We’re now a third of the way into the college football season, which means the focus pretty much goes to conference play in the ACC. With that, let’s take a look at some of the Saturday slate.
UVa @ Duke (-2) O/U 51.5: Much like last week, there’s no way this would have been my guess of the line for this game in the preseason. The Blue Devils haven’t been a favorite in an ACC contest since 2020 when they were 2-point faves at Syracuse in a game they won 38-24. Their offense has been a pleasant surprise and I think it’s hidden some weaknesses on defense. Duke shut out Temple in Week 1 but allowed 23 to Northwestern, 20 to NC A&T, and 35 to Kansas last week in a high-profile game.
Meanwhile, the Hoos fell just short in their trip to the JMA Wireless Dome losing by two to Syracuse. Brennan Armstrong played a little better but once again the offense was an issue. The defense was fantastic for the most part and should give the team confidence going forward. This is the squad’s third road contest in five week but truly how much of a homefield does Duke have? One of my weaknesses as a handicapper is stubbornly clinging to a team and believing they’ll turn things around. Give me UVa +2 and a sprinkle on the moneyline. Duke won’t stress this OL like others have.
Virginia Tech @ UNC (-9) O/U 51: The Hokies disappointed once again at home in a big game as they were outclassed by West Virginia last Thursday night. The offense is so talentless that scoring points will be a struggle all year long even against a UNC team that has given up 40 or more to Notre Dame and App State. It’s somewhat of a sandwich spot for the Heels, who are coming off an emotional loss to Notre Dame and have a road trip to Miami up next. This is a lot of points for them to cover so I may look at a team total under for Virginia Tech depending on the number. Maybe a slight lean to the under as well.
NC State @ Clemson (-6.5) O/U 42.5: There’s this weird opinion that Clemson’s defense is down after it got beaten up by Wake Forest last week. The unit was still missing some talent and the Demon Deacons would make a lot of teams look foolish right now. The bigger thing is DJU looks good and this offense is clicking as they put up over 40 points for the third time this season. Clemson lost in double overtime last year in Raleigh to this team so there will be no focus issues on their end. NC State, meanwhile, is coming off a 41-10 victory over UConn. The offense hasn’t been as strong as people thought it would be. I’m betting on the Tigers bouncing back and handling their business at home.
Wake Forest @ Florida State (-7) O/U 65.5: Wake is coming off a really tough loss to Clemson in double overtime so the thought is they could be a little hungover for this contest. The offense wasn’t the issue and hasn’t been at all in the 2022 campaign. The defense is not what people had hoped it would be and could struggle against a suddenly resurgent Florida State bunch that is 4-0 on the season. The team is playing defense and getting solid offense with Jordan Travis under center. Normally I’d think a touchdown is too much in this situation, but I wonder where Wake’s head is at. If this thing climbs higher, I may jump on the underdog, but right now there’s no play.
Matt is the host of Border to Border from 3-4pm ET on 106.1 FM out of Richmond Virginia. He's a sports handicapper on Sportsmemo (Matt Josephs Betting Picks, Futures, & Predictions | Sportsmemo) and writes articles for Athlon Sports (Articles by Matt Josephs (Mid Major Matt) - AthlonSports.com | Expert Predictions, Picks, and Previews)
