The No. 15 Pittsburgh Panthers (10-2) and No. 18 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-2) tangle in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is slated for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Pittsburgh vs. Wake Forest odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
Coastal Division champ Pittsburgh won at Syracuse Saturday and totes a four-game win streak into this game. The ACC’s second-leading offense in terms of total yards (512.9 per game) is led by Heisman-hopeful QB Kenny Pickett, who has completed 67.7% of his passes while piling up 40 touchdown tosses.
Atlantic Division champ Wake Forest is 2-2 in its last four games after starting the season 8-0. The Demon Deacons are coming off a 41-10 win at Boston College. Wake allowed just 182 yards in a contest that saw them hold a team to less than 40 points for the first time since Oct. 30. For the season, the Deacons rank 100th in FBS in total defense and 91st in scoring defense.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Pittsburgh at Wake Forest odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Pittsburgh -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Wake Forest +140 (bet $100 to win $140)
- Against the spread (ATS): Pittsburgh -3.5 (-110) | Wake Forest 3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 71.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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Pittsburgh at Wake Forest odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Pittsburgh 38, Wake Forest 27
Money line
Pitt is the lean overall and trying to avoid a back-door cover in an Under environment is enticing. But the -175 tag is too steep: AVOID.
Against the spread
Wake Forest lost ACC games to North Carolina and Clemson. Pittsburgh topped the Tar Heels in overtime (after leading 23-7 at halftime and allowing a couple short-field scores in the second) and defeated Clemson by 10.
The Panthers defense is better at getting stops and creating havoc. The Pittsburgh run game is enough of a change of pace to get the Deacons off balance, and stopping the run is not a Wake specialty (their 209.9 yards allowed per game ranks 118th in the nation). The grass playing surface at Bank of America Stadium figures as a boon for Pitt as well. The Demon Deacons are 1-2 ATS on grass this year and 2-7 ATS on natural turf over the last three years. The Panthers are 8-3 ATS on grass this season.
BACK PITTSBURGH -3.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Analyzing the way these teams move the ball all over the property and then making comparisons to how they do so inside the opponent’s 30-yard line creates some doubt on the Wake side and a bit more confidence in the Pitt defense.
The Deacons have a very good kicker and figure to get dragged into a couple red-zone threes.
BACK THE UNDER 71.5 (-115).
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