Upstart Demon Deacons hit Bluegrass State
Last year, Wake Forest managed to make Louisville extremely uncomfortable in Winston-Salem. Will today’s crowd at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium be sweating it out, too?
Two ascending ACC programs square off at 7 p.m. ET. Online sports book BetDSI opened the Cards as 33-point favorites over Dave Clawson’s bunch. The over/under is set at 54.5.
Sixth-ranked UL (8-1) still harbors serious College Football Playoff aspirations, thanks primarily to the otherworldly contributions of quarterback Lamar Jackson. The country’s foremost Heisman Trophy candidate has thrown for 2,753 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions through nine contests. In addition, he’s rushing for 131.2 yards a tilt.
John Wolford doesn’t possess the same type of athleticism as the 6-foot-3 sophomore. Nonetheless, the Demon Deacons’ (6-3) signal-caller frequently finds ways to extend plays when flushed out from the pocket. His 64-yard TD gallop helped key Wake’s 27-20 triumph over Virginia in Week 10. Matt Colburn serves as a perfectly capable lead back, too, having received 109 carries.
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Bobby Petrino’s sure to remind his troops of the most recent meeting between the conference rivals. The Cardinals eked out a 20-19 win almost 12 months ago. Things shouldn’t unfold in such a tight manner here, though, given what’s at stake for the hosts. Look for Jackson to incinerate Wake Forest’s veteran defense.
SATURDAY NCAA FREE PICK: WAKE FOREST/LOUISVILLE OVER 54.5 POINTS