Duke @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 29, 2014 ) Wake Forest 21, Duke 41

Teams desperate for a win and a good defensive effort meet Saturday when Duke visits Wake Forest in the ACC finale for both teams. The bowl-eligible Blue Devils have dropped four straight while the Demon Deacons have lost five in a row.

Duke has surrendered over 42 points per game during their skid after yielding 80 points total during regulation in the first seven games. The club was encouraged last week after it cut a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to eight and barely missed a potential game-tying touchdown in the final seconds of the 42-34 loss at Virginia. “I enjoy watching our team fight to the end,” junior safety DeVon Edwards said. “That did bring a lot of energy. It brought us together. It brought us back to doing what we do – forcing three-and-outs; scoring points when we need to score points.” Wake Forest has yielded just over 33 points per game during its skid since a 3-0 win over Boston College on Oct. 10.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ESPN3. LINE: Duke -4

ABOUT DUKE (6-5, 3-4 ACC): Both banged-up starting quarterback Thomas Sirk (59.3 completion percentage, 13 TDs, six interceptions) and backup Parker Boehme (55.3, two, one), who engineered the fourth-quarter comeback against the Cavaliers, are expected to play. Their main target could be wideout T.J. Rahming, who set two freshmen single-game school records with 12 catches for 190 yards last Saturday. Star safety Jeremy Cash, who is the active career tackle leader in the ACC (326) and a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top defensive player), will sit the first half because of a penalty for targeting last week.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (3-8, 1-6): The Demon Deacons were torched for 552 yards - 381 through the air - and gained just 152 in a 33-13 loss to No. 1 Clemson last week. Wake Forest ranks last in scoring offense (17.1 points) and rushing (104.6 yards, 2.9 per carry). Quarterback John Wolford is near the bottom in the ACC in passer efficiency rating (124.3) with just seven TD passes against nine interceptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. In a series that dates to 1889, Duke leads 56-37-2, including wins in the last three contests.

2. Edwards returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Virginia, the sixth during his career and one short of the ACC record set by C.J. Spiller of Clemson from 2006-09.

3. Since the start of 2013, Duke is 12-3 on the road, best in the ACC.

PREDICTION: Duke 31, Wake Forest 21