Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-1 SU, 3-1-1 ATS) vs. No. 2 Clemson Tigers (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS)
College Football Week 6
Date/Time: Saturday October 7th, 2017. 12:00PM (EST)
Where: Memorial Stadium Clemson, S.C.
TV: ESPN2
by Jay, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: WF +22/CLEM -22
Over/Under Total: TBA
Once again Clemson silenced all bids for an upset last week with a 31-17 victory over no. 12 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg with ESPN GameDay on hand. It was the 3rd time this season that Clemson has handled a top 15 opponent giving them the most quality wins of any team in the FBS. Currently, Alabama still holds the top spot in the polls but the case can be made that the defending National Champions deserve that spot due to their body of work. This week Clemson looks to keep the momentum going when they return home to battle the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in an ACC Atlantic showdown.
The Demon Deacons are having a pretty solid season at 4-1 SU and 3-1-1 ATS. However, Wake Forest did suffer their first defeat of the season last week in a 26-19 loss at home to Florida State. The win kept the Demon Deacons from their first 5-0 start since their 2006 ACC Championship season. While Wake Forests ACC Championship hopes were never a reality, I still believe this is a solid football team. In all honesty, the 4-0 start can be accredited to an easy schedule and I believe the majority of the betting publics interest will fade on the Demon Deacons now that they have suffered a loss in their first truly competitive outing against Florida State.
Still, I saw a pretty decent football team on the field last week that outplayed Florida State in nearly every facet of the game. The Wake Forest defense was solid and played their assignments well. The offense was rugged but relentless. Quarterback John Wolford may not be the most talented quarterback in the ACC but he is a competitor. He consistently found ways to move the chains and make plays down the field. Additionally, freshman WR Greg Dortch creates mismatch problems for nearly any defensive matchup and he was reliable in last weeks loss tallying 10 catches for 110 yards. Therefore, I feel like the Demon Deacons have enough firepower and grit to perhaps surprise some people this year.
Obviously a visit to Clemson probably is not the best opportunity for the Demon Deacons to prove they are a solid football team. The Tigers have a huge talent advantage over Wake Forest and the Tigers entire team has exceeded expectations this season. Clemsons victory over Virginia Tech last week moved the team to 4-1 against the number despite all the upset predictions by media experts. I personally thought Virginia Tech had enough plus matchups to compete especially on the offensive side of the ball. However like many others, I think we under estimated the strength of this Clemson Tigers football team which lies within their defense.
The Clemson offense usually gets most of the highlights attention. Quarterback Kelly Bryant has been phenomenal especially running the football. Bryant has rushed for 362 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season which leads the team in yards gained on the ground. There is still some opportunities in the passing game with Bryant developing but that has not slowed down the offense. In fact, Clemsons offense has become more of a big play threat on the ground but from a production standpoint they are positing similar results.
In terms of matchups, I think Wake Forest may win some downs against Clemson and possibly get off the field. I just dont think they can keep Clemson off the scoreboard especially if the defense sets up short field opportunities. Perhaps the bigger issues I have with taking Wake Forest and the points, is can we count on the Demon Deacons offense? Despite the fact Florida State could not move the ball last week, Wake Forest could not capitalize on opportunities and scored just 19 points. This Clemson defensive front is the best group in the nation and they are giving up just 10.8 points per game against arguably better offenses. Therefore, I think it is a high risk play to back the Demon Deacons on the road in this spot. I see Clemson pulling away late and creating a cover.
Jay’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Take Clemson -22. Bet this game for FREE by taking advantage of a 100% bonus (Deposit $100, get $100 FREE!)at the web’s oldest sportsbook: Intertops!
