The Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) travel to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (1-1) at 6:30 p.m. ET on The CW.
Ole Miss, which is No. 5 in the nation in the latest AP Poll, is favored by 20.5 points with the total checking in at 64. Also, the Rebels are -1600 on the moneyline to win straight up.
Ole Miss cruised to a 52-3 victory over Middle Tennessee in its last game. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons lost to Virginia, 31-30, last week.
Can the Deacons flush that game out and be competitive at home against the high-powered Rebels? Let's find out with my Ole Miss vs. Wake Forest prediction and pick.
Ole Miss vs Wake Forest Odds, Pick, Prediction
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-20.5 -110 | 64 -110o / -110u | -1600 |
| Wake Forest Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+20.5 -110 | 64 -110o / -110u | +900 |
- Point Spread: Ole Miss -20.5 | Wake Forest +20.5
- Total: 64 Points
- Moneyline: Ole Miss ML -1600 | Wake Forest ML +900
- Pick: Ole Miss -22.5
Ole Miss vs Wake Forest Preview
Ole Miss Football
Not only do I believe Lane Kiffin has a team that can make the playoff in 2024, I think he has a team capable of winning the whole darn thing.
I know the first two wins have come against the likes of Furman and Middle Tennessee State, but the Rebels have been absolutely dominant out of the gates.
When Jaxson Dart announced he intended to return to Oxford for one more season, you knew this offense had a chance to be special. Dart has been unreal thus far, completing 47-of-54 passes for nearly 800 yards.
The supporting cast around him isn't too shabby either.
Wake Forest allowed 430 yards of total offense last week to Virginia and will have its hands full trying to cover the explosive weapons on the Ole Miss roster.
Defense, or a lack thereof, is what's held Ole Miss back the last few seasons. After a significant haul from the transfer portal, there's reason to believe this year can be different.
We won't know for certain until the Rebs get into SEC play, but from an eye-test perspective, Ole Miss appears to be much faster and more physical on the defensive end.
Look for defensive coordinator Pete Golding to draw up some blitzes to get pressure on Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier and make him uncomfortable.
Wake Forest Football
Year One in the post-Sam Hartman era wasn't pretty for Dave Clawson, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Clawson has long been a strong bounce-back coach, and he went to the portal to bring in Bachmeier. The Boise State and Louisiana Tech transfer has looked solid in the first two games of the season, taking care of the football and having plenty of success down the field.
Donavon Greene has emerged as a legitimate WR1 for Bachmeier to throw to, and he had a huge day last week against the Cavaliers.
Unfortunately for Wake, the defense once again doesn't appear ready for Power Four opponents.
The Deacons did a pretty good job against the run last week, holding UVA to 2.6 yards per carry on 28 attempts. The secondary was a completely different story, however, as Anthony Colandrea threw for 357 yards and completed over 76% of his passes.
Everything just seemed easy for the Virginia offense, and Colandrea had all day to throw. That's very concerning when you now have to face one of the most accurate passers in the country, who has all sorts of weapons on the perimeter.
It's hard for me to envision any way the Demon Deacons can slow down the Ole Miss passing attack.
Ole Miss vs Wake Forest Prediction
This Rebels' offense has been as explosive as any unit in America, and I don't see the Demon Deacons being able to put a stop to that.
Dart is playing like a Heisman candidate and should be able to have his way against a Wake secondary with many holes in it.
On the other side of the ball, Wake may be able to string together a few drives, but it will be nowhere near enough to keep pace with the Rebs.
Kiffin has also been no stranger to running up the score, so don't expect Ole Miss to take it easy in the second half.
I think you will see Ole Miss dominate this game from start to finish and find a way to cover this massive number on the road.
Pick: Ole Miss -22.5 (Play to -24)
College Football Betting Trends for Ole Miss vs. Wake Forest
- Ole Miss is 2-0 against the spread this year.
- Both of Wake Forest's games have gone over this year.
Wake Forest vs. Ole Miss Weather
