Pittsburgh Panthers @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Week 14 Game Preview

When: Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 8:00PM ET.

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC.

How: ABC.

Spread: Pittsburgh -3.

Total: 71.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Game Spotlight

These two teams got through their respective divisions of the ACC and head south to Charlotte to win the rare ACC Championship Trophy not in possession of the Clemson Tigers. The Pittsburgh Panthers have reeled off four-straight wins, while the Wake Forest Demon Deacons got back on the winning side of the ledger last out... both teams come into this game with 10-2 records.

Loved the Demon Deacons in many spots this season and cashed with them as well, including fading them in a loss at Carolina... I’ve been able this year to see the games that were likely stumbling blocks for them. The more glaring weakness for the Demon Deacons is that defense... for a team with so many wins, their defense is among the worst I witnessed this season. Wake Forest bakes their cake using an unconventional style of offense... they basically FREEZE at the moment of exchange with QB and RB on the read option, and many times this season it has worked to perfection.  The play they love is to hit that tight end running right down the seams if the safety steps up to take the run... it takes a lot of rigid lane assignment football and patience to let the play develop before attacking.  Honestly, Wake Forest’s offense has proven a tough one to stop... the lowest point total for them this season was 35, then 37 twice, and the other 9 games they hit 40+.  The Demon Deacons scored 50 twice, but gave up 50 twice... they scored 55 in a 58-55 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

To my eye, I like what I’ve seen from Pittsburgh more.  They line up and hit you hard with the running game, but they have shown over the course of the season to be extremely balanced offensively, making it tough for opponents to focus on any specific weapon.  The Panthers, just like the Demon Deacons, have only two close losses on their resume... a 3-point loss to Western Michigan, and a 4-point loss to the Miami Hurricanes.  While Pittsburgh has some holes on the defensive side of the ball, their horses up front are tough, strong, and fast enough to make plays that stop drives... in part of my final analysis, it is the Pittsburgh defense I feel that gets Wake off the field just enough in what likely will be a shootout.

Final Say

Pickett and Hartman are the two headliners here for this ACC title game, but expect the Pittsburgh defense to be the stars of the game on Saturday night. In the type of game one or two stops could be the keys to winning the game, it seems like a solid bet that the defensive stops will not come from Wake Forest. Against an elite level quarterback, Wake Forest’s defense will be exposed badly... much in the way Sam Howell abused them in Chapel Hill.  Wake will score and score some more, but Pittsburgh scores more and lifts the trophy.  PITTSBURGH 49-37.

Pick: Pittsburgh Panthers -3