Miami’s Defense Takes Over Late as Hurricanes Hold Off Wake Forest.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Darian Mensah and Miami’s offense appeared to be in complete control for most of Friday night. When the Hurricanes needed a final push to secure the victory, however, it was their defense that delivered. No. 5 Miami overcame a late offensive drought by forcing four consecutive stops in the fourth quarter, holding off Wake Forest 33-20 and remaining unbeaten on the season. Mensah completed his first 24 attempts and finished 30 of 34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns. His remarkable accuracy helped Miami build a 31-7 advantage midway through the third quarter before the Hurricanes suddenly struggled to move the ball. The performance also put Mensah in the ACC record book. His streak eventually reached 35 consecutive completions dating to Miami’s previous game against Florida A&M, surpassing the conference record of 30 previously established by North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky in 2016. Mensah’s 24 straight completions to begin Friday’s game also established an ACC single-game record. Miami initially made the game look routine. Mensah opened the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Moore. Later, he found Elija Lofton for a 21-yard touchdown before connecting with sophomore receiver Malachi Toney for another short scoring pass. The Hurricanes led 31-7 before Wake Forest began to make things uncomfortable. Gio Lopez helped spark the Demon Deacons' comeback, throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns. His 17-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Hernandez in the fourth quarter brought Wake Forest within 31-20 with 14:56 remaining. Miami's offense then stalled, producing four consecutive three-and-outs.
That gave the Demon Deacons opportunities to close the gap, but the Hurricanes' defense repeatedly came up with answers. Miami's pressure resulted in a holding penalty in the end zone for a safety, extending the Hurricanes' advantage. Wake Forest later reached the Miami 13-yard line, but the drive ended when pressure forced Lopez into an incomplete fourth-down pass. Freshman defensive lineman JJ Dunnigan created another crucial moment with just over five minutes remaining, rushing around the edge and forcing Lopez into another hurried throw on fourth down. Ethan O'Connor then sealed the result with an interception in the red zone with 2:24 remaining. Miami coach Mario Cristobal credited the defense for protecting the lead after the offense lost its rhythm. “ A ton of credit goes to the defense for just bowing up and executing at a high level,” Cristobal said. Mensah also pointed to the confidence the offense has in Miami's defense. “I have a lot of faith in our defense,” Mensah said. “They give us some trouble in practice. So for them to go out there, it's no surprise.”
Miami’s record-setting start
The Hurricanes entered the night averaging 61 points per game and leading the country in total offense at 702.5 yards per game. Friday's performance was considerably less explosive, but Miami showed another dimension by protecting its lead when the offense struggled.
Defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot recorded a third-quarter sack of Lopez as Miami's defense repeatedly disrupted Wake Forest's passing game late. “We're all one team,” Lightfoot said. “So they've got our back when we need them, and we've got their back when they need us.”
Wake Forest unable to finish comeback
Wake Forest had a chance to produce one of the biggest wins in program history but couldn't capitalize on its fourth-quarter opportunities. The Demon Deacons entered the game with a 1-68 record against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. Their only victory in that stretch came against No. 4 Tennessee in 1946. Penalties also proved costly. Wake Forest was flagged 13 times for 137 yards, including two penalties that wiped out significant fourth-quarter punt returns. “We had some opportunities to really get back in that game in the fourth quarter, just could never quite get over the hump,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said.
Injury concerns for Miami
The Hurricanes also dealt with several injuries during the game. Toney and starting running back Mark Fletcher Jr. were among the Miami players who were shaken up. Defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. briefly left the game in the first quarter with an apparent left-arm injury before returning. Running back CharMar Brown suffered a more concerning injury in the second quarter after breaking loose for a 32-yard run. Brown went down near the goal line while appearing to favor his right knee and was later helped from the field before being carted toward the tunnel.
What’s next
Miami improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in ACC play and will return home next Saturday to face Central Michigan. Wake Forest fell to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Demon Deacons will face another ranked opponent next week when they travel to No. 23 Louisville.
