The 16th-ranked NC State Wolfpack will travel to Truist Field on Saturday night to take on the 12th-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons in an ACC matchup. The Wolfpack are 7-2 (4-1) so far and are riding a two-game winning streak after defeating the Florida State Seminoles on the road 28-14. Sophomore quarterback Devin Leary went 21-of-32 for 314 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. This season, the Demon Deacons are 8-1 (5-0) and are coming off a 58-55 road loss against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
NC State at Wake Forest Betting Preview
NC State Wolfpack Preview: Double E
Senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie has been playing well this season as he has 44 catches for 550 yards (12.5 yards per reception) with a pair of touchdowns. He struggled last game against the Seminoles as he had a couple of catches for seven yards (3.5 yards per reception).
The NC State Wolfpack has been playing exceptionally well on the defensive side of the ball as they are giving up 16 points per game. In their previous game against the Florida Seminoles, NC State allowed 14 points on 271 total yards of offense (233 passing, 38 rushings). The defense did a great job as Florida State went 2-of-16 on third down attempts and 2-of-4 on fourth down tries. A huge reason why is the fact the Seminoles ran for 1.4 yards per rush.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Preview: Ground and Pound
Junior running back Christian Beal-Smith has been doing pretty well for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons as he has 107 rushes for 533 yards (five yards per carrying) with seven touchdowns and seven receptions for 46 yards (6.6 yards per catch). Beal-Smith finished his last game against the Tar Heels with ten attempts for 41 yards (4.1 yards per rush) and 11-yard reception.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have been struggling defensively this season as they allow 27.7 points per game. In their previous match against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Wake Forest gave up 58 points on 546 total yards of offense (216 passing, 330 rushings). The Demon Deacons struggled to get stops as the Tar Heels went 8-of-16 on third down and converted their only fourth-down opportunity. Wake Forest did force a fumble, so they need to get more than a single turnover.
Who to Bet on Wolf Pack at Demon Deacons
The top sportsbooks have this game listed as a home favorite, but less than a field goal separating them. NC State sits at 6-3 against the spread this season, while Wake Forest is at 4-5 against the spread. These programs are not dealing with many injuries, but one player to watch is Beal-Smith, as he is questionable with a lower-body injury. The Wolfpack is 4-0 against the spread against teams with a winning record, while the Demon Deacons are 1-4 against the spread following a loss. All in all, go with the NC State Wolfpack to cover the small spread on the road here and continue to climb the ACC.