The NC State Wolfpack and Wake Forest Demon Deacons will meet in the first game of Week 3 in college football on Thursday night. Both of these teams got off to 2-0 starts and will look to stay unbeaten against an ACC opponent. Before these rivals do battle in Winston-Salem, continue reading to get my NC State vs Wake Forest prediction for this contest.
Our NC State vs Wake Forest Pick
- Pick: NC State -7
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: NC State Wolfpack vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Date & Time: Thursday, September 11, 2025, 7:30 PM ET
- Venue: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC
- Broadcast: ESPN
NC State vs Wake Forest Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| NC State -7 | NC State -270 | Wake +220 | 53.5 |
Key Storylines
- NC State’s offense is finding a reliable identity early in the season with CJ Bailey’s efficient passing and Hollywood Smothers as a downhill back. The Wolfpack scored 35 points in a tight win over Virginia and demonstrated late-game defensive resolve to secure victory.
- Wake Forest is 2-0 coming into this week but they nearly lost to their only FBS opponent this year. The Demon Deacons barely hung on to beat Kennesaw State 10-9 despite this only being Kennesaw State’s second year in FBS football.
- This is the first conference game of the season for both teams. NC State beat Virginia last week. But that game was scheduled as a non-conference game so this is still technically the conference opener for both sides.
Quarterback Play
NC State: CJ Bailey has started the season 2-0. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 200 yards in his most recent game. He also had 44 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Bailey’s dual-threat ability keeps defenses honest and opens lanes for Smothers in the running game.
Wake Forest: Robby Ashford has shown mobility and playmaking ability but turnovers have stopped him from performing consistently. Wake’s coaching staff will be weighing Ashford’s improvisational upside against ball security concerns when crafting the game plan.
Betting Trends & H2H
Recent Form: Both of these teams are 2-0 straight up and 1-1 against the spread so far this season.
Home/Road Splits: NC State is 2-0 at home and this will be their first road game of the year. Wake Forest is also 2-0 at home and is playing a third straight game on their home field.
Over/Under Trends: NC State is 1-1 on over/unders this season and Wake Forest has gone under in both games.
Head-to-Head: NC State is 69-43-6 all-time against Wake Forest. Wake Forest won the last matchup between these teams in 2024.
NC State vs Wake Forest Model Projection
Score Projection: NC State 28 – Wake Forest 20
Win Probability: NC State 68%, Wake Forest 32%
So far this year, we have seen NC State pass one test against an ACC program. We have seen nothing reassuring from Wake Forest after they crushed an FCS team and nearly lost to a low-level FBS opponent. I’ll go with NC State to win and cover the spread as a favorite on the road here as they should use their more consistent quarterback play to their advantage.
