Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs California Golden Bears
Wake Forest Demon Deacons5-1
California Golden Bears3-3Wake Forest rolls into Berkeley on a three-game win streak, carrying one of the ACC's more productive offenses against a Cal squad that just snapped a two-game skid. No vig, no house edge: BettorEdge is where you set your own number.
See the full college football board & lines →At a glance
- Wake Forest is the -9.5 favorite on the road; the fair price in the markets is -320
- Wake Forest is 5-1 overall; Cal is 3-3, winners of their last game
Lines at a glance
Where this game is priced right now. Every number is peer to peer, so there is no house margin in it.
Spread
Wake Forest vs California preview
The Market Signal
The fair price in the markets is -320 for Wake Forest and +317 for Cal. BettorEdge has the spread at Wake Forest -9.5, and because this is a peer-to-peer marketplace with no built-in vig, you can post your own number and let the community trade against it.
The Matchup
Wake Forest arrives 5-1 with a current three-game winning streak, averaging 36.8 points per game while holding opponents to 21.5. Cal is 3-3, averaging 26.7 points per game and allowing 25.5. The Demon Deacons' most recent loss came at home against Miami in week three; since then they have outscored opponents 125-44 across three games. Cal's last three results include losses to Clemson at home and at UNLV before beating Virginia Tech most recently.
History and How It Sets Up
The one meeting on record from the last eight seasons went Cal's way: the Golden Bears beat Wake Forest 46-36 in November 2024. That game was played at Wake Forest's home venue, and Cal covered with room to spare. Now the roles flip, with Wake Forest traveling to California Memorial Stadium as a sizeable favorite. Cal's home results this season are mixed, and Wake Forest has shown it can win on the road, picking up a win at Purdue and at NC State already in 2026.
How to play it
Wake Forest's offensive output and defensive efficiency make the -9.5 line understandable, but Cal just showed some resilience against Virginia Tech and has the lone recent-meetings data point in its favor. Post your number, find a counterpart, and keep the vig out of the equation.
2026 season so far
Every result both teams have posted this season, with scoring averages.
- vs AkronW 38-16
- at PurdueW 38-36
- vs MiamiL 20-33
- at LouisvilleW 30-27
- vs StanfordW 57-3
- at NC StateW 38-14
Went 9-4 in 2025. Current streak: W3.
- vs UCLAL 24-45
- at SyracuseW 21-18
- vs WagnerW 49-7
- vs ClemsonL 10-24
- at UNLVL 31-39
- vs Virginia TechW 25-20
Went 7-6 in 2025. Current streak: W1.
Matchup history
Wake Forest Demon Deacons and California Golden Bears last played on Friday, Nov 8, 2024, when the California Golden Bears won 46–36.
CALCalifornia Golden Bears@WAKEWake Forest Demon Deacons46–36CALMeetings from the last 8 seasons, from ESPN.
Preseason scouting report
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Starting QB from last season is gone. North Carolina transfer Gio Lopez is expected to start (1,747 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs)
- Starting RB from last season is gone, so backup RB Ty Clark III is expected to start (323 yards, 3 TDs)
- Top player in terms of receiving yards from last season returns in Carlos Hernandez (611 yards, 3 TDs).
- Returning one starting offensive lineman with three transfers expected to start
California Golden Bears
- New head coach in Tosh Lupoi (Oregon Defensive Coordinator)
- New offensive coordinator in Jordan Somerville (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant QB Coach) and new defensive coordinator in Michael Hutchings (Minnesota Vikings Safeties Coach)
- Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele returns at QB after a freshman season of 3,454 yards, 18 TDs, and 9 INTs.
- Starting RB from last season is gone. Washington RB Adam Mohammed is expected to start (523 yards, 5 TDs)
The rest of the slate
Every other Power 5 game with a live market right now.
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Frequently asked questions
What time does Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs California Golden Bears start?+
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at California Golden Bears kicks off Saturday, Oct 17, 10:30 PM ET at California Memorial Stadium. Start times are listed in Eastern; check your own zone if you are watching from elsewhere.
Who is favored in Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs California Golden Bears?+
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are favored at -320 on the moneyline in prediction markets and -9.5 on the spread. Prices move as money comes in, and on BettorEdge you can set your own number on either side.
What is the spread for Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs California Golden Bears?+
The spread is Wake Forest Demon Deacons -9.5, priced by the BettorEdge community rather than a house. Because the market is peer-to-peer you can also set your own number and wait for someone to take it.
What are Wake Forest and California's records in 2026?+
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 5-1 and the California Golden Bears are 3-3 this season. Wake Forest is scoring 36.8 points a game and allowing 21.5; California is scoring 26.7 and allowing 25.5.
When did Wake Forest and California last play?+
They last met on Friday, Nov 8, 2024, when California Golden Bears won 46-36 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
What is the "community lean" on this game?+
It is the share of real money posted on each team on the BettorEdge peer-to-peer order book. Because every price is backed by another bettor, the open interest is a genuine read on what the community believes.
When do the lines lock?+
Markets lock at kickoff, Saturday, Oct 17, 10:30 PM ET. Prices move as money comes in beforehand, so the community lean and the best number can shift right up until the game starts.
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