With Halloween looming, it's the perfect time to indulge in one of college football’s creepiest mascots: Wake Forest’s Demon Deacon. Fans of the Deacs embrace the sinister charm of their spirit figurehead, a character who looks as though he wandered off the set of a vintage horror film and straight onto the sidelines. Tall and lanky, with a deadpan expression, the Demon Deacon sports a long black tuxedo jacket and a towering black top hat. He looks like an undertaker who might greet you with all the warmth of a slowly creaking wooden door.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacon mascot has a distinctly macabre look. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

According to godeacs.com, the mascot’s origins date back to 1941, when a fraternity dare gave birth to the first version of the character. Jack R. Baldwin took on the challenge of dressing as the Demon Deacon for an athletic event, donning what people imagined an old-school Baptist deacon would wear: a top hat and tails.…