Through 3 Quarters
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons look much better today on their home turf. It’s anybody’s game after three quarters, but Wake Forest is ahead of the NC State Wolfpack 31-27. The Demon Deacons have enjoyed the tag-team combination of QB Sam Hartman and WR A.T. Perry. The former has passed for two TDs and 234 yards on 40 attempts in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown, while the latter has caught four passes for one TD and 54 yards.
The Wake Forest defense has been merciless to QB Devin Leary and currently has four sacks accrued. That goes a long way towards explaining why Wake Forest has a good chance of pulling out a victory.
Who’s Playing
No. 16 NC State @ No. 12 Wake Forest
Current Records: NC State 7-2; Wake Forest 8-1
What to Know
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the NC State Wolfpack are even-steven against one another since October of 2015 (3-3), but not for long. Wake Forest and the Wolfpack will face off in an ACC battle at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Truist Field. NC State will need to watch out since the Demon Deacons have now posted big point totals in their last four contests.
Wake Forest was hampered by 114 penalty yards against the North Carolina Tar Heels last week. It was a hard-fought matchup, but Wake Forest had to settle for a 58-55 loss against UNC. Wake Forest was up 48-34 at the end of the third quarter but couldn’t hold on to the lead. They might have lost, but man — QB Sam Hartman was a total machine. He passed for five TDs and 398 yards on 51 attempts in addition to rushing for two TDs and 78 yards. Near the top of the highlight reel was Hartman’s 66-yard TD bomb to WR A.T. Perry in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the Wolfpack bagged a 28-14 win over the Florida State Seminoles last week. NC State’s QB Devin Leary did his thing and passed for four TDs and 314 yards on 32 attempts. Leary’s 62-yard touchdown toss to WR C.J. Riley in the first quarter made for one of the most memorable moments of the evening.
This next contest is expected to be close, with the Demon Deacons going off at just a 1-point favorite. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (4-2), so they might be worth a quick bet.
Wake Forest is now 8-1 while the Wolfpack sit at 7-2. A couple defensive stats to keep an eye on: Wake Forest is 215th worst in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game, with 216 on average. NC State has experienced some struggles of their own as they are stumbling into the game with the 189th most passing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 15 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Truist Field — Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- TV: ACC Network
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $72.89
Odds
The Demon Deacons are a slight 1-point favorite against the Wolfpack, according to the latest college football odds.
Bettors have moved against the Demon Deacons slightly, as the game opened with the Demon Deacons as a 2.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -112
See college football picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Wake Forest and NC State both have three wins in their last six games.
- Sep 19, 2020 – NC State 45 vs. Wake Forest 42
- Nov 02, 2019 – Wake Forest 44 vs. NC State 10
- Nov 08, 2018 – Wake Forest 27 vs. NC State 23
- Nov 18, 2017 – Wake Forest 30 vs. NC State 24
- Oct 01, 2016 – NC State 33 vs. Wake Forest 16
- Oct 24, 2015 – NC State 35 vs. Wake Forest 17
