Wake Forest at Purdue 2026 Preview: Prediction, Betting Odds & 4 Prop Bets

Saturday, September 12, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM ET Location: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana TV: FS1 Tickets: As low as $8 Line: Wake Forest -4 Over/Under: 49.5

Wake Forest and Purdue meet Saturday in one of Week 2’s more intriguing ACC-Big Ten matchups.

Both teams are 1-0. Wake Forest opened with a 38-16 victory over Akron, generating 559 total yards, while Purdue rolled past Indiana State 44-19 behind 523 yards of offense.

The current market has moved slightly from the supplied Wake Forest -4, with CBS Sports listing the Demon Deacons around -4.5, a Wake moneyline near -194 and Purdue around +164. The total remains approximately 49.5.

Top Four Prop Bets

Exact college player props vary by sportsbook. The numbers below are projected betting targets unless your book lists them.

Prop Bet #1: Gio Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

DraftKings

4.5/5

Tip: Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

• 350 Yards in Opener
• Three TD Passes
• Explosive Wake Offense

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Gio Lopez was outstanding against Akron, throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns as Wake Forest topped 300 passing yards for the fourth consecutive game dating to last season.

Purdue will provide a tougher test, but Lopez has legitimate big-play receivers and should need to remain aggressive much longer than he did against Akron.

Projected Bet: Gio Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

Prop Bet #2: Carlos Hernandez Over 69.5 Receiving Yards

FanDuel

4.6/5

Tip: Hernandez Over 69.5 Receiving Yards

• 165 Yards vs Akron
• 78-Yard TD
• Big-Play Threat

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Carlos Hernandez produced five catches for 165 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown, in Wake’s opener. He also generated 148 yards after the catch.

Purdue cannot afford to let him create easy yards after short completions.

The biggest concern is defensive attention after his Week 1 explosion, but his big-play ability makes 69.5 attractive.

Projected Bet: Carlos Hernandez Over 69.5 Receiving Yards

Prop Bet #3: Ryan Browne Over 249.5 Passing Yards

Caesars

4.4/5

Tip: Browne Over 249.5 Passing Yards

• 317 Yards in Opener
• Three TD Passes
• Home Underdog Volume

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Ryan Browne answered plenty of questions in Purdue’s opener.

He completed 23 of 29 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns and connected with 11 different targets.

Wake Forest’s defense limited Akron to only 156 passing yards, but Purdue’s offense presents a much greater challenge.

As a home underdog, Browne may need 30-plus attempts.

Projected Bet: Ryan Browne Over 249.5 Passing Yards

Prop Bet #4: Over 49.5 Points

BetMGM

4.5/5

Tip: Over 49.5 Points

• 1,082 Combined Week 1 Yards
• Two 300-Yard Passers
• Explosive Receivers

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These teams combined for 1,082 offensive yards in their openers.

Wake Forest produced 559.

Purdue produced 523.

Both quarterbacks surpassed 300 passing yards, and both offenses produced explosive plays.

A 28-24 game is already enough to clear the total.

Bet: Over 49.5 Points

Players to Watch

Gio Lopez, QB, Wake Forest: Threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns against Akron.

Carlos Hernandez, WR, Wake Forest: Exploded for 165 receiving yards and a 78-yard touchdown.

Ty Clark III, RB, Wake Forest: Rushed for 105 yards on only seven carries, including a 57-yard run.

Ryan Browne, QB, Purdue: Passed for 317 yards and three touchdowns in the opener.

Asaad Waseem, WR, Purdue: Caught six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against Indiana State.

Fame Ijeboi, RB, Purdue: Rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Keys to the Game

Wake Forest

Wake needs to pressure Browne without allowing Purdue’s receivers to create explosive plays.

Offensively, Lopez should attack a Purdue secondary facing a significant step up in competition after Indiana State.

The Demon Deacons also need Clark and the running game to keep Purdue from focusing entirely on the pass.

Purdue

Purdue must protect Browne and keep Lopez off the field with sustained possessions.

The Boilermakers held Indiana State to only 66 rushing yards, which is encouraging, but Wake’s backfield is much more explosive.

Home field could become significant if Purdue keeps the game within one possession into the fourth quarter.

Betting Prediction

Wake Forest deserves to be favored.

The Demon Deacons won nine games last season and looked explosive immediately in their 2026 opener.

But Purdue’s opening performance should not be ignored.

Browne looked excellent, the Boilermakers generated 523 yards, and Barry Odom’s team gets this matchup at Ross-Ade Stadium.

At Purdue +4, taking the home underdog is attractive.

The stronger play is the total.

Both quarterbacks enter with tremendous confidence, and neither offense needs many possessions to reach the upper 20s.

The Verdict

Expect an entertaining game that remains close deep into the fourth quarter.

Wake Forest has the more established roster and the more explosive Week 1 passing attack, but Purdue showed enough offensively to make laying four points uncomfortable.

Final Score Prediction: Wake Forest 31, Purdue 28

Best Bet: Over 49.5

Against the Spread: Purdue +4

Moneyline: Wake Forest

Top Player Prop: Gio Lopez Over 249.5 Passing Yards

Additional Props: Carlos Hernandez Over 69.5 Receiving Yards | Ryan Browne Over 249.5 Passing Yards