Louisville hosts Wake Forest today at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky., with coverage beginning at noon ET on ESPN. The Cardinals enter as a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 56.5.
My Wake Forest vs. Louisville predictions believe the Demon Deacons are live underdogs, despite the market respect for Louisville.
Read on for my college football picks for Saturday, Sept. 26.
TOP PICK
Who will win Wake Forest vs Louisville today? Wake Forest +13.5
Heading into Week 3, Miami looked like an offensive juggernaut, with QB Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney emerging as clear Heisman odds front-runners. Wake Forest limited Mensah to an anemic 6.5 yards per attempt through the air, minimizing explosive plays throughout the game.
Miami's previously unstoppable offense gained only 26 yards and failed to score on any of their final six possessions against Wake Forest. The Hurricanes offense went 3-and-out on four of those six drives.
The Demon Deacons emerged as a top-tier defense under coordinator Scott Hazelton in 2025. They returned nine starters for 2026, giving Hazelton even more talent at his disposal in his second year with the program. Expect Wake Forest to put significant pressure on Louisville's offense this Saturday.
Playable to 51%.
COVERS INTEL: Louisville ranks 110th in pass block grade this year, per PFF. If they can't give Lincoln Kienholz a clean pocket this Saturday, this offense could struggle against a top-notch Wake Forest defense.
Wake Forest vs Louisville Over/Under pick: Under 56.5
Miami allowed a season-worst pressure rate against Wake Forest a week ago, which contributed to its second-half offensive struggles.
Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is coming off a clean performance against SMU, but he was pressured on only 6-of-25 dropbacks in that contest. Kienholz averaged only 8.3 yards per completion under pressure, compared to 11.1 yards per completion from a clean pocket. This season, Kienholz has only a 46.7% completion rate against pressure, versus a 69.5% completion rate from a clean pocket.
Wake Forest isn't going to allow Louisville's ground attack to gain 265 yards this weekend, which propelled the majority of their 41-point output against SMU. If the Cardinals can't give Kienholz time to make throws from a clean pocket, it's difficult to see their offense having much success.
Playable to 54%.
Wake Forest vs Louisville combo
The strength of the Wake Forest roster is its defense, as supporters saw last week against Miami. If looking for a combo to sweat this weekend, Wake Forest to cover in a low-scoring game is a correlated outcome worth considering.
Playable to 24%.
Wake Forest vs Louisville combo
- Wake Forest +14.5
- Under 56.5
Wake Forest vs Louisville prop: Louisville team total Under 34.5 points
Louisville scored 41 points against SMU, but it benefited from three SMU turnovers and a defense that didn't offer much resistance against the ground attack.
Keyjuan Brown ran for 163 yards on only 10 carries after totaling a combined 68 rushing yards in his first two games. Isaac Brown averaged a season-high 6.7 yards per carry against the Mustangs.
Neither of Louisville's top running backs figure to find that much room to operate again in Week 4, facing a Wake Forest run defense that held Purdue to 3.2 yards per carry and Miami to 4.6 yards per carry. An inability to generate explosive plays with the ground attack will put major pressure on Lincoln Kienholz.
That's not a recipe for offensive success against a top-tier Wake Forest secondary unit.
Playable to 57%.
- Top picks: 2-1, +0.87 units
- Combos: 3-2, +3.16 units
Wake Forest vs Louisville odds today
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Spread: Wake Forest +13.5 | Louisville -13.5
- Over/Under: Over 56.5 (52%) | Under 56.5 (50%)
- Moneyline: Wake Forest 18% | Louisville 83%
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Wake Forest vs Louisville weather
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Wake Forest vs Louisville trend to know
Wake Forest has covered the spread in nine of its last 13 games (+4.65 Units / 33% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Wake Forest vs. Louisville.
How to watch Wake Forest vs Louisville today
| Location | L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, Ky. |
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 |
| Kickoff | Noon ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Wake Forest vs Louisville latest injuries
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