Wake Forest can clinch the ACC Atlantic Division title this week and a berth in the ACC Championship Game with a win at the team that has dominated the division and the league in recent years. The Demon Deacons are the surprise success of the ACC this year, while the once-mighty Clemson Tigers have been uncharacteristically vulnerable this year.
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Saturday, November 20, 2021 – 12:00 PM EST at Memorial Stadium
Wake Forest can clinch the ACC Atlantic Division title and a berth in the ACC Championship Game—its first since 2006—this week, with a win at the home of the team that has dominated the division, league, and nation in recent years.
The Demon Deacons are the surprise success of the ACC this year, scoring 35 or more points in every game so far and going undefeated in conference play with two games left.
The once-mighty Clemson Tigers have been a surprise in the opposite direction, looking surprisingly vulnerable after advancing to six straight ACC Championship Games. The Tigers are 7-3, 5-2 in the ACC. Most teams would sign up for a season like that, but the three losses match Clemson’s total for the previous three seasons, and it’s the most the Tigers have had in a year since 2014.
Wake Forest is coming off of its biggest win of the year, a showdown with NC State that, for all intents and purposes, decided the ACC Atlantic Division. The Deacs won a wild 45-42 slugfest to go up two games in the loss column with two to play.
The strength of Wake Forest is the offense, which is on pace to break the school scoring record by nearly nine points per game. Quarterback Sam Hartman has thrown a touchdown pass in 13 straight games, throwing a total of 40 to nine different receivers over that span. He also had a school-record streak of five straight 300-yard games snapped in the NC State game.
Hartman has two of the best receivers in the ACC to throw to in Jaquarii Roberson and A.T. Perry. The duo has a combined 98 catches, 1,778 yards, and 19 touchdowns this year.
The Wake defense has taken advantage of the high point totals the offense is posting. The Deacs have given up 100 points in the last two games and have allowed 34 or more in five of the last six games. While the defense has been vulnerable, Wake has also produced big plays, with 14 different defensive players getting a turnover this season.
Clemson will have plenty of emotion in the Wake Forest game. The Tigers certainly don’t want to see the new champion celebrating on their turf, and, with a little help, Clemson could still win the Atlantic Division this season.
Saturday’s game will also be Senior Day, and they’ll be trying to move to 26-0 at home for the seniors’ careers. Clemson will be trying to win six ACC games for the 11th straight year. The Tigers beat UConn last week in a non-conference game that was very costly to the Tigers. Several players suffered injuries that could linger into this week.
Wide receiver Justyn Ross hurt his foot in the first quarter and was in a boot and on crutches on the sideline for the rest of the game. Coach Dabo Swinney said the injury was nothing new. “He has played with a very small stress fracture all year long and has not missed a beat,” Swinney said. “He rolled his ankle on his other foot last week” Swinney added that Ross would be day-to-day.
Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei has also been playing with a sprained ligament in his knee. He played, but his mobility was clearly impacted. Swinney thinks he’ll be better this week.
Offensive lineman Will Putnam and Clemson’s top two leading rushers—Will Shipley and Kobe Pace, all missed the game, but Swinney said all three would be back this week. On defense, linebacker James Skalski hurt his knee in the third quarter and is day-to-day.
Wake Forest is the underdog in this game, thanks to Clemson’s reputation and home-field advantage. If the Tigers were at full strength, this might be a tougher call, but with their quarterback, top receiver, and top linebacker all hobbling at best, it will be tough for Clemson to match Wake score for score.
NCAAF Pick: Wake Forest +4.5 (-110) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
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