Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M, Belk Bowl: Prediction, pick, line, odds, live stream
Everything you need to know to watch and pick the Belk Bowl on Friday
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2 min read
The Belk Bowl is modern, southern, football. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based game is the first of three SEC-ACC matchups on the 2017-18 bowl slate, with both Wake Forest and Texas A&M entering the game with a 7-5 record in 2017.
The Aggies, of course, are in a period of transition with Kevin Sumlin relieved of his duties and Jimbo Fisher waiting until after the bowl game to take over as full-time head coach. Jeff Banks, the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach, will be the interim coach for the Belk Bowl.
Viewing information
Date: Friday, Dec. 29 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium -- Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Watch ESPN, Watch ESPN apps
Storylines
Wake Forest: Last year was a breakthrough season, reaching the Military Bowl and getting the first postseason win of the Dave Clawson era, and the Demon Deacons took the next step in 2017 with an improved ACC record and a chance to finish the season with eight wins for the first time since 2008.
With quarterback John Wolford healthy and in total control of the offense, the Deacons have jumped from being among the bottom in the country in pass efficiency in 2016 to setting new school records for scoring, touchdowns and total offense. Wake Forest is also the only school in the nation with three different receivers to record a three-touchdown game, and five starters on offense ended up receiving first or second-team All-ACC honors.
Texas A&M: This is somewhat of an audition spot for quarterback Nick Starkel. The redshirt freshman is averaging 305 passing yards per game in three starts since missing six games because of a broken ankle suffered in the season opening loss to UCLA. He's done a good job of connecting on long pass plays down the field to stretch the defense in a way that the Aggies were not able to do with Kellen Mond under center. Fisher will be watching this game intently with an eye on Starkel, knowing that the first-year starter is more than likely going to be the QB1 heading into spring practice.
Prediction
Wake Forest's offense has been too explosive to pick against in a game where the opposition has a skeleton coaching staff. Getting selected for a bowl game in the top tier of the ACC's selection process has been a primary goal for this coaching staff since they arrived in Winston-Salem, and I think we'll see them come out well-prepared and executing at a high level. It makes me nervous to consider the potential for Texas A&M to cover this spread or win a close game with elite team speed and athleticism, but that's nothing new for a Wake Forest program that faces Clemson, Louisville and Florida State every season. Pick: Wake Forest -3.5
So what side do you need to be all over in the Belk Bowl? Visit SportsLine now to get a strong pick for Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M from an advanced computer model that went a red-hot 8-1 on Championship Weekend.
