Wake Forest ATS Pick to Cover vs Ailing Duke

With Duke (5-3) entering this game as 12½-point favorites according to our Vegas college football odds, will the home team be able to get back up again and try to salvage its season to secure a potential bowl berth?

Who Needs a Win More?

On the one hand, you have Duke, which could very well be a two-loss team if not for injuries shaking up its roster. After seeing starting quarterback Riley Leonard get smacked with an ankle injury that has dimmed his production substantially, Duke’s offense has suffered greatly in trying to find answers not only in the passing game but the ground game as well.

Duke’s passing attack has been all kinds of bad in its last few games, not being able to find any sort of connection down the field. On Thursday, it will have to rely on a run-heavy offensive scheme, something that Wake Forest’s defense will surely be waiting for.

Defensively for the Blue Devils, a lot should be expected from a secondary that has excelled at being a no-fly zone for most of the season. Pressuring Wake’s offense up front will also be of the essence, but with a Duke offense trying to limp its way to a win, I would expect the defense to step up for the win at home.

Wake Forest, meanwhile, has suffered all season long from lacking the usual explosiveness to which its fans were accustomed. Averaging 22.2 points this season and without any real pop to fall back on, just like Duke, it will be on Wake Forest’s defense to try and pull through strongly and go for the NCAA football lines upset here.

So, to answer the question of who needs a win more? I say Duke, especially after the last couple of weeks.

With Duke Riddled by Injuries, Take Wake Forest ATS

I’ll put this in the simplest way for all NCAAF lines fans to understand, especially those who want to bet on Duke. Coming into this game after back-to-back losses against ranked opponents, as well as injury issues to important players like Leonard, Graham Barton, Myles Jones, and Nicky Dalmolin, the Blue Devils will need to look further into their playbook to try and score a win here.

Yes, Duke could run the ball and is pretty good at it. But you know who’s pretty good at stopping the run? Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons’ defense against the run hasn’t allowed any opponent to get over 5.0 yards per carry on them.

I’m not going to sell you on the idea of Wake Forest bringing the heat offensively and trying to go all in for the college football odds upset here. But it holds a very strong value when wanting to bet against the spread, mainly because of how its defense will hold Duke back.

So, again, in the simplest terms, if you take Duke’s shaky offense and pit it against a Wake Forest defense ready to pounce, take the visitors ATS to keep the score close.

College Football Pick: Wake Forest +12 ½ (-110)

Don’t Expect Offensive Fireworks, Bet the Under

As previously mentioned, with Duke having problems with its offense because of Leonard’s injury issues, I wouldn’t go crazy taking the over as one of my top college football betting picks. After being held to zero points last week against Louisville and scoring only 20 against FSU the week before, there’s a trend starting to form here.

Taking Duke’s offensive woes plus the fact that Wake Forest’s offense is also one of the least explosive in the conference, I’m all in for taking the under here. Both defenses will keep the scoring low and Wake manages to make this a close game in the end.

College Football Pick: Total Under 44 (-110)

Wake Forest vs Duke Betting Lines

Wake Forest vs Duke Game Information

• Game: Wake Forest (4-4) vs. Duke (5-3)
• Location: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC
• Day/Time: Thursday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Wake Forest vs Duke Live Stream: ESPN

Questions Of The Day