Wake Forest-Virginia Tech
Saturday, Oct. 4
1 p.m. Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific
CW Network
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Virginia Tech Hokies won’t make the College Football Playoff, but they will meet with a lot to prove in Week 6 of the college football season. This matchup in the lower tiers of the ACC is significant for a number of reasons, one being that the winner might have a shot at bowl eligibility while the loser’s path to a bowl shrinks noticeably.
Beating the top teams in any conference is difficult, so for Wake and Tech, this is a true battleground game. The teams which win against equal or lesser competition gain bowl berths, and the losers of these games fall short of the postseason. It’s a crucial moment for the Demon Deacons and Hokies as they try to develop momentum in their ACC football seasons. The outlook will be considerably different for these teams after this game. It’s not a sexy national TV game or a spicy rivalry, but it carries a lot of meaning just the same.
Can Wake Forest show it can set a regularly high standard?
Demon Deacons looked good against Georgia Tech but now have to back it up
Wake Forest pushed Georgia Tech to the limit last week. Georgia Tech was unbeaten with a top-25 national ranking and a win over Clemson on its resume. Yet, Wake Forest took an early lead and led Georgia Tech for much of the game before the Yellow Jackets rallied down the stretch and took the game into overtime. In overtime, Georgia Tech scored a touchdown first. Wake Forest responded with a touchdown and then went for a game-winning 2-point conversion which failed. Wake lost 30-29, but it won a lot of respect by pushing a good team — which is contending for an ACC Championship Game spot — to the limit.
Now, however, Wake Forest has to get over that loss, mentally regroup, and refill the fuel tank for a road game at Virginia Tech. The Hokies were awful at the start of the season, which led them to fire coach Brent Pry. Interim coach Philip Montgomery has taken over and instantly improved Virginia Tech, which just won at NC State and is showing it can make midseason adjustments. If Wake Forest falls flat here, that good performance against Georgia Tech will quickly be forgotten. It’s a moment for the Deacs to regroup and show they can be consistent this season.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons-Virginia Tech Hokies Odds
Hear TJ Rives and Jason Powers break down this game on the 3Dog Thursday Podcast by clicking Play below:
Spread: Wake Forest +6 (-105), Virginia Tech -6 (-115)
Total: 50.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Underdog moneyline: Wake Forest +185
The challenge for Wake Forest is clear: Play another solid game one week after a heartbreaking loss. Wake might not be up for it, but on the other hand, should Virginia Tech be favored by six points over any ACC opponent right now? It’s a game with a weird line between two unproven teams. Our official recommendation is to stay away from this one.