Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Army Black Knights Odds & Game Pick (2021)

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have started the season 6-0 despite two straight one-possession wins. Meanwhile, the Army Black Knights have lost two straight and have fallen to 4-2 on the year.

Both losses for Army were on the road, and now they’ll come back home to Michie Stadium, where they’re 3-0 on the year. Army runs the triple option and will rarely pass the football. For most teams, defending the triple option is extremely difficult and has given plenty of Power 5 teams fits over the years.

On the other hand, Wake Forest has been cutting it close, with wins over Syracuse and Louisville by just three points each. However, a win is a win, and Wake Forest continues to come out on top. That ultimately shows the character in this team behind one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Sam Hartman.

The question coming into this game is if the Demon Deacons can figure out how to stop the triple option and gain their seventh win of the season to stay undefeated.

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Details

• Opening Line: Wake Forest -3.5, O/U 52.5
• Current Line: Wake Forest -3, O/U 52.5
• Last meeting: October 29, 2020, Army 21, Wake Forest 13

Overview 

It’s always tricky when a Power 5 team faces an independent Army team in the middle of the season. But, it’s even more ridiculous when that said team is undefeated in their division and has become noticed due to their dominance.

That said team is Wake Forest. They’re 6-0 on the season and ranked 16 in the AP Poll. They’ve won four straight ACC games but have now put conference games on halt to take on Army. To Wake Forest’s credit, Army is better than most teams in the ACC, and a win will only help the resume. However, they’re putting an undefeated season on the line in the middle of the year against a non-conference opponent. It’s a bittersweet feeling.

Anyway, Wake Forest has been excellent. They’ve not elite at anything, but they’re above average at everything. The offense averages 38.7 points per game and 441.5 yards per game. Sam Hartman has been fantastic for Wake Forest with 1615 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, along with just three interceptions.

Defensively, the rushing defense has been Wake Forest’s weakest link. But that’s where things get interesting. Army is a triple-option team that will run the ball most downs.

The Black Knights are averaging just under 300 yards rushing per game and have gained 367.5 yards per game this season. They’ve scored 31 points per game and still find ways to score big with the ground game.

Army hasn’t been great stopping the run this season, despite allowing just 78 yards per game. However, they’ve been the best in coverage, allowing just over 200 yards passing per game. Every strength for each team on defense is a weakness for the other team on offense.

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Trends 

• Black Knights are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
• Demon Deacons are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games as a road favorite.
• Under is 6-1 in Black Knights last 7 vs. ACC.

Bottom Line 

The Army Black Knights have averaged close to 300 yards on the offensive end per game behind quarterback Christian Anderson on the ground. While he didn’t play against Wisconsin last Saturday, there’s potential that he’s back in action in this contest.

The Wake Forest defense has been outstanding this season, and while they’re not elite anywhere, they’ve been above average in nearly every category on the defensive end. They’ll get their stops against Army in the run game simply because they rarely miss tackles. If they can get hands-on Army, they’ll get stops.

Meanwhile, Wake Forest is throwing for 270.5 yards per game but has to throw against Army’s coverage that has been their best portion of the defense this season. However, Wake Forest will be capable of scoring in the run game, which has been the weakest link for Army this season despite what the box score says.

It’s hard to pick a side in this one, but I believe both defenses show up. So I’ll take the under 52 in an Army game.

Pick: Under -52 (-110)

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Jason Radowitz is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him @Jason_Radowitz.