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Cal and Wake Forest meet in a battle of two teams that don't have much chance to get back into conference contention this season. The teams will face each other for the first time, as Cal is in the middle of their first season in the ACC. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Cal-Wake Forest prediction and pick.
Cal had an unbelievable start to the season when they went 3-0 and had a double-digit underdog victory over Auburn. Cal was ready to break into the ACC and become an instant contender. However, they dropped the opener to Florida State, which was disappointing considering the Seminoles' poor form. The Golden Bears couldn't recover from that loss, losing three consecutive games to Miami, Pitt, and NC State. It wasn't a terrible outcome, considering they lost the four games by a combined nine points. Cal bounced back with a 44-7 win over Oregon State last week.
Wake Forest has been having a better time in the ACC this season, sitting in ninth. They lost the conference opener by one point to Virginia but have won two of three since then. Their only loss came from a blowout against Clemson, where they were 21-point underdogs. The Demon Deacons bounced back with two straight wins after the loss, but they weren't the most convincing results. They defeated UConn and Stanford by three points each.
Here are the Cal-Wake Forest College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Cal-Wake Forest Odds
Cal: -7 (-110)
Moneyline: -275
Wake Forest: +7 (-110)
Moneyline: +225
Over: 54.5 (-110)
Under: 54.5 (-110)
How to Watch Cal vs. Wake Forest
Article Continues Below
Time: 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT
TV: ACC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Cal Could Cover The Spread/Win
Cal's offense should feel comfortable airing it out in this matchup. Wake Forest is one of the worst pass-defending teams in the nation, allowing the 131st most passing yards per game and the worst opposing completion percentage. Fernando Mendoza has been a star for the Golden Bears, averaging 303.6 yards per game over his last five. Cal has one of the best passing attacks in the nation, which could run the score up and help cover a seven-point spread.
Why Wake Forest Could Cover The Spread/Win
Wake Forest's offense also relies on their passing attack. It isn't as substantial of a gap in their passing game vs. Cal's passing defense, but it could help them stay in this game and turn it into the last team to score shootout. Wake Forest ranks 42nd in the country in passing yards per game, while Cal falls 72nd in passing yards allowed. Cal's defensive strength is in the run game, but Wake Forest doesn't utilize their run game as much as other teams.
Final Cal-Wake Forest Prediction & Pick
Cal's record can't be a sticking point for saying they won't cover the spread in this game. Their loss against Florida State will haunt them, but close losses to Miami, Pitt, and NC State show that Cal is right up there regarding talent in the ACC. It may have been bad luck and poor late-game coaching decisions that caused them to have their 4-4 record, but the 37-point victory over Oregon State last week was a sample of what the Golden Bears can do. The oddsmakers are begging us to back Wake Forest in this game with the high spread, but we'll take Cal to keep it rolling this week.
Final Cal-Wake Forest Prediction & Pick: Cal -7 (-110)
