Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State Predictions & Odds | 2026 Duke's Mayo Bowl Best Bet & TD Pick
There's plenty on the line in what's become one of the most entertaining games of bowl season each year, and my Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State predictions have the underdog winning outright with a "mayo bath" on the line in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
Mississippi State is a 3-point betting favorite for tonight's 8 p.m. ET (ESPN) Duke's Mayo Bowl from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in the final matchup of our college bowl game predictions.
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🏈 Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State predictions: 2026 Duke's Mayo Bowl
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| Predictions | Odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest ML | +136 via DraftKings | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ty Clark III 2+ TDs | +375 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State best bet
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Wake Forest ML (+136) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
These two programs have contrasting styles, with Wake Forest leaning on its defense and Mississippi State being an offense-first team. But with the Demon Deacons' defense ranked No. 33 by SP+ and allowing just 21.5 PPG, Bulldogs freshman QB Kamario Taylor could struggle.
While Wake won't have running back Demond Claiborne due to an opt-out, veteran QB Robby Ashford's mobility should be an X-factor, and our Phil Wood agrees in his Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State anytime touchdown scorer predictions. This Mississippi State team has allowed 31-plus points in seven of 12 games.
Wake is 6-2 since Week 6, and Jake Dickert has a date with a mayo bath.
Score prediction: Wake Forest 24, Mississippi State 20
🙌 Best Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State touchdown pick: Duke's Mayo Bowl
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Ty Clark III, RB, Wake Forest: 2+ TDs (+375) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
With Claiborne opting out to prepare for the NFL draft, sophomore running back Ty Clark III will likely shoulder the load for the Demon Deacons.
Claiborne leads Wake in snaps among running backs this season (487), but Clark has seen significant time, too, playing 301 snaps in 12 games. The third-most snaps among running backs is Jamario Clements with 64 in six games.
And while Clark has just 232 rushing yards and three touchdowns this season, he's scored in two straight games and had his most productive rushing performances in Wake's penultimate regular-season game.
Given Wake's run-oriented offense, I expect Clark to see upwards of 15 carries, and he should do damage against a Mississippi State defense ranked outside the top 60 in EPA per rush.
📝 Top NFL draft prospects for Duke's Mayo Bowl
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| Player | Position | Key stats | NFL draft grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isaac Smith, Mississippi State | SAF | 64 tackles, 1 INT | Round 4-6 |
| Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State | WR | 962 scrimmage yards, 7 TDs | Round 6-UDFA |
| Karon Prunty, Wake Forest | CB | 34 tackles, 8 PBUs | Round 6-UDFA |
| Nick Andersen, Wake Forest | SAF | 94 tackles, 5.5 TFLs | Round 6-UDFA |
| Fa'alili Fa'amoe, Wake Forest | OT | 2 sacks, 18 pressures allowed | Round 6-UDFA |
📊 Live Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State odds: Duke's Mayo Bowl
Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State opening odds
- Moneyline: Wake Forest +155 | Mississippi State -185
- Spread: Wake Forest +4 (-110) | Mississippi State -4 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 56.5 (-110) | Under 56.5 (-110)
📈 Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State betting trends
| Wake Forest | Statistic | Mississippi State |
|---|---|---|
| 8-4 | W-L record | 5-7 |
| 8-4 | ATS record | 8-4 |
| 7-5 | O/U record | 6-6 |
| 5.9 | Yards per play | 5.5 |
| 4.5 | Yards allowed per play | 5.9 |
| -0.4 | Turnover margin | +0.1 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 games | 1-4 |
| L, 49-32 vs. Duke | Previous result | L, 38-19 vs. Ole Miss |
📺 How to watch Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State: Duke's Mayo Bowl
- Date: Friday, Jan. 2
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
- TV: ESPN
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