COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Wake Forest enters at 6-1 and has paired a productive offense with a defense that has kept opponents below three touchdowns per game. The Demon Deacons average 39.1 points, 457.4 yards, 282.6 passing yards, and 174.8 rushing yards per game, while allowing 19.4 points, 322.6 yards, and just 4.4 yards per play. Merrimack is 4-5 and has been much less productive, scoring 18.0 points per game with 341.1 yards per game on offense, including 179.0 passing yards and 162.1 rushing yards. On defense, the Warriors allow 27.11 points and 347.7 yards per game, which creates a difficult setup against Wake Forest’s balanced attack.
Wake Forest should control this game from the start, but the better angle is the total rather than a side. The Demon Deacons have the firepower to separate, yet Merrimack’s lower-output offense and the likelihood of a slower second half after the game is decided point to a lower-scoring finish than the market expects. The projected final score is Wake Forest 49, Merrimack 10, which supports an under result and a comfortable home win.
