Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Mississippi State Bulldogs Picks and Predictions for Friday, January 2, 2026
Wake Forest Demon Deacons face the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday. Wake Forest is 8-4 overall after a 49-32 loss to Duke in its regular-season finale. Mississippi State is 5-7 overall and last played a 38-19 loss to Ole Miss. Cash in a winning ticket using our free college football picks.
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Wake Forest vs Mississippi State Game Information
- Date: Friday, January 2
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
- TV: ESPN
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Preview
Wake Forest’s offense is led by quarterback Robby Ashford, who is the team’s leading passer with 2,169 passing yards. Ashford also adds production on the ground, ranking second on the team in rushing yards. Running back Demond Claiborne is the leading rusher with 907 yards and 10 touchdowns, but will not play after declaring for the NFL Draft. Wide receiver Chris Barnes leads the team in receiving with 547 yards and provides a reliable target in the passing game.
Defensively, Wake Forest is anchored by Nick Andersen, the team’s leading tackler with 95 total tackles. Langston Hardy leads the Demon Deacons in sacks with 7.0. The Demon Deacons finished the regular season allowing points in bunches against stronger opponents, which places added importance on making stops early and now allowing sustained drives. 
Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview
Mississippi State’s offense is directed by quarterback Blake Shapen, the team’s leading passer with 2,433 yards and 15 touchdown passes. Shapen spreads the ball to multiple receivers, with Brenen Thompson leading the Bulldogs in receiving at 948 yards. In the run game, Fluff Bothwell is the leading rusher with 639 yards and six touchdowns, giving Mississippi State balance on early downs. Kamario Taylor is also expected to see action at quarterback.
On defense, Jahron Manning leads the Bulldogs with 85 tackles and provides consistency in the secondary. Nic Mitchell leads the team in sacks. The Bulldogs struggled late in the season, dropping four of the final five games, but the defense has shown the ability to hold opponents in check.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Joe Duffy | +1,910.00 |
| 2 |  Steve Seagrave | +1,460.00 |
| 3 |  Sean Higgs | +1,338.00 |
| 4 |  Bryan Power | +905.00 |
| 5 |  Ben Burns | +519.00 |
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Mississippi State Bulldogs Prediction
Wake Forest holds the edge in rushing production, while Mississippi State relies more heavily on its passing game to move the ball. However, Wake Forest will be without its leading rusher, Desmond Claiborne, who declared for the NFL draft, and that will hurt the Demon Deacons on offense. Final Score Prediction: Mississippi State Bulldogs win and cover ATS, 26-17. The best sportsbooks are the best way to go when you are betting on Wake Forest. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for Mississippi State with the Onyx Odds promo code. Getting the most out of your bets on Mississippi State vs Wake Forest can be done by using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.
Best Picks
- Mississippi State Bulldogs -3
- Under 53.5
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