This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Louisville 
vs. Wake Forest 
Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 9
The Cardinals are at home for the second of three straight games here in Week 9. They've quietly won two straight and three of four, but the competition picks up in a bit way Saturday with No. 10 Wake Forest in town. Louisville is 4-3 straight up overall, with an identical record against the spread, while the over has hit in just three of their seven games. Wake Forest meanwhile is rolling, sitting at 6-1 SU and ATS with five of those wins by 10 points or more. Their games have gone under four times out of seven, including three straight.
Louisville vs. Wake Forest Odds for Week 9
Spread: Wake Forest -3.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Total: 64.0 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Wake Forest -162 (FanDuel Sportsbook); Louisville +155 (BetMGM)
The spread here has done a dance all week, opening at (-4) before peaking at (-5.5) and now dropping some two points. As such, the money line odds are doing a similar boogie, with Wake falling all the way from (-215) to its current number. Odds on the money line are also varying greatly across books, so if that's your angle, be sure to shop. With the spread movement, I don't hate eying some alternative lines with lesser odds to feel a tad safer. Finally, the total here took an odd two-point jump over the last 24 hours.
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Louisville vs. Wake Forest Betting Picks This Week
I don't really buy into Louisville's body of work, but they have allowed just 27 points over the past two games, rank 51st against the pass and have a decent 10:10 TD:INT ratio defensively. They also rank sixth in sacks with 25, while Wake Forest is 76th in sacks allowed. That has me leaning slightly towards the under, but the over has hit in each of the last six meetings between these two, so I'll press pause there. Would have loved to get in earlier given the line movement, but as long as we stay north of a field goal, I'll lean with Louisville either matching points in a shootout, or their defense doing enough to limit Sam Hartman and Wake's passing attack.
Louisville vs. Wake Forest Best Bet: Louisville +3.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook
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Louisville vs. Wake Forest Prediction
This really feels like a toss up game, and it's strength versus strength in most matchups. Louisville wants to run, Wake excels at stopping it. Wake wants to pass, Louisville pressures the QB and will limit downfield shots, that's why I had a lean on the under despite series history. Ultimately, I think we get elite quarterback play from both Hartman and Malik Cunningham, and a back and fourth game ensues. Wake Forest is in the thick of their schedule, with another road trip up next week to North Carolina State, and then hosting UNC in a potential shootout. Two in-state rivalries may present a lookahead, and I don't see them getting through all three of these games unscathed. Both teams need this, both are capable of taking it, making for good television, a likely final possession game. Flip a coin on the winner.
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