yd kick return by Ja'Sir Taylor vs. Old Dominion (9/3/21)
- 3. 98-yd kick return by Chris Barnes vs. NC State (9/11/25)
- T4. 96-yd kick return by Claiborne at Virginia Tech (10/14/23)
- T4. 96-yd kick return by Donavon Greene vs. Campbell (10/2/20)
- It also was the first time since John Polanski vs. Camp Davis on Oct. 20, 1941 that the Demon Deacons had returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.
- Barnes led Wake Forest's offense to a 25-point first half and the Deacs led by its largest margin (25-0) at intermission since Oct. 30, 2021 when Wake led Duke at half, 28-0.
- In addition to leading Wake Forest to a victory as the key member of Wake Forest's offensive attack, Wake Forest moved to 2-0 on the road for the second-straight season.
- Last season, the Deacs won their first three road games to start the season (2021 and 2006 were the only other 3-0 road starts since 2000.)
- Demon Deacons are now 5-2 on the road vs non-conference opponents since 2020.
- Since 2021, the Demon Deacons have started 2-0 or better on the road in four of the five seasons.
- With that, head coach Jake Dickert is one of five Wake Forest coaches to start their Demon Deacon career 2-0 or better on the road and first since 1987:
- Bill Dooley in 1987 (2-0)
- Bill Tate in 1964 (2-0)
- Tom Rogers in 1951 (2-0)
- W.E. Sikes in 1892 (3-0-1)
- Additionally, Barnes and his teammates helped Wake Forest, who traveled over 2,700 miles, become one of just four teams to win this season when traveling 3-plus time zones. Additionally over the last two seasons, Wake Forest is the only east coast team with multiple wins on the west coast. The rest of east coast teams are 8-16 when traveling west 3-plus time zones. Also going from Eastern to Pacific, Wake Forest became just the only team to have multiple wins in the last two seasons.
Players Mentioned
Wake Forest Football Postgame Press Conference (Oct. 11, 2025)
Sunday, October 12
Wake Forest Football Highlights vs. Oregon State (Oct. 11, 2025)
Sunday, October 12
Demond Claiborne rushing touchdown
Saturday, October 11
Deshawn Purdie throws his 4th TD of the game
Saturday, October 11