A pair of ACC teams will kick off their conference slate on Thursday when the North Carolina State Wolfpack (2-0) takes on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-0) in a Thursday night contest.
The Wolfpack won’t travel outside of North Carolina until mid-October. Their first two contests were at home, narrow wins over East Carolina and Virginia (in a non-conference matchup).
Wake Forest could easily be 1-1 right now. The Demon Deacons squeaked out a 10-9 victory over Kennessaw State, a Conference USA team that has won five games over the past two seasons. Last week, the ACC school crushed Western Carolina to get back on track.
Will the Wolfpack or Demon Deacons start their ACC season with a victory? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player prop wagers for this Thursday night showdown.
Sophomore quarterback C.J. Bailey returns after starting most of NC State’s games last season. Through two games this season, he’s notched 518 passing yards and two touchdowns in those contests. He’s also the team’s second-leading rusher, having notched 65 yards and three touchdowns on his 13 carries.
The Demon Deacons have allowed opposing quarterbacks to rush for over 40-plus yards in back-to-back games. Bailey could make it three straight on Thursday night, and individuals should take him to cover this rushing prop bet.
This isn’t your normal Demon Deacons’ offense. With new head coach Jack Dickert, Wake Forest is going to look to pass the football. That’s what makes quarterback Robby Ashford a lock to throw the football on Thursday.
In his first two games, Ashford completed 66 percent of his passes for 445 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. While those aren’t great numbers, Ashford finished above 200 yards in both contests. He’ll make it three-for-three on Thursday night, covering this prop bet.
One player who will know several of his opponents on Thursday is North Carolina State wide receiver Wesley Grimes. The former Wake Forest athlete swapped sides in 2024, heading to Raleigh for his junior and senior seasons.
Bettors might believe this is a lock since Grimes has six receptions for 154 yards and a score through two games. The opposite is true, however; Grimes recorded four receptions against East Carolina for 121 yards. Against Virginia, he was limited to two catches for 33 yards.
With Wake Forest’s defense looking to pressure Bailey, bettors should expect the Wolfpack to prioritize the running game on Thursday. That will limit Grimes’ opportunities, and he’ll fail to cover this receiving prop wager.
The Demon Deacons’ start under Dickert was inauspicious at best. Still, the former Washington State head coach had two winning seasons in three years at the northwestern school. He understands what it takes to win football games.
That’s why bettors should take Wake Forest to make this a game on Thursday. The Wolfpack haven’t won a game this season by more than a touchdown, giving individuals even more confidence in picking the Demon Deacons to cover the 7.5-point spread.