Both teams have struggled, but in a different way.
NC State was supposed step up right away and dominate, but every game has been a struggle. It needs an ACC win to get on track as part of a run of five home games in six.
Wake Forest hasn’t beaten an FBS team yet, but it lost to Virginia and Louisiana by a combined four points. This is the first in a run of three road games in four dates and five in the next seven. Start 1-4, and any real possibility of going bowling is realistically gone.
Sep 28, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cheerleaders perform during a game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Carter-Finley Stadium.
© Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
NC State vs Wake Forest Preview
NC State vs Wake Forest How to Watch
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC How to Watch: CW Network
NC State (3-2), Wake Forest (1-3)
- Week 6 Schedule, Predictions
- 5 Biggest College Football Surprises
- 5 Biggest Disappointments
- Bowl Projections | CFN 1-134 Rankings
- College Football Playoff Projections: Week 6
Predicting the Rest of the Season
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
Why Wake Forest Will Win
The passing game continues to be solid and the offensive line is doing a decent job at keeping teams out of the backfield.
No, the line isn’t great in pass protection, but the tackles for loss are kept to a minimum and QB Hank Bachmeier continues to be good. He needs a little more help, but he hit 83% of his passes in the loss to Louisiana and spreads the ball around well.
NC State’s offense has stalled. It struggled against Northern Illinois, it can’t find any consistency, and there’s nothing happening down the field. But …
Why NC State Will Win
The Wake Forest run defense hasn’t been close.
Virginia spent too much time throwing to run, but Ole Miss ripped off yards in chunks and Louisiana tore off 209 yards. If the NC State running game is ever going to work, it has to start now.
It hasn’t been bad when the team commits to it, but it has yet to crank up 40 carries this year. If it’s not averaging around five yards per pop - State has yet to get there against an FBS team - there’s something wrong.
But Wake Forest is also having problems in pass defense allowing 286 yards per game, so …
NC State vs Wake Forest: Who Will Win
NC State should be able to pick its poison.
It’s been painful for the Wolfpack to keep the chains moving, but this is when everything should start to perk up a bit. The game will be a bit too close - the team is struggling to make things easy - but Wake Forest has more issues.
The Demon Deacon defense will once again be a soft breeze.
NC State vs Wake Forest Prediction, Betting Lines
NC State 34, Wake Forest 27
Line: NC State -4.5, o/u: 52.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
NC State vs Wake Forest Must See Rating: 2.5
Week 6 CFN Expert Picks
Syracuse at UNLV | UCLA at Penn State
Missouri at Texas A&M | SMU at Louisville
Iowa at Ohio State | Auburn at Georgia
Ole Miss at So Carolina | Rutgers at Neb
Clemson at Florida St | Tenn at Arkansas
Michigan at Washington | Miami at Cal
Texas Tech at Arizona
