The Wake Forest Demon Deacons take on the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, IN. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Wake Forest is favored by -3 points on the spread with a moneyline of -148. The total is set at 49.5 points.
Here’s my Wake Forest vs. Purdue prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Wake Forest vs Purdue Prediction
- Wake Forest vs. Purdue Pick: Wake Forest -3 (Play to -3.5)
My Purdue vs. Wake Forest best bet is on the Demon Deacons to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Wake Forest vs Purdue Odds
| Wake Forest Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -110 | 49.5 -112o / -108u | -148 |
| Purdue Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -110 | 49.5 -112o / -108u | +124 |
- Wake Forest vs Purdue point spread: Wake Forest -3 (-110), Purdue +3 (-110)
- Wake Forest vs Purdue over/under: 49.5 (-112o / -108u)
- Wake Forest vs Purdue moneyline: Wake Forest -148, Purdue +124
Wake Forest vs Purdue College Football Preview
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Betting Preview
While both Wake Forest and Purdue are entering Year 2 under their respective head coaches, Jake Dickert has had a much better start to his campaign.
Dickert followed up an impressive 9-4 mark in his first season with the Demon Deacons by leaving no doubt against Akron, jumping out to a 28-3 lead at halftime before pulling starters in the second half.
Defense is the calling card for Dickert's team yet again, as it returns eight starters from a defensive unit that finished 10th in Success Rate Allowed and 21st in Havoc last season. The Deacs generated seven tackles for loss in Week 1 and held the Zips to just three points through three quarters.
On offense, there are more questions to be answered, but the early returns were positive. Gone are Robby Ashford and Demond Claiborne, the two stars behind Wake's success last year. But the fresh faces looked ready to make an impact last week.
Running back is a position to watch, as 5-foot-7 freshman Deuce Lawrence earned rave reviews in camp. He led Wake in carries but was less productive in Week 1 than veteran back Ty Clark III. Both will be relied on this week.
At quarterback, North Carolina transfer Gio Lopez looked to have taken a leap forward after a miserable season under Bill Belichick. He threw for 350 yards and added 39 on the ground, accounting for three touchdowns and zero turnovers against Akron.
Lopez will have a chance to win some bragging rights over another former Tar Heel quarterback Ryan Browne.
Purdue Boilermakers Betting Preview
While Dickert has given Wake Forest fans every reason to believe in the future of the program, Purdue fans are still waiting for a sign from Barry Odom.
Odom went 2-10 in his debut season in West Lafayette, and things looked shaky last week for two quarters against an FCS opponent. The Boilermakers led Indiana State by a score of just 13-6 until the final minute of the first half.
It warrants mention just how big the hole is that Odom is trying to climb out of. Purdue has lost a remarkable 20 consecutive football games against Power Four opponents. There are more than 50 new players on this year's team. But that level of attrition rarely yields quick gains.
The offensive line is a question mark — their best lineman, Joey Tanona, battled injury in the summer and missed the first game.
It's both an inexperienced and new group, which could lead to questions against a veteran Wake Forest defensive front. Purdue allowed two sacks to Indiana State and will be tested exponentially more here.
The aforementioned Browne is expected to take a leap this season, but despite turning it on in the second half, it was a mixed bag in his debut. The Boilers' offense found the end zone just once in five first-half drives and stalled in the red zone.
The crowd will be rocking in West Lafayette, and quite frankly, plenty of programs with this level of ineptitude wouldn't have the fan support Purdue still sees week in and week out. But the Boilers will need a big home field advantage to find their first win in 21 games against Power Four teams.
Wake Forest vs Purdue Pick, Betting Analysis
Sometimes early in the season, it pays to handicap the coaching matchup. Simply put — Dickert has looked the part for Wake Forest, establishing serious momentum in Year 1 and coming out of the gates strong this season.
Odom has done the opposite. And that home crowd may start to lose patience if the football doesn't match the passion of the fan base soon.
Lopez looked better than Browne last week, and beyond the ex-Tar Heel battle, it's hard to find many areas where Purdue feels it has the better side of the matchup.
The veteran Wake Forest defense will get to Browne, and the better program will prevail comfortably.
Pick: Wake Forest -3 (Play to -3.5)
