Free NCAAF Pick: Demon Deacons vs. Cardinals Odds
Looking for Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals Free NCAA picks & NCAA odds? NCAAF betting sees the Demon Deacons taking on the Cardinals on 9/26 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, in Louisville, KY. This free NCAA football pick is based on matchup analysis and documented handicapping data tracked by CappersPicks since 2004, with a focus on identifying the strongest betting angle for this Demon Deacons Cardinals matchup.
2026 NCAAF Handicapping – Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Louisville Cardinals
(2-1) Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals (2-1)
Date: Sep 26, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Venue: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, KY
NCAAF Moneyline Odds: Demon Deacons +387 | Cardinals -531 (Bet Now!)
Today’s NCAAF Spread Betting Odds: Demon Deacons +12.5 | Cardinals -12.5
NCAAF Football Gambling Total: O/U: 58
Here’s why I’m backing a Wake Forest ATS bet below in my Demon Deacons Cardinals free pick & gambling prediction for this matchup.
Demon Deacons vs. Cardinals Gameday
Wake Forest heads to L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville with a 2-1 record after falling 33-20 to Miami in its ACC opener. The Demon Deacons trailed 31-7 before scoring 13 unanswered points in the second half. Saturday’s kickoff is set for 12:00 PM ET on ESPN.
Wake Forest already owns a road win, beating Purdue 38-36 in double overtime.
Wake Forest gets another ranked ACC opponent, and Louisville has been anything but boring so far.
Louisville is also 2-1 and enters ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll. The Cardinals have won two straight at home, beating Villanova 59-13 before taking down ranked SMU 41-31.
Louisville leads the all-time series 7-3 and won the most recent meeting 48-21 in 2022. Wake Forest’s lone road victory in the series came in 2018, when the Demon Deacons won 56-35 in Louisville.
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Both teams are 2-1, but Louisville already has a ranked win while Wake Forest is trying to avoid an 0-2 start in ACC play.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals Odds & Last 5
Louisville is a 12.5-point home favorite, with the Cardinals around -515 on the moneyline and Wake Forest around +385. The market opened Louisville as high as -13.5. The total opened at 58.5 and has since shown some movement downward.
Wake Forest opened with a 38-16 win over Akron, escaped Purdue 38-36 in double overtime and then lost 33-20 to Miami.
Louisville dropped its opener 41-38 to Ole Miss in Nashville before hammering Villanova 59-13. The Cardinals followed that with a 41-31 win over SMU and have covered the spread in all three games.
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Cardinals Stats
Louisville has scored 138 points through three games while averaging 515.3 total yards per game. The Cardinals are producing 286.3 yards through the air and another 229.0 on the ground. They have scored 18 offensive touchdowns.
Lincoln Kienholz has completed 48 of 73 passes for 816 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also rushed for four touchdowns, giving Louisville another problem for defenses once he leaves the pocket.
Keyjuan Brown leads the Cardinals with 231 rushing yards after exploding for 163 yards and two touchdowns against SMU.
Tre Richardson has a team-high 243 receiving yards, while Louisville has spread its seven passing touchdowns among multiple targets. The Cardinals have also forced six turnovers through three games, including three interceptions.
Demon Deacons Stats
Wake Forest has scored 96 points while averaging 434.7 yards of offense through three games. The Demon Deacons have been much more productive through the air, averaging 297.7 passing yards compared with 137.0 on the ground. They have converted 42.1% of their third downs.
Gio Lopez has accounted for nearly all of that passing production with 887 yards and seven touchdowns against one interception.
Lopez gives Wake Forest a legitimate counterpunch if Louisville turns this into another track meet.
Ty Clark III leads Wake Forest with 144 rushing yards. Carlos Hernandez has been Lopez’s top target with 322 receiving yards, including 10 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown against Miami.
Wake Forest’s defense has allowed 379.3 yards and 28.3 points per game. The Demon Deacons have recorded six sacks, although they are still looking for their first interception of the season.
Demon Deacons vs. Cardinals QB Matchup
Lincoln Kienholz has completed 65.8% of his passes for 816 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. Against SMU, he threw for 177 yards and two scores while adding 42 rushing yards and another touchdown. Louisville has yet to throw an interception this season.
Gio Lopez carries the heavier passing workload for Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons starter has completed 66 of 105 attempts for 887 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns against Miami while spreading his completions among 11 receivers.
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Louisville has used Davin Wydner and Briggs Cherry sparingly behind Kienholz. Steele Pizzella has attempted only three passes behind Lopez for Wake Forest.
Kienholz has the better rushing attack around him, while Lopez has been asked to create more through the air.
That difference should make the quarterback battle particularly interesting if Wake Forest falls behind early.
Louisville can lean on balance; Wake Forest is far more comfortable putting the afternoon in Lopez’s hands.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals bottom line: Louisville has the deeper and more balanced offense at home, but Wake Forest’s passing game gives the Demon Deacons a legitimate way to keep answering if the Cardinals turn this into another high-scoring ACC afternoon.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals Football Betting Trends
- Wake Forest has gone 3-0 straight up after a loss in their last 3 games from 2025 to 2026.
- The Demon Deacons are 5-2 ATS as underdogs in their last 7 games from 2025 to 2026.
- Plus, Wake Forest has hit the over in 5 of their last 6 games from 2025 to 2026.
- Louisville has a 4-0 record ATS in all games from 2025 to 2026.
- Also, the Cardinals are 3-0 ATS in home games from 2025 to 2026.
- Louisville has hit the over in all 3 of their games in 2026 with totals set at 50 or more.
Demon Deacons Cardinals Free Pick: Wake Forest +12.5
Here is my Demon Deacons Cardinals free pick: I’m taking Wake Forest +12.5. Louisville deserves respect after knocking off ranked SMU, but this number asks the Cardinals to win by nearly two touchdowns against a Wake Forest offense that can move the football.
The Demon Deacons were buried 31-7 against Miami and still fought back to make it 31-20 before the Hurricanes added a late safety.
Wake Forest has enough offense to make 12.5 points feel awfully useful in the fourth quarter.
Louisville is 3-0 against the spread, so I’m not pretending the Cardinals have been overpriced through three games. The problem is laying this many points against Gio Lopez and a passing game capable of creating chunk plays.
My CFB betting approach says Wake Forest can hang around long enough to make Louisville earn every bit of this number.
Take Wake Forest +12.5.
Today’s NCAAF Free Pick
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Louisville Cardinals on X
Your National Running Back of the Week, Keyjuan Brown 💥#GoCards x @keyjuanbrown2 pic.twitter.com/Hm6blZqwBC
— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) September 22, 2026
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