Clemson and Wake Forest square off this Saturday, October 12, at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, in a massive ACC matchup. Clemson is the heavy favorite, coming in at -21 on the spread, and the over/under set at 62.
The Tigers are clearly expected to dominate based on both odds and performance so far this season, but can Wake Forest surprise them? We’ve got some insights you need to see before you place your bets.
Clemson is currently favored by 21 points with odds at -108. That’s exactly what we expect with a matchup like this.
The Tigers are -1600 on the moneyline, meaning bookmakers like DraftKings and BetMGM strongly favor them to win.
Meanwhile, Wake Forest is a significant underdog, sitting at +21 (-112) on the spread and +900 on the moneyline.
For the over/under, the total is listed at 62 points, with both sides priced similarly at -112 for the over and -108 for the under. That total is huge, so we think this game is going to be fast-paced and high-scoring.
Clemson’s offense has been stellar, averaging 465.6 yards per game (19th in FBS), with a balanced attack of 269.2 passing yards and 196.4 rushing yards.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik has been fairly efficient, though the real workhorse in this game could be Phil Mafah, who is a heavy favorite to score at -500 anytime. If you like anytime TDs, this is the one to jump on.
On defense, Clemson isn’t as sharp as in previous years but still sits in the top half of college football, allowing 372.2 yards per game.
Their main vulnerability is against the pass, where they rank 81st, giving up over 220 yards per game. However, their offense has been good enough to keep them in control of most games, winning four of their five contests this season.
Clemson is 3-2 against the spread this season.
They’ve covered in their one game as a 20-point favorite or more.
Clemson has seen two of five games go over the total this year.
Wake Forest enters this matchup as a massive underdog, but they do have a passing offense that can at the very least test Clemson’s secondary.
The Demon Deacons are 2-3 ATS this season and have seen four of their games hit the over (80%).
They’re putting up a solid 431 yards per game (45th in FBS), with most of that production coming through the air, as they average 279 passing yards per contest.
The concern for Wake Forest, like Clemson, is their defense, which has been not nearly as good. They’ve allowed 460.4 yards per game, one of the worst marks in the nation (125th). They’ve struggled to stop both the pass (291.4 yards allowed per game) and the run (169 yards allowed).
This spells trouble against a Clemson team that can move the ball effectively in both phases.
Wake Forest has failed to cover in its only game as a 20+ point underdog.
They’ve won one of three games as an underdog this season.
Wake Forest games have gone over in four of five contests.
Even though Clemson is a strong team and should get the easy win, Wake Forest has the potential to keep this one closer than a 3 TD spread. Clemson hasn’t been blowing out opponents consistently, and Wake Forest’s passing game can get through Clemson’s pass defense.
Clemson will likely control the pace, but Wake Forest should be able to score enough points to cover the +21 spread. With Clemson's offense firing on all cylinders, paired with Wake Forest’s defensive struggles, expect this game to go over the 62-point total.
Final Score Prediction: Clemson 41, Wake Forest 24
All of that to say, Clemson wins, but Wake Forest covers and the total goes over.