Can Wake Forest Measure Up Against Miami?
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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are off to a nice 2-0 start, but the competition really ramps up from here. The number five-ranked Miami Hurricanes are coming to town in an effort to keep their undefeated season going and get to 3-0.
It will be a blackout at Allegacy Financial Stadium. They are also nearing a sellout for this one, so it is sure to be a good environment. Now the question remains: can the Deacs compete against this high-powered Miami team coming off a National Championship appearance? Let's dive in.
The message is simple. pic.twitter.com/ZNsGDM4nF5
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) September 17, 2026
Miami's Dominance by the Numbers
Coming off a National Championship appearance a year ago, the Canes do not look to be slowing down in the slightest. They brought in high-powered quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke to be the new leader of this offense. He is a Heisman hopeful and, according to PPF, leads the nation in offensive grade. Through two games, he has thrown for 653 yards and eight touchdowns.
Star wide receiver Malachi Toney also returns after a stellar freshman season. So far, he has put up quarterback-level receiving numbers: 16 catches, 330 total yards, and four touchdowns. He is averaging 20.6 yards per catch. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr also returns and freshman Javian Mallory also looks to be a factor in the Miami backfield. Safe to say this offense has weapons all over the board.
The impressive thing is that the defense for Miami is just as dominant as the offense. They have not given up a touchdown so far this season, granted, that is against Stanford and Florida A&M. They already have the fifth-highest-rated pass rush according to PFF, replacing two NFL first-round picks with guys like Justin Scott, Ahmad Moten Sr., Marquise Lightfoot, and highly touted Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II.
Keys for the Deacs
For Wake to pull off a big-time upset, it's going to take some things to go their way. Let's take a look at some keys for Wake Forest in this one.
Finish Plays
Against Purdue, Wake had 22 missed tackles, leading to the Boilermakers extending drives. That certainly needs to be cleaned up tonight. Against a big-time offense like Miami's, you cannot give them easy opportunities to extend drives. The Deacs must be sharp defensively and finish plays to try to get the Canes on their toes early on.
Receivers Make Plays
Against this high-powered defensive front, it will likely be difficult for the Deacs to establish themselves on the ground. If there is one weakness to this Miami team right now, though, it is that they are down two of their top defensive backs tonight. This should give Wake an opening to attack through the air. We know Gio can make throws, but can he trust his receivers to make big plays? Carlos Hernandez has shown that already, but look for guys like Shanks, Meeks, Foley, and Kania to give Gio options.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.