California (4-4, 0-4 ACC) travels to Winston Salem, North Carolina, to take on Wake Forest (4-4, 2-2 ACC) on Friday, November 8th. The game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on ACC Network.
California comes in as a 7.5-point favorite, while the over/under is set at 55.
Continue reading for my Cal vs Wake Forest prediction and college football picks below.
Cal vs Wake Forest Prediction and Best Bet
My Cal vs Wake Forest best bet is to back the Demon Deacons. I'm taking Wake Forest +7.5.
Cal vs Wake Forest Odds
| Cal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 54.5 -110 / -110 | -267 |
| Wake Forest Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 54.5 -110 / -110 | +215 |
- Cal vs Wake Forest Point Spread: Cal -7.5 (-110) · Wake Forest +7.5 (-110)
- Cal vs Wake Forest Total: Over/Under 54.5
- Cal vs Wake Forest Moneyline: Cal -300 · Wake Forest +240
Cal vs Wake Forest Spread and Over/Under Analysis
Why California Can Cover: Bears Looking to Build on Momentum
California is coming off a bye week after blasting Oregon State 44-7 a couple weeks ago, a game in which the Bears took out some frustration on the Beavers after losing four straight ACC games by a combined nine points.
Cal's offense broke out of a mid-season slump and racked up 478 yards and 44 points, while scoring on six of seven first-half possessions. The Bears added scores on their first three possessions of the second half before running out the clock in the back half of the fourth quarter.
The Cal defense stepped up against the Beavers and limited OSU to just 60 yards rushing on a 2.2 yard per carry average. Oregon State didn’t get on the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter, when the game was well in hand.
Why Wake Forest Can Cover: Can Demon Deacons Extend Winning Streak?
Wake Forest is also coming off a bye week and won back-to-back road games prior to the off week. The Demon Deacons' defense rebounded nicely after a blowout loss against Clemson and limited the offensive output of both UConn and Stanford.
In its past two games, Wake Forest has held opponents to just 148 combined rushing yards on an average of 2.84 yards per carry.
I like how Hank Bachmeier has been leading the offense recently and he is going to have to play his best football this week for Wake Forest to snag its third-straight win.
How To Make College Football Picks For My Cal vs Wake Forest Prediction
I'm going to play the home 'dog in this matchup. There are still some 7.5’s out there, so shop around for the best line.
California travels east for the third time this season and ACC play hasn't been kind to the Golden Bears. Cal's offense has really struggled along the offensive line this season and the issues have been magnified with the electric Jaydn Ott battling lingering injuries much of the season.
Cal is rushing for just 119 yards per game and averaging just 3.4 yards per carry this season. Also, quarterback Francisco Mendoza has been sacked 28 times this season.
Wake Forest's Defensive Havoc numbers haven’t been great, but considering some of the successful offenses they've lined up against, this isn't a surprise. Wake ranks 33rd nationally in Defensive Explosion surrendered as it's shown an ability to limit explosive playss. California is just 126th in Offensive Pass Play Explosiveness and 133rd in EPA Per Rush.
The Wake offense has had some success through the air recently and California ranks 132nd nationally in Defensive Pass Down Success rate. The Golden Bears' secondary also ranks 126th in Defensive Pass Down EPA Per Play. With the Wake Forest passing game starting to click, this could be a spot where the Deacons find success in this matchup.
California has struggled converting on third down this season and in cashing in while in the red zone. The Bears have converted just 38% on third down this season and are only scoring touchdowns on 50% of their red zone trips. On the road, these struggles are likely to be magnified.
I just don’t see as much separation between these teams as the line indicates. I expect this Friday night bout to be lower scoring and tight throughout. As such, I like the 'dog catching 7.5.
Pick: Wake Forest +7.5 (-122, FanDuel) | Play to +7 (-110)
California vs Wake Forest Start Time, Channel, Streaming, How To Watch
| Location: | Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium |
| Date: | Friday, Nov. 8 |
| Kickoff Time: | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ACC Network |
Cal vs Wake Forest will be played at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium on Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. ET. You can stream the game live on ACC Network.
