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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons take on the Cal Golden Bears in Berkeley, California, on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Wake Forest is favored by -9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -350. Cal, meanwhile, enters as a +9.5 underdog and is +275 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 53.5 total points.
Here’s my Wake Forest vs. Cal prediction and college football pick for Saturday, October 17.
Wake Forest vs Cal Prediction
- Wake Forest vs. Cal Pick: 1H Under 27.5
My Cal vs. Wake Forest best bet is on the first-half under. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
Wake Forest vs Cal Odds
| Wake Forest Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 53.5 -110o / -110u | -350 |
| California Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 53.5 -110o / -110u | +275 |
- Wake Forest vs Cal point spread: Wake Forest -9.5 (-110), Cal +9.5 (-110)
- Wake Forest vs Cal over/under: 53.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Wake Forest vs Cal moneyline: Wake Forest -350, Cal +275
Wake Forest vs Cal College Football Preview
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Betting Preview: A Second-Half Team
Wake Forest enters Berkeley at 5-1 following a 38-14 win over NC State. While the Demon Deacons have been one of the more impressive surprises in the ACC, I'm much more interested in how that game unfolded than the final score.
The Wolfpack actually led, 14-10, at halftime before Wake Forest completely took over, outscoring NC State, 28-0, in the second half. That's an important distinction when we're isolating the first 30 minutes.
Quarterback Gio Lopez finished with 303 passing yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
However, much of that production came after halftime, when head coach Jake Dickert's staff made the necessary adjustments to get the offense rolling.
Wide receiver Jack Foley was outstanding, hauling in eight receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown, giving Lopez another legitimate weapon capable of creating explosives downfield.
I'm not particularly interested in fading Wake Forest's offense over four quarters, especially considering the Demon Deacons are averaging 36.8 points and 6.6 yards per play.
However, there's a significant difference between betting against an offense for 60 minutes and asking it to take some time finding its rhythm on the road.
This is also a prime flat spot for a team traveling out to the West Coast for a late-night kick on Saturday night.
Wake Forest has averaged 19.2 first-half points, but its offense has also been considerably more productive in the second half of recent games.
The Demon Deacons are averaging 4.24 yards per carry, and their ability to consistently sustain drives could be tested against a Cal defense that has shown improvement in high-leverage situations.
I don’t think Wake will lose the game, but I can definitely see its offense coming out a bit flat due to the travel situation.
Cal Golden Bears Betting Preview: Injury Concerns
Cal is coming off a 25-20 comeback victory over Virginia Tech, but there are several reasons I'm not particularly interested in buying the Bears' offensive performance entering this matchup. The biggest concern is the quarterback situation.
Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has been sidelined by injury. His status is still up in the air for Saturday, which could lead to Jackson Brousseau operating the offense.
Brousseau completed 29-of-43 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech. That's certainly respectable, but Cal still managed only 25 points and needed a late touchdown to escape with the victory.
The Bears have also been dealing with injuries in the backfield. Starting running back Adam Mohammed has missed the last two games, forcing Ashten Emory into a larger role.
Emory scored twice against Virginia Tech, including the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds remaining, but the Bears still haven't established a particularly efficient rushing attack.
Cal is averaging only 3.26 YPC, which makes sustaining drives considerably more difficult when opponents can force obvious passing situations.
The Golden Bears have also struggled on third down, converting just 37.1% of their opportunities. That's not exactly the type of profile I'm looking to back in the first half against a Wake Forest defense allowing only 4.7 yards per play.
This is a massive talent disadvantage, and I expect the Bears to be a bit flat after an upset win against Virginia Tech.
Wake Forest vs Cal Pick, Betting Analysis
This is one of those games where I think the first-half market provides a cleaner angle than the full-game total.
Wake Forest is averaging nearly 37 points per contest, but last week's game against NC State demonstrated how quickly the offense can change after halftime.
The Demon Deacons trailed, 14-10, at the break before erupting for 28 unanswered points.
On the other side, Cal is still adjusting to Brousseau at quarterback while dealing with uncertainty in the backfield.
The Bears are averaging only 3.26 yards per carry and converting 37.1% of their third downs, which creates a difficult environment for consistently sustaining possessions against a Wake Forest defense allowing 4.7 yards per play.
There's also a legitimate situational angle that can result in both offenses coming out flat.
Wake Forest is traveling across the country for a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff, while Cal is preparing for another physical ACC opponent after an emotional comeback victory over Virginia Tech.
I'm not interested in overstating the travel factor, but it's another reason I wouldn't be surprised if both offenses need some time to get going.
The full-game total sits around 53.5, while the first-half number comes in at approximately 27.5.
I'm much more interested in attacking the first 30 minutes, particularly if Cal struggles to establish its rushing attack and Wake Forest takes a few possessions to find its rhythm.
I expect a slower start before Wake eventually pulls away in the second half.
Pick: 1H Under 27.5 (-118 · FanDuel)
Wake Forest vs Cal Betting Trends
