Injuries Overshadow No. 5 Miami's First Real Test of the Season at Wake Forest
In this story:
No. 5 Miami (3-0, 2-0 ACC) entered the game against Wake Forest (2-1, 1-1 ACC) with an injury bug killing its defense.
Snap after snap, bodies continued to drop, and the story was the same against the Demon Deacons. Even with another Heisman performance from Darian Mensah, shattering more records, the Hurricanes nearly lost Ahmad Moten Sr. on the first defensive drive of the game.
Luckily, Moten returned in the next series, forcing the Deacons to a three-and-out. However, on the following offensive drive, the Hurricanes lost their backup running back, CharMar "Marty" Brown, to a "gruesome" leg injury that was too dire to replay on the live broadcast.
Brown would rush for a 32-yard gain before his leg was rolled on, messing up his knee and likely keeping him out for the season.
Moreover, the Canes would have tight end Elija Lofton limp off the field after scoring a touchdown, but he would return halfway through the third quarter. Furthermore, there could be slight issues with Miami's star receiver, Malachi Toney.
Head coach Mario Cristobal would provide an update on those injuries after celebrating another victory with Miami.
"Obviously, we suffered a couple of injuries," Cristobal said. "I mean they're gonna be a way we'll find out exactly where they're at once they get back."
Nevertheless, the Hurricanes would still put on a track meet against the rising ACC team, giving them the first real test of the season in a 33-20 victory.
Miami's opening drive would be 14 plays, 92 yards, ending in a touchdown. Mensah was 9/9 on the first drive, reading the field and working around the board. He continued to play a methodical game, beating Wake Forest in a different offensive outing from the opening two games.
Mensah would go on to finish the first half with the same mindset. He finished 20-for-20 at half, adding another touchdown and breaking more records, adding to his already long Canes accolades.
Another one: Darian Mensah has tied the ACC record with 18 consecutive completions in a game. He's 18 for 18.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 19, 2026
Mensah would finish his night 30-34, missing one pass that was two shy of breaking the FBS record for the most consecutive passes set in 2011 by ECU quarterback Dominique Davis, but adding three touchdowns to his lead, limiting the dangerous passes, and making all the right reads.
Furthermore, with all the injuries, the Canes' defense gave up its first three touchdowns of the season. Most opening drives against Miami's defense are a study session for Corey Hetherman. The rest of the game is his chessboard.
However, some pieces are still hurting the Canes following last season: missed tackles, attacking the middle, and short outside gains. It would allow Wake Forest to get back into the game, while the Hurricanes would have to adjust.
Moreover, one variable was missing in the second half: Toney. Toney would only be in on third downs, pointing to an injury he might have picked up after one of his 11 catches in the game.
Without a productive Toney, Miami's offense would go stale and force Mensah to struggle when trouble called. He would also be hobbled on the sideline drive after drive in the second half. The fourth quarter would give the Deacons a chance, down 11 with 13 minutes left on the clock.
This would be the time that Miami's defense would put its foot down. It would be Damon Wilson finally making an impact for the Hurricanes, picking up a safety on a holding call in the end zone to extend Miami's lead.
It would be the start of four possessions in which the Hurricanes would leave the Deacans scoreless, helping their hurt and struggling offense. They would also pick up the first takeaway of the season, coming from Ethan O'Connor. He would shut down the Deacans, ending the night on the right side of the sticks.
Miami's first takeaway of the season comes from Ethan O'Connor. Defense forces another stop; the one difference between 2024 and this year is all the comparisons.
— Justice Sandle (@Justice_News5) September 19, 2026
"You know, I like the fact that even though it got sloppy at the end, we did play a complimentary football in the first half," Cristobal said after the game on SportsCenter. "The offense was on fire after the first drive; the defense really turned it on, and then we found ourselves a little bit banged up, but we got a damn it overcome that, and we didn't, right?
"Well, a lot of three-and-outs on offense that the defense looked disri; they started taking the ball away, and for the safety, picked that one off there at the end so long. You know, when you go on the road, you're playing at the conference, You've got to find a way to win. We have some things to clean up, so we're looking forward to doing that."
Mensah would get hurt after taking more hits, limping off the field. The Hurricanes would also be without Mark Fletcher Jr., who would miss the final five minutes of the game after being taken to the locker room with an upper-body injury.
Miami limps to the finish line after a physical outing against the Demon Deacons.
Miami returns home to play Central Michigan, with the goal of giving some of its players time off. It will also be a return to Saturday games and will remain that way for the rest of the regular season.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
Follow Justice_News5