Damon Wilson Delivers Breakthrough Performance in Miami’s Road Win
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Damon Wilson II spent the first two weeks of the season as the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest “when is he going to show up?” question. On Friday night in Winston-Salem, the Missouri transfer answered it.
The senior edge rusher recorded his first sack of 2026, added a tackle for loss, and helped create the safety that put Miami ahead 33-20 in a win over Wake Forest.
After a quiet start to the year, Wilson looked like the player the Hurricanes wanted from the transfer portal when they brought him in to replace Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.
Wilson arrived from Missouri after a second-team All-SEC season that included nine sacks. Miami expected him to be a major piece of the edge rotation alongside Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount.
Despite wins over Stanford and Florida A&M, the production was not there. Along with not recording a sack, he didn’t get a single pressure to begin the season.
He needed Friday night to be his breakthrough game, and Wilson delivered.
Damon Wilson with the Sack! pic.twitter.com/YT5xJUFxSk
— Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) September 19, 2026
Damon Wilson showed up when Miami needed him most
Wilson had not shown up on the stat sheet in the first two games to begin the season. That changed after the Wake Forest game, as he recorded:
The sack came in the third quarter when he dropped Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez for a five-yard loss. Later, with the Demon Deacons trying to complete a second-half comeback, Wilson pressured Lopez in the end zone. This resulted in a holding penalty that produced a safety that extended Miami’s lead to 13 points.
At that moment, the Demon Deacons had all the momentum and were finding a rhythm on offense. Wilson flipped the script and produced the biggest play of the young season for the defense.
Damon Wilson forces the hold
— Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) September 19, 2026
SAFETY!!! pic.twitter.com/MPODMgBGEb
Despite playing great, he wasn’t perfect. Wilson drew a couple of penalties, including a roughing the passer call that helped Wake Forest move down the field.
The splash plays mattered most and covered up the couple of mistakes he had in the tough road win in Winston-Salem.
Miami’s defense generated 44 total pressures on Friday night. Wilson accounted for 20% of the team's pressures.
Wilson was a clear impact player for Miami.
This was important for the senior to have this type of game and impact on Miami. After two quiet weeks, Friday was the first time he looked like the high-upside transfer the Hurricanes targeted.
Corey Hetherman’s defense needed exactly that kind of contribution once Wake Forest cut a 24-point deficit and Miami’s offense went cold.
If Wilson builds on this tape, the edge rotation suddenly looks a lot more dangerous. For one night, the question marks disappeared, and he appears to be turning the corner when the team needs it most.
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Jordan Lopez is a Miami-based sports writer and FIU sports journalism graduate who specializes in college football and the Miami Hurricanes. A lifelong Miami resident, Jordan has a deep understanding of the local sports landscape and brings a unique perspective to his coverage after having the opportunity to play college basketball. He's also written for Predominantly Orange (Denver Broncos), StateoftheU (Hurricanes football), and other sports, while also drawing on his background as a former athlete and now high school basketball coach to provide an informed perspective on games. Jordan's also a huge Dexter fan!
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