Wake Forest Quarterback Sam Hartman Cleared to Return, Betting Impact for Week 2 Game vs. Vanderbilt

Some unexpected but great news out came out of Winston Salem Tuesday afternoon.

Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman was cleared to return as soon as Saturday against Vanderbilt after it was announced that he underwent surgery to address a blood clot, per ESPN.

Sam Hartman Return Massive for Wake Forest

There are few players with a bigger impact on a team than Hartman. He finished second team All-ACC last season and led Wake Forest to the ACC Championship Game and Gator Bowl. The team won 11 games last season with Hartman passing for 39 touchdowns and over 4,200 yards.

Hartman underwent surgery on August 9th and was ruled out indefinitely as he recovered from what was called a "non-football injury." We didn't know when he would return but this appears to be on the shorter side of expected outcomes.

I was bullish on the Demon Deacons this season, and bet their OVER 8.5 wins at plus-money before Hartman underwent his procedure. All of a sudden, Wake Forest is back on track to contend for the ACC in 2022 after winning their opener against VMI, 44-10.

Wake Forest vs. Vanderbilt Odds Update

After opening as 6.5-point road favorites against Vanderbilt, the line moved to -10.5 this morning, likely around the news that Hartman is on his way back. After it was officially announced by ESPN, the line shifted to -13.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Demon Deacons were one of the best offenses in the country last season and could pick up right where they left off with Hartman back under center. The team averaged 3.23 points per drive and averaged more than eight yards per pass.

While the Commodores are off to a 2-0 start, they may run into trouble against an elite offense.

It's worth noting that the total also soared after the news, going from the opener of 60.5 to 66.

Track all of Reed's bets at Betstamp HERE!