by Chuck Sommers
Wednesday, Nov 02, 2022
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
Where to watch: ACC Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Wake Forest -4
FanDuel: Wake Forest -4.5
BetMGM: Wake Forest -4.5
Caesars: Wake Forest -4
Season record
No. 21 Wake Forest: 6-2 (2-2 ACC)
No. 22 North Carolina State: 6-2 (2-2 ACC)
We're coming down to the wire in what should be an exciting final month of the college football season. The conference championship chases are on, bowl games are to be decided, and who gets into the College Football Playoff is anybody's guess to this point. If you're still trying to figure out who's the best to play at this point of the year, look no further than our champion handicappers leading the way in the college football world. Our own Kyle Hunter is 23-8-0 over the last month, while Brian Bitler is 21-13-0 in the run. Kyle's reeled in a net profit of over $14,000. Now you feel like you should be getting on the action, huh? Make sure you go check out bigal.com to see all of the work our champion handicappers are trying to do to get money in YOUR pocket with our selections. Make sure to hit up our Best Bets page for more!
Wake Forest - NC State preview, analysis and prediction
Last week
Wake Forest: lost 48-21 at Louisville
NC State: won 22-21 vs. Virginia Tech
If not for the events of recent weeks, this might have ended up being the Game of the Year ... not week ... in the ACC. But with the way things have since unfolded, it's just a matter of pride at this point for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the NC State Wolfpack this Saturday in Raleigh. What would've been perceived as someone winning the ACC if they won this one has turned into the loser this week will likely find themselves out of the top 25.
And poor NC State, the Pack are likely the ones being sent out to pasture with quarterback Devin Leary out for the remainder of the season due to injury. That leaves NC State, somehow having won two of three without Leary, needing to rely on M.J. Morris coming off a 265-yard, 3-touchdown performance to do it again after beating lowly Virginia Tech 22-21 at home last week. Virginia Tech did lead 21-3 in the third quarter at one point, but Morris hit Thayer Thomas twice in the end zone to avoid the upset.
"There was a lot of things going in my head, but the one thing I tried to focus on was doing my job for the team," Morris said.
Morris should be commended for the job he did after Jack Chambers got the start in the loss to Syracuse. We're about to find out if Morris, who will absolutely get the chance to start this game over Jack Chambers. The latter was horrendous two weeks ago, then again this past weekend in trailing the group 21-3 at halftime.
But on the other side rests a quarterback that is so dang good that NC State might be in for an awful time if they can't get a handle on him. Of course, we're talking about Sam Hartman, better known as an angry Sam Hartman coming into this weekend's game. Hartman is coming off a three-interception performance on 20 of 35 passing in a stunning 48-21 loss to Louisville last week.
Wake Forest had a 14-13 lead at halftime, but the Deacons -- and Hartman -- imploded immediately in the third quarter. Hartman threw the first of two pick-6s 47 seconds into the third quarter, and Louisville went on to score five touchdowns in the quarter. That was capped off by Hartman's second interception returned for a touchdown. Overall, Louisville forced eight turnovers.
"Clearly, I did not have our football team ready today," Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said.
That's one you can throw down the toilet and hope to rebound from the next week. But against NC State's rough defense, how will Hartman respond? This is the mark of a quarterback that will go in the first round, and what teams on Sundays are looking forward to.
If not for the events of recent weeks, this might have ended up being the Game of the Year ... not week ... in the ACC. But with the way things have since unfolded, it's just a matter of pride at this point for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the NC State Wolfpack this Saturday in Raleigh. What would've been perceived as someone winning the ACC if they won this one has turned into the loser this week will likely find themselves out of the top 25.
And poor NC State, the Pack are likely the ones being sent out to pasture with quarterback Devin Leary out for the remainder of the season due to injury. That leaves NC State, somehow having won two of three without Leary, needing to rely on M.J. Morris coming off a 265-yard, 3-touchdown performance to do it again after beating lowly Virginia Tech 22-21 at home last week. Virginia Tech did lead 21-3 in the third quarter at one point, but Morris hit Thayer Thomas twice in the end zone to avoid the upset.
"There was a lot of things going in my head, but the one thing I tried to focus on was doing my job for the team," Morris said.
Morris should be commended for the job he did after Jack Chambers got the start in the loss to Syracuse. We're about to find out if Morris, who will absolutely get the chance to start this game over Jack Chambers. The latter was horrendous two weeks ago, then again this past weekend in trailing the group 21-3 at halftime.
But on the other side rests a quarterback that is so dang good that NC State might be in for an awful time if they can't get a handle on him. Of course, we're talking about Sam Hartman, better known as an angry Sam Hartman coming into this weekend's game. Hartman is coming off a three-interception performance on 20 of 35 passing in a stunning 48-21 loss to Louisville last week.
Wake Forest had a 14-13 lead at halftime, but the Deacons -- and Hartman -- imploded immediately in the third quarter. Hartman threw the first of two pick-6s 47 seconds into the third quarter, and Louisville went on to score five touchdowns in the quarter. That was capped off by Hartman's second interception returned for a touchdown. Overall, Louisville forced eight turnovers.
"Clearly, I did not have our football team ready today," Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said.
That's one you can throw down the toilet and hope to rebound from the next week. But against NC State's rough defense, how will Hartman respond? This is the mark of a quarterback that will go in the first round, and what teams on Sundays are looking forward to.
Prediction
Wake Forest has needed that performance to quiet the haters, and there are some based off last year. But that defense, which has been very maligned, had been great since the Clemson lost. Against a young quarterback in the biggest game he'll play so far, I think experience pans out. Wake Forest by 7
Betting trends
Wake Forest is 12-7 ATS as a favorite in its last 19.
Wake Forest is 7-6 ATS in its last 13 on the road.
Wake Forest is 5-1 ATS in their last six when throwing for 300 yards or more in three straight games.
NC State is 3-0 ATS as a home underdog the last three years.
NC State is 10-10 ATS following a conference game the last three years.
The over is 8-2 when NC State is an underdog the last three years.
Statistical leaders
Wake Forest:
Passing: Sam Hartman -- 2,026 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Justice Ellison -- 454 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: A.T. Perry -- 552 yards, 5 TD
NC State:
Passing: Devin Leary -- 1,265 yards, 11 TD, 4 INT
Rushing: Jordan Houston -- 335 yards
Receiving: Thayer Thomas -- 437 yards, 4 TD
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Wake Forest Demon Deacons - North Carolina State Wolfpack prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college football projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
