One of the most intriguing games of Week 11 in the NCAAF will be played between the conference and in-state rivals on Saturday, November 12, so feel free to get the best Tar Heels vs. Demon Deacons betting pick and odds.

North Carolina is looking for the sixth consecutive win, while Wake Forest is hoping to avoid the third loss in a row when they meet at Truist Field. The Demon Deacons are -3.5 favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 77 points. These ACC foes have faced once in 2021, and the Tar Heels won that game 58-55 at home.

Tar Heels recorded the fifth conference win

The North Carolina Tar Heels (8-1-0, 5-4-0 ATS) bounced back from their only defeat of the season against Notre Dame with five consecutive wins. All of those wins came against conference rivals, including the most recent one against the Virginia Cavaliers 31-28 on the road. Both teams were pretty tied and the lead changed six times, but the Tar Heels prevailed in the end to stay atop of the ACC Coastal.

Drake Maye completed 26 of 37 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Downs was exceptional through the air as he led the game with 166 yards and a TD on 15 receptions. Elijah Green also had a receiving touchdown, while Elijah Green and Drake Maye combined for 165 rushing yards and two scores on 38 carries. Cedric Gray was a monster on defense with a game-high 16 tackles, a sack, and two defended passes.

RB British Brooks (lower body) is out for the season, while RB Caleb Hood (undisclosed) and D.J. Jones (lower body) are questionable to face the Demon Deacons.

Demon Deacons lost to NC State because of turnovers

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-3-0, 6-3-0 ATS) returned home from a two-game road trip with defeats against the Louisville Cardinals and NC State Wolfpack. Wake Forest had more total yards (414-325) than NC State, but committed three turnovers and forced none on the other end.

Sam Hartman was responsible for those three turnovers as he threw for three interceptions. He completed 29 of 48 passes for two touchdowns. Wake Forest did record a rushing touchdown through Christian Turner, but their run offense didn’t work as they collected miserable 17 yards on 25 carries. That’s why they impressed through the air with 397 yards on 29 receptions. A.T. Perry led the bunch with 159 yards and a score on 12 catches, while Taylor Morin also found the end zone. Defensively, Ryan Smenda Jr. was tremendous with 16 tackles.

Trends:

North Carolina:

  • 4-0 ATS in the last four games following an ATS loss

Wake Forest:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five home games vs. a team with a winning road record

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Pick  

We can expect a spectacle between these conference and in-state foes on Saturday. I am going with North Carolina to cover as the Tar Heels are one of the hottest teams in college football. The Tar Heels won each of their five road games this season and have one of the most exciting young players in the country – freshman quarterback Drake Maye, who is a two-way sensation and can hurt defenses in so many ways. The defenses will not play important role in this duel and the better offense will get win. North Carolina’s offense is scoring more points on average and I am backing them to prevail here.

Pick: Take the Tar Heels at +3.5 (-110)

The Total

North Carolina is averaging 40.6 points per game, which is a top 15 offense in the country, while their pass offense is 6th with 329.8 yards per contest. On the other hand, Wake Forest has a top 40 offense that is scoring 36.9 ppg and a top 15 pass offense which averages 308.6 ypg. I know that this total of 77 points might seem too high, but when these teams are facing each other – it’s not. Over is 6-2 in the Tar Heels’ last eight games following an ATS loss, while Over is 10-2 in the Demon Deacons’ previous 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Pick: Go Over 75.5 points (-120)