Is a Blowout Coming to Winston-Salem? Our Staff Makes Their Picks
In this story:
Earlier this week, the first CFP rankings of the season were released, with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-1, 5-1 ACC) coming in at No. 16 — below their rankings in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. That sparked plenty of conversation about the lack of respect the Deacs are receiving.
After all, they're 7-1, with their only loss coming against the team now ranked No. 1 in the nation, Miami. But now, the Deacs find themselves in a precarious position. They host FCS independent Merrimack College (4-5) this week.
Sure, Wake should win big. Sure, the Deacs may not need to play their starters for the entire game. And sure, the CFP selection committee says style points aren't a factor. But if Wake wants to keep the playoff conversation going, it needs to do more than win. It needs to win convincingly.
Our staff is definitely expecting a huge win today for Wake. Once again, we are unanimous in our picks. We have Wake Forest winning by nearly eight touchdowns - 55.4 points. Our staff also believes the Wake defense will hold the Warriors to less than a touchdown. Our average projected combined score is 66.4 points. This works out to an average prediction of Wake Forest 61, Merrimack 6.
Last week, Brandon continued to master score predicting. He came the closest with his prediction of Wake Forest 41, Virginia 13. The final score was 51-7. This marked Brandon's fourth closest prediction win of the season and his third straight.
Staff Leaderboard after Week Nine:
Place | Name | Wins | Losses | Closest | Cumulative Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brandon | 7 | 1 | 4 | 141 |
2 | Barry | 7 | 1 | 1 | 142 |
3 | Keylor | 7 | 1 | 1 | 150 |
4 | Justin | 7 | 1 | 1 | 166 |
5 | Alex | 7 | 1 | 1 | 169 |
6 | Seth | 7 | 1 | 1 | 182 |
7 | JD | 7 | 1 | 0 | 164 |
8 | Sean | 6 | 2 | 0 | 205 |
9 | Andrew | 6 | 2 | 0 | 210 |
10 | Blake* | 4 | 1 | 0 | 118 |
* Blake did not participate in Weeks 1-3
Staff Predictions - Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Merrimack
Alex Gendron (7-1, one closest prediction) - Wake Forest 57-3
Andrew Bauhs (6-2) - Wake Forest 58-6
Barry Lewis (7-1, one closest prediction) - Wake Forest 66-7
Blake Robison* (4-1) - Wake Forest 70-3
Brandon Oakes (7-1, four closest predictions) - Wake Forest 66-0
JD Andress (7-1) - Wake Forest 59-3
Justin Kontul (6-1, one closest prediction) - Wake Forest 54-3
Keylor Piers (7-1, one closest prediction) - Wake Forest 77-7
Sean Kennedy (6-2) - Wake Forest 47-10
Seth Dowdle (7-1, one closest prediction) - Wake Forest 55-13
* Blake did not participate in Weeks 1-3
Do you agree with our picks? Let us know what you think the final score will be.
What's Next for the Demon Deacons?
The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 7. It will be played at Allegacy Financial Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC. You can watch it on the ACC Network.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Barry is the managing editor/publisher of Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI sites. He oversees a team of 12+ writers and photographers covering all sports at Wake Forest. He writes on football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, men’s tennis, and other sports as needed. His weekly articles include ACC Power Rankings and Poll Watching during the football, basketball, and baseball seasons. Barry is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He has covered the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 2023 College Football National Championship, the 2023 College World Series, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tennis National Championship, ACC Kickoff, and ACC Tipoff. He is an avid sports fan and traveler, and he loves any opportunity to see a sporting event in person. He has been to 18 of the 30 MLB ballparks, experienced game day at 25 college football stadiums, seen 21 NFL stadiums, and been to 16 bowl games.