North Carolina at Wake Forest Expert College Football Picks 9/13/2019

Friday, September 13, 2019

BB&T Field

Sam Howell and the North Carolina Tar Heels go to BB&T Field on Friday where they'll take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Wake Forest opens this contest as 3-point favorites. The over/under is set at 66. The Tar Heels are 2-0-0 ATS and 1-1-0 when betting on the total. The Demon Deacons are 2-0-0 when wagering on the over/under and 0-1-1 against the spread.

Key North Carolina Tar Heels Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Wake Forest Demon Deacons Injuries

09/08/19 RB Cade Carney Leg missed last game, is questionable Friday vs North Carolina
09/08/19 WR Jaquarii Roberson Undisclosed is questionable Friday vs North Carolina
09/08/19 DT Tyler Williams Undisclosed is questionable Friday vs North Carolina

In the last game they played, the North Carolina Tar Heels faced the Miami Hurricanes and earned the win by a score of 28-25. Javonte Williams led the team on the ground during the game. He tore off a long run of 22 yards and he notched 1 TD during the game. He racked up a total of 76 yards by way of 10 carries which gave him an average of 7.6 yards per carry. Dyami Brown was the leader in receiving yardage with a tally of 80 yards on 4 catches. He had an average of 20.0 yards per reception during the game. Running the show from under center for the Tar Heels was Sam Howell who went 16/24 with 274 yards passing and added 2 TD's. He finished the game without throwing an interception. The North Carolina Tar Heels ran the football 36 times and earned a total of 97 yards giving them an average of 2.7 yards per run. Overall, the Tar Heels earned 22 1st downs and they had a total of 1 infraction for 5 yards telling us that this team was extremely focused in this game. In the game, they totaled 61 plays for a total of 389 yards. When discussing the defense, North Carolina allowed 30 completions on 39 tries totaling 309 yards, and a completion percentage of 76.9%. On the ground, the Tar Heels allowed 179 yards on 37 carries which gave them an average of 4.8 yards per rushing attempt allowed. For this contest, they allowed 488 yards and forced 0 takeaways.

The Tar Heels come into this game with a record of 2-0 this year. They are in the middle of the pack in regard to scoring in the nation averaging 26 points per game, ranking them 78th in college football. As a team, they have an average of 167.5 yards on the ground per contest which is 8th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For total yardage, they currently sit at 7th in the conference and 51st in college football with 872 yards. The Tar Heels have one of the average defenses in college football, allowing 22.5 points per game putting them 7th in the conference. When it comes to passing yards, the Tar Heels have allowed 537 yards. Teams are completing 66.7% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 6.5 yards per try. In discussing yards on the ground, North Carolina is giving up 153.5 yards per game ranking them 8th in the ACC and 79th in D-1. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 4.5 yards per rush putting them 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 98th in Division 1 overall. Overall, they have conceded 307 yards rushing through 2 games.

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In their last game, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons went up against the Rice Owls and were on the losing end of this game by a score of 21-41. Leading the way at QB for the Demon Deacons was Jamie Newman who went 21/27 with 312 yards through the air and added 3 TD's. He walked away from this game with no interceptions. Kenneth Walker III led the team on the ground in the game. He tore off a long run of 96 yards and he tallied 1 touchdown for the game. He ran for 125 yards by way of 9 carries which means he ran for an average of 13.9 yards per run. Scotty Washington led the team in receiving yardage with a tally of 158 yards on 7 receptions. He averaged 22.6 yards per reception in the game. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons ended up rushing 35 times and added 201 yards giving them an average of 5.7 yards per attempt. On the day, they ran 62 plays for a total of 513 yards. For the contest, the Demon Deacons had a total of 19 first downs and they had a total of 5 penalties for 38 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. When it comes to their defensive performance, Wake Forest allowed 22 catches on 35 attempts totaling 254 yards, and a completion percentage of 62.9%. On the day, they gave up 321 yards and earned 1 takeaway. Against the run, the Demon Deacons allowed 67 yards on 37 attempts giving the other team an average of 1.8 yards per carry allowed.

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The Demon Deacons come into this matchup with a record of 2-0. Wake Forest has made teams respect their running game by averaging 189.5 rushing yards per game, ranking them 50th in Division 1. As a team, they have compiled a total of 379 rushing yards through 2 games, so they'll look to the run game to try to keep the opponents off balance so they'll have open receivers. The Demon Deacons average 546 yards per contest overall ranking them 12th in the country and 1st in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Demon Deacons are conceding 28 points per game which puts them at 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 88th in D-1. Their pass defense is one of the most anemic units in the country. They are giving up 335 passing yards per game. For passing yards allowed per game, the Demon Deacons are ranked 14th in the conference. When it comes to points allowed, they have given up 56 points in total. In terms of yards rushing, they are allowing 123.5 yards per contest which puts them at 56th in college football and 6th in the ACC. This season, they have given up a total of 247 yards on the ground and 4 rushing TDs.

Who will win tonight's Tar Heels/Demon Deacons college football game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take the Demon Deacons -3

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