ACC Betting Preview: UVA vs Wake Forest, NC State vs Tennessee, Georgia Tech vs Syracuse and more

Looking back at week one, everything was fine until the Florida schools took the field. We were even spot on in our bets until 3:30. The Heels lost their quarterback and the under hit. Georgia looked like Georgia and Dabo were looking the other way. And the supposed outsider program of the playoffs, Virginia Tech, went to OT and lost to the worst program in the SEC.

As for the Virginia Cavaliers, coverage against Richmond, or any FCS opponent for that matter, has to be the foundation for the future. The fan base, the university, and the conference expect you to win these games and win them in a certain way. I’m sold on Colandrea, but I need to see continued success from this team before I buy more stock. Here are my thoughts on the UVA-Wake game and four others.

Virginia Cavaliers @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Awake Forest -1.5; More/Less than 57

Can the sophomore version of Anthony Colandrea win in the ACC? Is UVA ready to take that next step and win its ACC opener, something that hasn’t happened since Duke in 2020? Those questions will be answered Saturday night in Winston-Salem. Both programs had their ’23-24 seasons soured with more than a few one-possession losses, and both programs easily won their Week 1 trials against FCS opponents.

Virginia is 9-4 against the spread in its last 13 games as visiting underdogs and has covered four straight spreads to end the 2023 season. I’ll take Colandrea’s potential to make big plays with his arm and feet over Wake’s slower mesh offense. This coin-flip contest feels like one that will come down to the last possession a la North Carolina last year.

Choice: Virginia +1.5

Duke Blue Devils @ Northwestern Wildcats

Northwest -2.5; Over/Under 37

Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy was pressured just six times in their 26-3 win over Elon, and of those six drop backs, Murphy completed just one pass for six yards. That was against Elon, a program in the CAA. Northwestern — a program in the Big Ten where the trenches are where games are won and lost — returns seven of its top defensive linemen. They allowed just 267 yards of total offense in Week 1 against Miami (Ohio).

I was torn between an under here or a matchup with Northwestern that put up two and a half points. 37 is just too low for me, and that over would have come in four of the last five meetings between these schools since 2017. I’m going with the Wildcats at -2.5 at home.

Choice: Northwest -2.5

No. 23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ Syracuse Orange

Georgia technology -2.5; More/Less than 61

Week 0’s win over Florida State has lost some of its luster after Seminole’s last performance against Boston College. This is still a very dynamic offense, built around a comfortable and capable Haynes King who now has multiple channels through which he can direct this offense, including himself.

Through two games, over 60% of Georgia Tech’s offense has come on the ground. Combine that with a Syracuse defense that allowed 10 rushes of 10+ yards against Ohio and is now without their best defender in Marlowe Wax, and I think you have a very loose Buster Faulkner offense. The only thing that can save ‘Cuse is their venue, the JMA Wireless Dome, which doesn’t even sound good anymore.

Pick: Georgia Tech -2.5

California Golden Bears @ Auburn Tigers

Auburn -13; Over/Under 53.5

It’s a tough travel week for the Golden Bears (how many times are we going to say that in the next few years). A 3:30 PM EDT start is basically a noon kickoff for the Berkeley boys. A rematch of last year’s Week 2, in which Payton Thorne threw for just 94 yards in a 14-10 win for Auburn, I just don’t see these two teams putting up 54 points on Saturday.

A 10-touchdown win over SWAC bottom-ranked Alabama A&M doesn’t make me do some cartwheels, and I think Cal will surprise a few people this year. Seven of the Golden Bears’ last eight games against teams not ranked in the AP have come in losses, so that’s what we’ll take here.

Choice: Under 53.5

No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 24 NC State Wolfpack (Charlotte, NC))

Tennessee -8.5; Over/Under 61.5

With the conference’s flagship programs suffering ugly losses over the past two weeks, the ACC is now wide open to a Tier 2 or Tier 3 program stepping up to go from good to great. Miami and NC State seemed primed for promotion, with the Wolfpack in particular facing Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers in Week 2.

Unfortunately, Nico Iamaleava, a week into his redshirt freshman season, looks like a potential Heisman vote getter in Heupel’s high-octane offense. I don’t care if it was Chattanooga, Iamaleava had the look of a future superstar. The RPO potential against NC State’s defense should strike fear into Dave Doeren’s group, which trailed Western Carolina 21-17 entering the fourth quarter last weekend.

Choice: Tennessee -8.5

2024 record: 4-3-0