The SMU Mustangs (5-2, 3-0 ACC) will travel to Winston-Salem to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, 1-2 ACC) on Saturday afternoon. This Atlantic Coast Conference matchup features two teams with winning records, but SMU enters the game with a perfect conference record and will try to stay unbeaten in ACC play. Before this matchup kicks off, continue reading to get my SMU vs Wake Forest prediction.
Our SMU vs Wake Forest Pick
- Pick: SMU -3
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: SMU Mustangs vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 12:00 PM EDT
- Venue: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC
- Broadcast: The CW
Key Storylines
Quarterback Play
SMU’s Kevin Jennings has been a standout this season for the Mustangs. He has thrown for 1,948 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His performance has been instrumental in the Mustangs’ offensive success. Wake Forest’s Robby Ashford has struggled, with only 1,172 passing yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. Ashford missed Wake Forest’s last game against Oregon State but should be good to go for this matchup.
ACC Implications
This is a huge game in the race to get to the ACC Championship Game. SMU is one of three teams without a loss in the ACC this season. If they can get a win here, they will continue to control their own destiny in the race to get to the conference title game. But a loss for SMU would make their path to Charlotte much more difficult.
Betting Trends & H2H
- SMU’s Recent Performance: The Mustangs have won 19 consecutive regular-season conference games, including a 35-24 victory over Clemson last week. The Mustangs are just 2-5 against the spread going into this contest. Five of their first seven games have gone under their totals.
- Wake Forest’s Recent Performance: The Demon Deacons have been inconsistent in conference play, with a 1-2 record in the ACC this season. The Demon Deacons are 4-2 against the spread going into this weekend’s action. They are 4-2 to the over through their first six games.
- Head-to-Head: This is the first meeting between SMU and Wake Forest in recent seasons. SMU is 3-0 all-time against Wake Forest, but this is their first time playing since 1975.
SMU vs Wake Forest Model Projection
Score Projection: SMU 31 – Wake Forest 24
Win Probability: SMU 60%, Wake Forest 40%
Final Thoughts
SMU should be able to win by more than a field goal against Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon. There is no such thing as an easy road game in conference play. But the Mustangs are more consistent moving the ball through the air and that should get them out of any trouble that they find themselves in. I’ll lay the points with SMU as they should stay unbeaten in ACC play for at least another week.
