A proper finale calls for spectacle, making the Duke’s Mayo Bowl a fitting close to the non-playoff bowl slate.
One last mayo bath awaits the winner of Wake Forest and Mississippi State, as the Demon Deacons look to put a bow on a successful season while the Bulldogs aim to prove they’re better than their record.
My Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State predictions and college football picks are riding with the Bulldogs on Friday, January 2.
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State predictions for the Duke's Mayo Bowl
Who will win the Duke's Mayo Bowl?
Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs have been undervalued all year, while Wake Forest will be missing its best player on both sides of the ball.
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State best bet: Mississippi State Bulldogs -3.5 (-102)
It was a solid season for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. An 8-4 record with impressive wins over SMU and Virginia.
This Demon Deacons squad was powered by its defense, which ranked 21st in EPA and 11th in success rate in the regular season. Unfortunately, as good as the defense was, that’s how bad the offense was. The Deacs ranked 91st in the country in EPA and 117th in success rate.
To make matters worse, Wake Forest will be without its best player on both sides of the ball. Stud defensive tackle Mateen Ibirogba has entered the transfer portal, and running back Demond Claiborne declared for the NFL Draft.
Wake Forest will now have to deal with an underrated Mississippi State Bulldogs squad.
The Bulldogs enter this bowl game with a 5-7 record. But they were a few plays away from a much better record. Those included overtime losses to Tennessee and Texas and a last-second loss to Florida.
Mississippi State had a surprisingly efficient offense, ranking 54th in success rate and 24th in points per quality drive.
Freshman Kamario Taylor should be getting the start here, and he's coming off a breakout performance against Mississippi in his last start, where he threw for 178 yards and rushed for 173 more and two scores.
As I said, the Bulldogs are an underrated team and will cover this 3.5-point spread.
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Wake Forest vs Mississippi State same-game parlay
This two-leg SGP will include the Under 52.5.
Mississippi State’s offense is underrated, sure. But it isn’t elite by any means. And on top of that, it’s a run-heavy scheme against what is still a Wake Forest defense.
More importantly, I don’t see how Wake Forest moves the ball consistently. Claiborne was their best player and scored 10 touchdowns this season. And they still scored just 25.5 points per game against FBS opponents.
I don’t see how the Deacs contribute enough offensively to send this game Over the total.
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State SGP
- Mississippi State -3.5
- Under 52.5
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State game predictions
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State spread prediction
Mississippi State has been undervalued all season. Just look at their 8-4 record against the spread. And with Wake Forest missing its best players on both sides of the ball, I like the Bulldogs to cover again this season.
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State Over/Under prediction
Wake Forest already has one of the worst offenses in the country, and now it will be without its most productive player, running back Demond Claiborne. It’s hard to see the Deacons able to score enough to send this game Over the total.
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State odds
- Spread: Wake Forest +3.5 | Mississippi State -3.5
- Moneyline: Wake Forest +130 | Mississippi State -154
- Over/Under: Over 52.5 | Under 52.5
Wake Forest vs Mississippi State trend to know
Mississippi State has covered the spread in eight of its last 12 games (+3.60 Units / 27% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Wake Forest vs Mississippi State.
How to watch Wake Forest vs Mississippi State
| Location | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date | Friday, January 2, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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