Eckel on the ACC: Demon Deacons @ ‘Noles & Yellow Jackets @ Hokies

There are four games in the ACC tonight and we’re looking at the two with the biggest numbers, which means we’re expecting (and hoping for) two blowouts.

Wake Forest (+18) at Florida State, 7 p.m.
The Pick: Florida State (-18)

This is as much of an anti-Wake pick as it is a pro FSU selection.

Although the Seminoles (18-5) are playing their best basketball of the season of late. After a 1-4 start in conference play, Florida State has won five straight and has covered four of those five. Included in that streak was a blowout win at Syracuse and an overtime win over Louisville. The No. 17 ’Noles are also an impressive 11-1 at home this season.

Wake (9-13) has yet to win on the road this season (0-7), and just ended a five-game losing streak with a home win over an equally bad Pitt team last time out. In their last 27 ACC games the Demon Deacons have covered just six times.

It’s never easy to lay this big of a number, but FSU wants to continue to roll on it’s way to perhaps moving into the top 15 this week, and poor Wake becomes a victim yet again.

Georgia Tech (+12) at Virginia Tech, 8 p.m.
The Pick: Virginia Tech (-12)

In an early-season game in Atlanta, the Hokies barely beat the Yellow Jackets, 52-49.

So why is this number four times that margin? Good question.

Virginia Tech (18-5) is 11-1 at home this season and are coming off two tough losses to Louisville and Clemson so a bounce back is in order. The Hokies are also 14-3 against the spread in their last 17 games against teams with a losing record. A good helping of Yellow Jackets (11-13) might be just what the Hokies need to get back to their winning ways.

Georgia Tech is 0-5 this year against ranked teams. Virginia Tech checks in at No. 22 this week. The Ramblin’ Wreck has also lost five straight and seven of their last eight. And all seven losses were by double figures.

Expect more of the same tonight in Blacksburg.