Every week the Blue Zone gives you our can't-lose prop bets for the upcoming football game:
Duke at Wake Forest (-16)
Saturday's matchup against No. 13 Wake Forest could be a tough one for the Blue Devils, as after a humiliating 48-0 loss at Virginia, Duke now finds itself up against the last unbeaten team in the ACC. Duke has had difficulty keeping things close in its past few outings, as the team is just 1-2 against the spread in the last three contests. Frankly, 16 points seems like it would be a surprisingly small margin of victory in this one. With the 7-0 Demon Deacons rolling after scoring an absurd 70 points in just over 17 minutes of possession against Army last time out, quarterback Sam Hartman will likely have no trouble continuing his run of dominance against a shaky Duke secondary. An alternative spread of Wake Forest -20 for +140 provides even better value, given the lopsided nature of this week's matchup, but any play on the ACC's top-ranked team should be safe enough.
Pick: Wake Forest -16 (-110) OR Wake Forest -20 (+140)
Over/Under 71.5 points
Wake Forest nearly cashed this over on their own against Army last week. Although Duke failed to score a single point against Virginia, expect a more disciplined and motivated offense this week from a well-rested Blue Devil team that should look to rectify their recent mistakes. Neither Wake Forest nor Duke has fielded a truly formidable defense all season, as Duke's defense is the last-ranked scoring unit in the conference while Wake Forest has allowed an average of 42.3 points per game to opponents in the last three contests. Between the blistering firepower on Wake Forest's offense and the Blue Devils' own talented offense, the over is a no-brainer this week.
Pick: Over 71.5
Wake Forest to win ACC (+280)
This prop may be slightly unusual, but Wake Forest is currently 7-0 and sits at the top of the ACC standings. Even so, Pittsburgh—led by Heisman Trophy hopeful Kenny Pickett at quarterback—is the odds-on favorite to win the conference at -135. As one of only two top-20 teams in the ACC, Wake Forest still feels undervalued at this price. There is certainly an argument to be made that Wake Forest has not really been tested this season, but I would argue that the team's lack of ranked opponents is precisely why this bet presents unparalleled value today. As soon as the Demon Deacons notch a win against N.C. State or Clemson, you will surely not find the same value. This is a sweet spot for Wake Forest believers, and it's the best time to take advantage of these odds.
Pick: Wake Forest to win ACC (+280)
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.