Wake Forest at No. 16 Louisville 2026 Preview: Prediction, Betting Odds & 4 Prop Bets

The No. 16 Louisville Cardinals look to continue building momentum when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons visit L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium for an ACC matchup Saturday afternoon.

Louisville enters 2-1 after an impressive 41-31 victory over then-No. 16 SMU. The Cardinals climbed seven spots to No. 16 in the latest AP Top 25 following the victory. Wake Forest is also 2-1 after suffering its first loss of the season, 33-20 against No. 5 Miami.

Louisville has one of the ACC’s most explosive offenses, but Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez gives the Demon Deacons enough passing firepower to make this an interesting matchup.

Game Information

Matchup: Wake Forest Demon Deacons at No. 16 Louisville Cardinals Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM ETTV: ESPN Location: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, KentuckyTickets: As low as $20 Betting Line: Louisville -12.5 Over/Under: 58.5

Louisville leads the all-time series 7-3 and won the most recent meeting 48-21 in 2022.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest’s record stands at 2-1 after victories over Akron and Purdue followed by the loss to Miami.

Quarterback Gio Lopez has been the centerpiece of the offense. Lopez has completed 66 of 105 passes for 887 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception through three games. Against Miami, he threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns despite facing one of the nation’s top teams.

Receiver Carlos Hernandez leads Wake Forest with 21 catches for 322 yards and two touchdowns, while Jack Foley produced 118 receiving yards against Miami.

The concern is the running game. Wake Forest managed only 22 rushing yards against Miami. Becoming completely one-dimensional against Louisville could make life difficult for Lopez.

No. 16 Louisville Cardinals

Louisville may be one play away from being undefeated.

The Cardinals opened with a narrow 41-38 loss to Ole Miss before routing Villanova 59-13 and beating SMU 41-31. Louisville is averaging 46 points per game through three contests.

Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has completed 48 of 73 passes for 816 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. His ability to protect the football has helped Louisville consistently create scoring opportunities.

Louisville also possesses an explosive rushing attack.

Keyjuan Brown has 231 rushing yards on just 18 carries, an incredible 12.8 yards per attempt, while Isaac Brown gives Jeff Brohm another dangerous weapon.

Against SMU, Keyjuan Brown rushed for 163 yards and scored twice as Louisville piled up 265 rushing yards.

4 Prop Bets

Prop Bet #1: Lincoln Kienholz Over 249.5 Passing Yards

DraftKings

4.6/5

Tip: Kienholz Over 249.5 Passing Yards

• 816 Yards Through 3 Games
• 6 Passing TDs
• Zero Interceptions

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Kienholz is averaging 272 passing yards per game and continues to play efficient football. Wake Forest’s likely need to score should also encourage Louisville to remain aggressive offensively.

Prop Bet #2: Keyjuan Brown Anytime Touchdown

FanDuel

4.6/5

Tip: Keyjuan Brown Anytime Touchdown

• 231 Rushing Yards
• 163 Yards vs. SMU
• 2 TDs Last Game

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Brown was Louisville’s biggest offensive weapon against SMU, including touchdown runs of 58 and 53 yards. His explosiveness makes him dangerous from anywhere on the field.

Prop Bet #3: Gio Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

Caesars

4.5/5

Tip: Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

• 887 Yards Through 3 Games
• 312 Yards vs. Miami
• 7 Passing TDs

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Lopez threw 46 passes against Miami, and another negative game script could create plenty of volume. Wake Forest may have to rely heavily on its passing game.

Prop Bet #4: Carlos Hernandez Over 74.5 Receiving Yards

BetMGM

4.5/5

Tip: Hernandez Over 74.5 Receiving Yards

• 322 Yards Through 3 Games
• 21 Receptions
• Wake’s Leading Receiver

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Hernandez has established himself as Lopez’s most productive target. If Wake Forest throws frequently, he should have enough opportunities to challenge this number.

Players to Watch

Wake Forest

Gio Lopez: Wake Forest needs another big performance from its quarterback to keep pace with Louisville.

Carlos Hernandez: Hernandez provides the Demon Deacons with their most consistent receiving threat.

Langston Hardy: The defensive lineman recorded a sack against Miami and has been one of the ACC’s most productive backfield disruptors.

Louisville

Lincoln Kienholz: Six touchdowns and zero interceptions demonstrate how efficiently he has operated Jeff Brohm’s offense.

Keyjuan Brown: His explosive rushing ability could be the game’s biggest mismatch.

Tre Richardson: Richardson leads Louisville with 243 receiving yards and gives Kienholz another dangerous option.

Keys to the Game — Wake Forest

Protect Gio Lopez: Wake cannot afford to have Lopez constantly working under pressure.

Establish Some Running Game: The Demon Deacons need more balance after rushing for only 22 yards against Miami.

Limit Explosive Plays: Louisville’s running backs can turn one missed tackle into a touchdown.

Keys to the Game — Louisville

Run the Football: Louisville’s rushing attack was outstanding against SMU and should test Wake Forest immediately.

Pressure Lopez: Wake Forest becomes much less dangerous if Lopez doesn’t have time to attack downfield.

Keep Protecting the Football: Kienholz has yet to throw an interception this season. Maintaining that efficiency makes Louisville difficult to beat.

Betting Prediction

Wake Forest showed against Miami that it can compete with ranked opponents. Lopez gives the Demon Deacons a legitimate quarterback, and their passing game should create enough offense to prevent Louisville from completely running away early.

But Louisville has more ways to score.

The Cardinals can attack through Kienholz, Richardson or a running game that just produced 265 yards against SMU. Louisville is also averaging 46 points per game.

Wake Forest should produce several scoring drives, but Louisville’s offensive balance eventually becomes the difference.

The Verdict

Expect points.

Lopez should keep Wake Forest competitive through the passing game, but Louisville’s combination of explosive rushing plays and efficient quarterback play provides too many problems.

The Demon Deacons hang around into the second half before Louisville creates separation.

Final Score Prediction

No. 16 Louisville 41, Wake Forest 27

Best Bet: Over 58.5Against the Spread: Louisville -12.5 Moneyline: Louisville Over/Under: Over 58.5

Top Prop Bets: Lincoln Kienholz Over 249.5 Passing Yards; Keyjuan Brown Anytime Touchdown; Gio Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards; Carlos Hernandez Over 74.5 Receiving Yards.

Prediction: Louisville 41, Wake Forest 27