Clemson Opens as Massive 31-Point Chalk in Week 12 Game vs Wake Forest
By John Perrotto in College Football
Updated: April 9, 2020 at 6:52 am EDTPublished:
- Clemson, which has clinched the ACC’s Atlantic Division title, opened as a 31-point favorite over Wake Forest
- Clemson has outscored opponents by an average of 53-11 while winning its last five game
- Will this massive line hold steady? Check the preview below for our prediction
The luster is off what was lined up to be a showdown for the ACC’s Atlantic Division title this upcoming Saturday when No. 3 Clemson hosts Wake Forest.
Clemson (10-0, 7-0) secured the championship Saturday night with a 55-10 road rout of North Carolina State. That came after Wake Forest (7-2, 3-2) lost at Virginia Tech 29-17 earlier in the day.
Not surprisingly, Clemson is a heavy favorite. The Tigers opened as a 31-point favorite on Sunday afternoon.
Wake Forest vs #3 Clemson Odds
| Team | Spread |
|---|---|
| Wake Forest | +31 (-110) |
| Clemson | -31 (-110) |
Odds taken Nov. 10
Clemson Keeps Rolling Along
Clemson’s win over North Carolina State was its school-record 25th in a row dating to the end of the 2017 season. Coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers went 15-0 last year when it won its second national championship in three years.
Saturday night’s game was over by the end of the first quarter, as Clemson scored a touchdown on each of its four possessions in the period to move in front 28-0. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.
Things got so out of hand that 6-foot-4, 330-pound John Simpson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Linebacker James Skalski was given a opportunity to kick an extra point but missed.
BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN!
Clemson offensive lineman John Simpson punches it in for a 2-yd touchdown. Tigers lead 42-7.#CLEMvsNCST pic.twitter.com/uHenNBXyCG
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) November 10, 2019
Since eking out a 21-20 victory at North Carolina on Sept. 28, Clemson has steamrolled its last five opponents by an average score of 53-11. The margin of victory has been at least 31 points in all five games, with Clemson scoring at least 45 points.
At 545.8 yards a game, the Tigers lead the national in total offense.
Wake Forest Offense Stonewalled
Wake Forest scored its fewest points of the season Saturday in the loss to Virginia Tech on an emotional day in Blacksburg. Retiring Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster was honored during pre-game ceremonies and his players rose to the occasion.
The Demon Deacons had just 310 total yards, which was also its worst output of the season. They entered the game ranked in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense and passing yards.
Bath Time for Bud 🌊
Get an up-close look at that @Gatorade shower for @coachfostervt #Hokies 🦃 | #LPD 💼 pic.twitter.com/BxJold9hpQ
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 10, 2019
Quarterback Jamie Newman was just 16-for-35 for 262 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. It was his second-lowest yardage total of the season (he had 214 in a victory over North Carolina on Sept. 13).
Newman won’t have it any easier against Clemson, which ranks fourth in the nation in pass defense at 137.2 yards a game.
Clemson Rises, Wake Forest Falls
Clemson was No. 5 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday but figure to move into the top four this week following losses of third-ranked Alabama to LSU and fourth-ranked Penn State to Minnesota.
In the latest Associated Press poll released Sunday, the Tigers were No. 3 behind LSU and Ohio State.
After playing Wake Forest, Clemson concludes the regular season Nov. 30 with a non-conference game at rival South Carolina. The Tigers figure to be heavy favorite against the Gamecocks and in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 7 at Charlotte when they try to win a fifth straight conference championship.
The first team in ACC history to win 5 straight division titles…
Best is the standard.
The Tigers are headed back to the ACC Championship Game!
👇👇👇 #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/sDFr7glYfq
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 10, 2019
Meanwhile, Wake Forest dropped out of the AP rankings after being No. 22 last week. The Demon Deacons were No. 19 in the CFP rankings.
Clemson is now the lone ACC team in the AP Top 25.
Line Likely to Hold Steady
Clemson has won 10 straight games against Wake Forest, including a 63-3 beatdown last season at Winston-Salem, and scored a least 28 points each time. However, the Demon Deacons stayed close enough in the previous four years from 2014-17 to be winners against the spread.
TeamRankings.com’s power rating has Clemson winning by 31 points while USA TODAY’s Sagarin Ratings projects the Tigers to be victorious by 27 points. The line may come down a few points or so, but the Tigers being 31-point favorites seems just about right.
Sports Writer
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
