Week 3 in College Football couldn't get off to a more exciting start as ESPN's Thursday Night Football returns with a matchup of undefeated teams from the ACC. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will host the NC State Wolfpack at Allegacy Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kickoff time is at 7:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ESPN. NC State is coming off a thrilling, shootout home win over the Virginia Cavaliers. At the same time, the Demon Deacons whipped out FCS Western Carolina after barely getting by Kennesaw State in its season opener.
Gamblers are debating whether Wake Forest is a contender or a pretender, based on its relatively easy schedule. Meanwhile, NC State is seen as a solid but second-tier program under head coach Dave Doeren. Both teams are falling behind because they lack the NIL resources of ACC powers Miami-FL, Clemson, and Florida State.
Betting interest at Bookmaker is high for this game because it is the only college game on Thursday night.
College Football Betting Lines
NC State Wolfpack vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Odds at Bookmaker
NC State opened as a 7.5-point favorite while Wake Forest is a 7.5-point dog. The total opened at 55.5. The moneyline opened with NC State at -238 and Wake Forest at +195.
NC State commands more respect from the casual sector and with sharps. Wake Forest has seen a decline in recent years due to its limited NIL investment. Gamblers have short memories, and they remember how bad Wake Forest has been recently. In comparison, bettors respect how NC State is a regular bowl program.
Continue to check back with Bookmaker for the latest line moves and odds on all college football games.
NC State Wolfpack vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Team Analysis
The NC State Wolfpack is 2-0 straight up, 1-1 against the spread, and 1-1 over the total. Last week, the Pack won 35-31 over the Virginia Cavaliers as 3-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 54.
Of major concern for gamblers in this matchup is the 119th-ranked NC State defense. Virginia is not a highly regarded team, and yet the Cavaliers moved the ball at will on the Wolfpack. Even worse, NC State ranks 128th for pass defense. Offensively, NC State ranks in the middle of the road at 60th overall and 67th for scoring.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 2-0 straight up, 1-1 against the spread, and 0-2 under the total. Last week, Wake Forest beat Western Carolina 42-10 as 17.5-point home favorites. The game went under the total of 60.5. While the score looked impressive, the opponent was on the FCS level. What is more concerning is Week 1, where Wake Forest beat a terrible Kennesaw State team 10-9 as 18-point home favorites.
Wake Forest has mediocre metrics of 46th for overall offense, 83rd for scoring, 38th for overall defense, and 21st for points allowed. Again, these numbers are against weak competition. Also, Wake Forest ranks 104th for fewest turnovers committed and 92nd for takeaways.
Wake Forest is under a new head coach, Jake Dickert, who arrived after a successful tenure at Washington State. Dickert replaced Dave Clawson, who retired after a remarkably successful run. However, Clawson saw the writing on the wall and the inability of Wake Forest to keep up.
NC State Wolfpack vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Betting Trends
NC State covered the spread in three of its last 11 games as a road favorite. The Wolfpack went under the total in seven of its last eight games as a road favorite.
Wake Forest failed to cover its last six games as a home dog. Only two of Wake’s last seven games as a home pup went over the total.
NC State won and covered five of its last eight games against Wake Forest. Three of the most recent five games in this series went over the total. At Wake Forest, the Wolfpack won and covered three of its last four visits. Three of those four games went under the total.
NC State Wolfpack vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Best Bets
So far in 2025, NC State has played better competition than Wake Forest. Thus, the Wolfpack has a more impressive record and resume. This game should feature plenty of offense as neither side has stout defense.
NC State has plenty of player prop potential. QB CJ Bailey brings a 154.6 QBR into the game and should light it up against Wake Forest. RB Hollywood Smothers has rushed for 216 yards and 5.5 yards per carry with three touchdowns in 2025. At the same time, WR Wesley Grimes has six receptions for 25.7 yards per catch and a TD.
Main Pick: NC State -7.5
Over/Under Pick: Over 55.5
Player Prop Picks: Hollywood Smothers over 100 yards rushing with at least 1 TD, CJ Baily with at least 2 TD passes.
Make your bets now at BookMaker and get fast Bitcoin payouts, the best odds available anywhere, and don’t forget about live betting at BookMaker Sportsbook!
