Wake Forest @ Syracuse preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2018 ) Syracuse 41, Wake Forest 24

Wake Forest and Syracuse essentially have had the reverse seasons of what was predicted by the media back in July. The surprising Demon Deacons visit the Orange, who are closing out a disappointing campaign, in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday.

In the ACC preseason media poll, Syracuse was picked to finish second in the league's Atlantic Division, while Wake Forest was predicted to finish sixth out of seven teams in that division. Fast-forward four months and it's the Demon Deacons who have eight wins, including four ACC victories, and sit a half-game back of second-place Louisville. Syracuse, meanwhile, is 1-6 in the league and 4-7 overall and is currently tied with North Carolina State for last place. Neither team has enjoyed much success of late, aside from each team defeating Duke earlier this month.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, RSN. LINE: Wake Forest -4

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (8-3, 4-3 ACC): Wake Forest dropped consecutive road games to Virginia Tech and Clemson, scoring 20 total points in the process, before rebounding to top Duke 39-27 last weekend. Three players ran for a score for the Demon Deacons, including quarterback Jamie Newman, who passed for 284 yards and a touchdown and ran for 144 yards and a score. Kenneth Walker III ran for 113 yards versus the Blue Devils - his highest mark since the season opener - and found the end zone for the first time since mid-October.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (4-7, 1-6): The Orange won 10 games last season after going 4-8 in each of the previous three years, and it appears that 4-8 might be their destiny again unless they can upset the Demon Deacons. They rolled over Duke 49-6 two games ago before absorbing a 56-34 defeat at Louisville last weekend in a game where they allowed six touchdowns (five passing) to Micale Cunningham. Tommy DeVito finished with a pair of touchdown passes for Syracuse, but the sophomore threw for under 200 yards for the sixth time this season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wake Forest K Nick Sciba has made an NCAA-record 32 straight field goals.

2. Orange WR Trishton Jackson needs 88 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

3. Wake Forest led 10-0 last year against Syracuse before the Orange rallied to win 41-24.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 49, Wake Forest 27