How To Watch Wake Forest Face Miami in Friday Night Showdown

Everything you need to know before the Demon Deacons take on the No. 5-ranked Hurricanes

Sep 12, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Jake Dickert reacts to a play during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a heart-stopping overtime win last week against Purdue, Head Coach Jake Dickert and Wake Forest Football now face their biggest test of the young season, hosting the No. 5-ranked Miami Hurricanes.

Quarterback Gio Lopez finished off a stellar performance last week with a waltz into the end zone for a game-clinching two-point conversion, sending the Demon Deacons back to Winston-Salem with a win in hand. Lopez will face his first ranked opponent since throwing for 208 yards, two interceptions, and a touchdown while with the North Carolina Tar Heels last season against the 16th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers.

Wake Forest vs. Miami - Game Details

• Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
• Kickoff Time: 7:30 P.M. ET
• Location: Allegacy Financial Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C. (capacity 31,500)
• Television: ESPN, with Mike Monaco (Play-by-Play), Jordan Rodgers (Analyst), Dana Boyle (Reporter)
• Radio: Wake Forest Radio Network with Stan Cotten (Play-by-Play), Lary Sorensen (Analyst), and Dave Goren (Sideline Reporter)
• Local: WBRF-FM 98.1 | WPOL 1340 AM / WPOL 103.5 FM
• SiriusXM: 382
• Internet: 972
• Web: GoDeacs.com
• Series History: Miami leads the series, 9-3
• Last meeting: Miami won, 42-14, on November 23, 2024

Rewind The Tape

Nov 23, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs with the football against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Wake Forest last played Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in 2024, where the Demon Deacons suffered a major second-half breakdown and an eventual 42-14 loss in Miami Gardens. Despite the defeat, a former Demon Deacons running back put himself on the map with one of his best career performances.

That running back was current Minnesota Vikings player Demond Claiborne, who burst out of the gates with explosive plays and big gains. The highlight of the day was Claiborne's 100-yard kickoff touchdown return, during which Claiborne reached 22.6 miles per hour while rushing past Hurricanes defenders.

While Claiborne's heroics were electric, so was the Hurricanes' offense, especially in the fourth quarter. In the final frame, the Hurricanes outscored Wake Forest 22-0, shutting out the Demon Deacon offense throughout the entirety of the second half.

Miami transfer quarterback, Heisman finalist, and 2025 first-overall NFL Draft selection Cam Ward threw for 280 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the matchup, which grew then-No. 8 Miami to a 10-1 record. (Ward previously played at Washington State under current Wake Forest Head Coach Jake Dickert, in 2023 and 2024.)

Wake Forest Head Coach Jake Dickert and the Demon Deacons will seek out their first win against the Hurricanes since the 1944 season, when the Demon Deacons defeated Miami 27-0.