Louisville will host Wake Forest in Week 4 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
The Cardinals enter as a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 56.5, and my Wake Forest vs. Louisville prediction has the Demon Deacons live as underdogs, despite the market respect for Louisville.
Read on for my college football picks for Saturday, Sept. 26, with kickoff set for noon ET on ESPN.
TOP PICK
Who will win Wake Forest vs Louisville: 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 a lot of 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 that could be worth considering.
Playable to 24%.
Wake Forest vs Louisville combo
- Wake Forest +14.5
- Under 56.5
- Top picks: 2-1, +0.87 units
- Combos: 3-2, +3.16 units
Wake Forest vs Louisville odds
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
| 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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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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