Wake Forest vs Duke Betting Odds: Both Defenses Should Shine on Thursday Night
Duke & Wake Forest Combined for 16 Points Total In Last Week's Respective Games
The Duke Blue Devils have fallen out of the Top 25 after a 23-0 loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday. They began the season 4-0 but are now just 5-3 on the season.
On Friday, they’ll take on a 4-4 Wake Forest team that has also looked poor over the last month. The Demon Deacons have lost four of their last five games after a 41-16 loss to Florida State.
With Duke at home, the Blue Devils are -7.5, while the Demon Deacons are currently +7.5. Meanwhile, the total is at 44.5.
Both teams are still looking to become bowl-eligible. Which team will bounce back under the Thursday night lights?
Take a look at the Wake Forest vs Duke betting odds for Thursday’s game.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Duke Blue Devils 
Day/Time: Location: Wallace Wade Stadium
Streaming: ESPN
Wake Forest vs Duke Betting Odds
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are sitting at +7.5 for their road game against the Duke Blue Devils. Wake Forest most recently lost against the spread to Florida State, 41-16, as 21-point underdogs. However, they’ve only won three games against the spread this season.
Meanwhile, the total has hit the Over once this season for Wake Forest. That Overcame against Florida State. The other seven games have gone Under the total.
On the other hand, Duke just lost as a 4.5-point underdogs to Louisville, 23-0. The Blue Devils scored only 20 points in their last two games against Florida State and Louisville. Still, Wake Forest has gone 4-4 against the spread and 4-4 straight up. The Demon Deacons have also hit the Under in four of the eight games. One game pushed, and the other three went Over the total.
Although Duke won the last matchup, 34-31, Wake Forest earned the previous three games against Duke by double-digits. The Blue Devils look better on paper, but with the last two games, it’s hard to tell if the Blue Devils will ever get back to their earlier level of play.
Wake Forest Never Had A Shot Last Week
Wake Forest has had legitimate success against Florida State in the past. Some thought, at home, that the Demon Deacons could earn a massive upset win over Florida State
But that was far from the case.
Florida State used a massive first half to ride its way to a 41-16 win against the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest started Mitch Griffis, who had begun the season at quarterback. However, he was benched for a backup, who was injured and replaced by another backup. But despite the third backup, Santino Marruci’s come-from-behind win at quarterback last week, Griffis got the start against Florida State.
It went exactly how all other Griffis games have gone. That’s why he was benched in the first place.
Marucci eventually came in with 10 minutes left to go in the game. But that was a little too late for Wake Forest, down by more than three scores.
Riley Leonard’s Fighting For Duke
The Duke Blue Devils have one of the better ACC quarterbacks. However, Riley Leonard hasn’t been the same since his ankle injury.
He was never an incredible thrower. But with a bad ankle, he’s been limited rushing the football. That’s hurt his game the most.
Leonard only has three passing touchdowns with three interceptions this season. That’s on 165 passing attempts.
Since Leonard had his ankle injury, he’s rushed 11 times for just 26 yards. Before his ankle injury, Duke played a hard-fought game against Notre Dame, where Leonard added 88 rushing yards on 18 attempts.
Leonard and the Duke offense isn’t the same when they can’t run the football. So, while Leonard is back on the field and playing, he’s not 100% and also not giving Duke precisely what they need to be successful on offense.
Quarterback Play Is Weak At Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons haven’t announced a starter for this week’s game against Duke. But no matter who it is, the quarterback play will be spotty.
Mitch Griffis has thrown for 1,293 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. However, his QBR is at 31.5, 124th in college football.
Meanwhile, Santino Marucci has a QBR of 54.8 during his time at quarterback. But he’s got one touchdown with two interceptions. Despite his exciting game-winning throw, he doesn’t bring much to the table either.
On the other hand, he’ll take on a Duke secondary that has allowed just 171.6 yards per game in the air this season. The Blue Devils have also allowed a total of 320.3 yards per game. The run defense is shaky, and the missed tackles will pile up. But at least Duke is good at defending the pass.
There’s a very high probability that Wake Forest’s quarterbacks struggle against Duke’s passing game, especially when they have to face third and longs.
Wake Forest Can Stop The Run!
Maybe Riley Leonard will heal up better for this game against Wake Forest. However, with the game scheduled for earlier in the week and less time to prepare than a normal Saturday-to-Saturday week, I’m not optimistic.
The Blue Devils won’t have it easy against the Demon Deacons’ defense. Wake Forest has held teams to 385.4 yards per game, with just 128 yards on the ground. The Demon Deacons still have a quality secondary and continue to play well against the run.
The stats don’t always tell the whole picture. The defense is the only thing keeping the Wake Forest bowl odds above 50% this season. The Demon Deacons won’t be at the top of the ACC NCAAF standings regardless of what happens the rest of the season. But they’ll be able to keep other teams close with low NCAAF scores today with their solid defense.
After reviewing the Wake Forest vs Duke Betting Odds, we’ll take the Under 44.5 in this matchup. The Blue Devils are challenged offensively, while Wake Forest has no reliable quarterback on the roster.
For NCAAF betting news, college football scores and odds, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
