Virginia vs. Wake Forest NCAAF Predictions and Betting Picks

Virginia Cavaliers at Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Where: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium (Winston-Salem, NC)
When: Saturday, September 7th at 7:00 PM EST
Watch: ESPN2

Betting Odds:

Spread: Wake Forest -1.0
Total: Over/Under 55.5
 

The Virginia Cavaliers and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons will face off this Saturday in an ACC showdown of two very well-matched teams. Both the Cavaliers and the Demon Deacons enter this game undefeated in their 2024 campaign after taking care of business in their season openers. Virginia came out strong in the first half of their Week 1 game against Richmond, though they let their foot off the gas pedal in the second half. Virginia would go on to win 34-13 and are hoping that their Week 2 performance resembles the first two quarters rather than the last two. Wake Forest’s Week 1 showing was the complete opposite. They struggled mightily in the first half and only led FCS opponent North Carolina A&T 17-10 at halftime. The Demon Deacons would flip the script in the third quarter by scoring 21 unanswered points, ultimately leading them to a 45-13 victory over the Aggies. Both teams will need to improve their consistency across all three phases if they want to keep their winning streaks alive. Before you place your bet on this heavily contested affair, take a look at my breakdown of both teams below and see who I am backing on Saturday.

While Virginia’s offense faded coming out of halftime against Richmond, a closer look at their offensive production shows a well-executed and extremely well-balanced game plan. The Cavaliers were able to keep Richmond’s defense on its heels as they outgained them on the ground and through the air. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea was highly efficient, completing 17 out of 23 passes for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns. Colandrea was also able to add 49 rushing yards as the dual-threat QB showcased his skills in the team’s opening win. Kobe Pace led the way in the ground game, averaging 8.5 yards per carry and amassing 93 yards on the day. Wide receiver Malachi Fields caught five balls to the tune of 100 receiving yards and established himself as the go-to guy in the air attack. On third downs, Virginia will need to be more efficient, as they were just 3 for 11 in week 1. Defensively, the Cavaliers were not flashy, but they got stops when they needed to and forced Richmond into frequent 3rd and long situations. They held the Spiders to just a 20% conversion rate on third down. While Virginia did force two fumbles and recover one, their lack of ability to get to the quarterback means that there will be a heavier emphasis on coverage rather than turning their opponents over.

Wake Forest was able to shake things up in the locker room and come out with a new sense of energy in the second half last week kicked off by a punt returned for a touchdown by their leading receiver Taylor Morin. Any offensive output is welcome news for a team that struggled to gain yards through the air and ground in 2023. The Demon Deacons were able to tally 513 yards of total offense against North Carolina A&T, 320 via the pass and 193 on the ground. Taylor Morin led the Wake Forest receivers with six catches for 100 yards, and returning starter Donavon Greene had 3 for 72. On the ground, Demond Claiborne dominated between the tackles, finishing the game with 135 yards on 17 carries, including a breakout 48-yarder. Wake Forest struggled against the run in Week 1 but were able to stand tall when it counted and made it difficult for the Aggies on third down. The Demon Deacons will need to improve their turnover margin moving forward, as they were unable to take any possessions away.

My Pick: Virginia Cavaliers ML -105

The Demon Deacons had a lot of personnel turnover in their defensive unit from 2023 to this year, mainly in their secondary. What is also concerning is that they had so much trouble defending the run last week. I expect that Colandrea will be tough to contain in this matchup, and Virginia will control the line of scrimmage. They will need to improve on their late-down efficiency, but I don’t think Wake Forest has the ability to make the big stops when it matters. The Cavaliers roll into week three with two in the win column.