Wake Forest at NC State
Written by Steve Janus - Google +
This Saturday the North Carolina State Wolfpack will look to rebound from a tough loss when they host the struggling Wake Forest Demon Deacons in ACC action. The Wolfpack suffered their second conference loss last week, falling at Clemson 14-13. The Demon Deacons lost 23-13 at home against Boston College for their seventh consecutive loss. Wake Forest hasn’t played well in Raleigh, losing 11 of their last 12, including a 21-17 loss back in 2008. The oddsmakers don’t seem to think anything will change this time around, as the current odds have the Wolfpack favored by 18.5-points over the Demon Deacons at home.
Wake Forest (2-7, 1-5 ACC): The Demon Deacons killed themselves with five turnovers against Boston College. Quarterback Tanner Price threw four interceptions, and the Demon Deacons lost another on a fumble. Price had thrown four touchdowns to just one interception in his last three games. Wide out Marshall Williams hit Chris Given on a 41-yard touchdown pass to pull Wake Forest within seven with just over nine minutes to play, but that was all the offense the Demon Deacons would provide the rest of the way.
The Demon Deacons have had most of their success running the football this season, but the ground game failed to produce last week. Wake Forest had just 69 yards on the ground, nearly 100 yards fewer than their average for the season. The ground game figures to have a little more success this week, but it won’t matter if the Wolfpack jump out to an early lead and the Demon Deacons have to play from behind all game.
Defensively the Demon Deacons are not good at all. They come in allowing nearly 436 yards of total offense per game, including 211 on the ground. Wake Forest is ranked 112th in the country allowing nearly 39 points a game, and figures to have its hands full this week.
North Carolina State (6-3, 3-2 ACC): The Wolfpack have to be extremely disappointed with the loss last week, but all this team has to do is win out, and they are the ACC Atlantic Champions.
Quarterback Russell Wilson completed 22 of 36 for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but struggled to get anything going on the ground, finishing with just 29 yards. Wilson had rushed for 106 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games. The Wolfpack finsihed with just 63 yards rushing on the game, well below their season average.
Defensively the Wolfpack played one heck of a game, holding Clemson to just 46 rushing yards and forced them into three turnovers, but they struggled to get the Tigers off the field at times, allowing Clemson to convert 8 for 17 on third down, compared to NC State which was just 5-15 on the day. If the defense plays like that again this week, this game won’t even be close at half.
Looking at the Odds: The Wolfpack have responded with big wins after each loss this season, beating Boston College 44-17 at home after losing to Virginia Tech, and then stunning Florida State two weeks ago 28-24 after a surprise loss to East Carolina. I see no reason why the trend will break this week, and that is why I think you have to take the Wolfpack at -18.5. Offensively they are going to score at will against a bad Wake Forest defense, and with the Demon Deacons unable to throw the ball with much success, this game should get ugly in a hurry. My final score prediction is North Carolina State 48, Wake Forest 17.
Got something to say?
