Miami FL vs Wake Forest: Score, Recap & Stats (2026)

The Miami FL vs Wake Forest game on Friday, September 18, 2026, gave college football fans a strange mix of dominance and drama. Miami beat Wake Forest 33-20 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The fifth-ranked Hurricanes looked unstoppable early, but the Demon Deacons made them sweat until the final whistle. ESPN Local 10

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Quarterback Darian Mensah was the story of the night. He completed his first 24 passes and finished 30 of 34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns. In doing so, he set new Atlantic Coast Conference marks for consecutive completions. Meanwhile, Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez threw for more than 300 yards and led a second-half rally that cut a 24-point deficit to 11. KSAT

This complete guide to Miami FL vs Wake Forest covers the final score, a quarter-by-quarter recap, player stats, betting results, head-to-head history, injuries, and what comes next for both teams. We link to trusted sources throughout, so you can verify every key number yourself.

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Key Takeaways (Quick Answer)

Final score: Miami Hurricanes 33, Wake Forest Demon Deacons 20
Date and time: Friday, September 18, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
Venue: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
TV channel: ESPN
Records after the game: Miami 3-0 (2-0 ACC); Wake Forest 2-1 (0-1 ACC)
Miami’s top performer: Darian Mensah, 30 of 34, 220 yards, 3 TD
Wake Forest’s top performer: Gio Lopez, 29 of 46, 312 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Next games: Miami hosts Central Michigan on September 26; Wake Forest visits Louisville the same day

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Final Score and Scoring Summary

The final score of Miami FL vs Wake Forest was 33-20 in favor of the Hurricanes. The win moved Miami to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, while Wake Forest dropped to 2-1 and 0-1 in the conference. NCFootballNews

Here is how the scoring moved during the game:

Moment	Score	What happened
Opening drive	Miami 7, Wake 0	Mensah hit Joshua Moore for a 9-yard touchdown
First half	7-7	Lopez found Kamrean Johnson from 10 yards to tie it
Midway through the third quarter	Miami 31, Wake 7	Miami scored 24 straight points
Early fourth quarter	Miami 31, Wake 20	Wake Forest scored on two long touchdown drives
Late fourth quarter	Miami 33, Wake 20	A holding penalty in the end zone gave Miami a safety

For the official box score, visit the ESPN game page or the NCAA.com game summary. Fox Sports also hosts a full box score for this matchup.

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Date, Kickoff Time, TV Channel and Venue

The Miami FL vs Wake Forest game kicked off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday, September 18, with ESPN carrying the broadcast. Wake Forest was the home team, so the game was played at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Miami’s own home field is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Wikipedia

Because the game was a Friday-night ACC primetime matchup, international fans had to watch very late or very early. Here is the kickoff time in major time zones:

Region	Kickoff time
Eastern Time (ET)	Friday, Sept 18, 7:30 PM
Central Time (CT)	Friday, Sept 18, 6:30 PM
Pacific Time (PT)	Friday, Sept 18, 4:30 PM
United Kingdom (BST)	Saturday, Sept 19, 12:30 AM
UAE (GST)	Saturday, Sept 19, 3:30 AM
Pakistan (PKT)	Saturday, Sept 19, 4:30 AM
India (IST)	Saturday, Sept 19, 5:00 AM

Wake Forest’s athletics department also published a Know Before You Go guide for fans attending the game in person. For a quick game-week overview, Yahoo Sports posted a schedule and TV explainer.

How Miami and Wake Forest Arrived at This Matchup

Both teams were unbeaten before kickoff. However, the two programs came in with very different expectations.

Miami Hurricanes: A Title Contender With a Hot Offense

Miami entered the game 2-0 and ranked fifth in the country. The Hurricanes opened the season with a 45-6 win at Stanford and then crushed Florida A&M 77-7 at Hard Rock Stadium. Through two games, Miami had scored 122 points. You can follow every result on the 2026 Miami Hurricanes football team page. Wikipedia VSiN

The expectations come from last season. Miami went 13-3 in 2025, finished as the national runner-up, and tied for second in the ACC at 6-2. This year, the offense runs through Darian Mensah, a former Tulane and Duke transfer. At Duke, he led the Blue Devils to a rare ACC championship while posting some of the nation’s best passing numbers. Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction, odds, time: 2026 Week 3 college football Friday picks by proven model +2

Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Unbeaten but Untested

Wake Forest also arrived at 2-0. The Deacons beat Akron 38-16 and then edged Purdue 38-36 in double overtime. That means they had scored 38 points in each win. The full slate is on the 2026 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team page. Wikipedia

Still, the schedule had not tested them like this. Wake Forest tied for seventh in the ACC at 4-4 last season. In addition, a 247Sports match-up breakdown noted that Wake’s pass defense was allowing 242 yards per game, which ranked 105th nationally. That was a warning sign against a quarterback like Mensah. On the other hand, the same report said advanced metrics rated Wake Forest’s passing game among the top 35 in the country. Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction, odds, time: 2026 Week 3 college football Friday picks by proven model +2

The Pregame Line

Oddsmakers expected a Miami win. The Hurricanes were 20.5-point favorites, and the over/under sat at 55.5. A CBS Sports preview and a VSIN Week 3 picks column covered the matchup from a betting angle before kickoff. CBS Sports

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Game Recap: How It Unfolded

The game had three clear phases. Miami dominated the first half, built a huge lead in the third quarter, and then hung on as Wake Forest rallied. For alternative takes, read the AP recap on Local10 and the NC Football News recap.

First Half: Mensah Sets the Tone

Miami started fast. Mensah threw a 9-yard touchdown to Joshua Moore on the game’s first possession. The offense kept moving from there, and Mensah kept completing passes to receivers in stride. Local 10

Wake Forest did answer. The teams were tied 7-7 at one point after Lopez connected with tight end Kamrean Johnson for a 10-yard score. However, that was the last time the Deacons had control of the momentum for a long stretch. NCFootballNews

The second quarter belonged to the Hurricanes. Miami outgained Wake Forest 184 yards to 18 in that quarter. A Sports Illustrated report on Wake Forest’s defense said the Deacons could not generate pressure, which gave Mensah clean pockets for big completions. The same report noted that Mark Fletcher capped off Miami’s third drive with a touchdown. Wake Forest Rallies but Falls to No. 5 Miami, 33-20, in ACC Opener +2

Mensah also found tight end Elija Lofton for a 21-yard touchdown on a perfectly executed throw back to the left side. As a result, Miami controlled the game at halftime. Local 10

Third Quarter: Miami Stretches the Lead to 31-7

Early in the second half, the Hurricanes kept rolling. Miami scored 24 unanswered points to turn a 7-7 tie into a 31-7 lead with 8:56 left in the third quarter. Mensah added a short touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Malachi Toney during this stretch. NCFootballNews

At 31-7, most fans assumed the game was over. Wake Forest was 1-68 against AP top-10 teams before this game, and its only win in that group came against No. 4 Tennessee in 1946. The numbers said a comeback was extremely unlikely. KSAT

Fourth Quarter: Wake Forest Rallies, Miami Survives

Then the game changed. Miami’s offense stalled with four straight three-and-outs, and Toney was among several players who got banged up. Wake Forest took advantage. KSAT

Lopez led touchdown drives of 75 and 63 yards, finding Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez in the end zone to cut the score to 31-20. Suddenly, an 11-point game felt very winnable for the Deacons. NCFootballNews

However, a costly mistake ended the momentum. An offensive holding penalty in the end zone resulted in a safety. That made it 33-20. After that, three Wake Forest possessions ended with two turnovers on downs and an interception. Miami ran out the clock and escaped with the win. NCFootballNews NCFootballNews

Darian Mensah’s Record-Setting Night

Mensah’s efficiency was the biggest highlight of Miami FL vs Wake Forest. He finished 30 of 34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns. However, the raw totals only tell part of the story. Local 10

The ACC Records

According to the AP game story, Mensah connected on his first 24 passes, which broke the ACC single-game record of 18. Furthermore, he completed 35 straight passes when you include last week’s game against Florida A&M. That total passed the ACC mark of 30, which North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky set in September 2016. KSAT KSAT

A fan-site recap from State of The U added that the 24-for-24 start tied a Miami record for consecutive completions to open a game, held by Carson Beck. State of The U

Mensah’s Targets

Mensah spread the ball around. Here are the main touchdown connections:

Joshua Moore: 9-yard touchdown on the opening drive
Elija Lofton: 21-yard touchdown in the first half
Malachi Toney: short touchdown in the third quarter

Toney was also the volume target. He caught 12 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. In addition, running back Mark Fletcher Jr. added a rushing touchdown, so the offense worked through the air and on the ground. State of The U

One detail matters for context. Mensah has now played well at Duke and at Miami, and his ACC records show the conference has not seen many passers this accurate. His pairing with Toney looks like one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the country this season.

Gio Lopez and Wake Forest’s Comeback Effort

Wake Forest lost, but Lopez played well. He completed 29 of 46 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The transfer previously played at North Carolina last season. NCFootballNews NCFootballNews

His three touchdown passes went to Kamrean Johnson from 10 yards, Jack Foley from 23 yards, and Carlos Hernandez from 17 yards. Because the Deacons scored two of those touchdowns in the fourth quarter, they gave Miami a real scare. NCFootballNews

Still, the offense started slowly. Wake had only 18 yards in the second quarter, and that hole was too deep. As a result, the late rally came up short even though the passing game moved the ball well after halftime.

Head coach Jake Dickert was direct after the loss. He said the team’s execution was not at a high enough level. That is a fair assessment of a night full of penalties and missed chances. KSAT

Miami’s Defense Closes the Door

Miami’s offense gets the headlines, but the defense won the final 15 minutes. After the offense stalled, the defense came up with four straight fourth-quarter stops. Head coach Mario Cristobal gave a ton of credit to the defense for bowing up when the team needed it. Local 10 Local 10

The pass rush also made a difference. Miami finished with three sacks and drew a number of holding calls, including the one that produced the safety. Consequently, Lopez had to move off his spot more often than he wanted. State of The U

However, the defense was not perfect. The same State of The U recap said Miami’s execution slipped in all phases after the lead grew, especially in the secondary. Lopez’s 312 passing yards support that view. Notably, the Hurricanes were already thin at cornerback, which leads to the next section.

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Penalties and Turning Points

Penalties were a big part of this game. Wake Forest committed 13 penalties for 137 yards, including two that erased big fourth-quarter punt returns. Those flags likely cost the Deacons field position and a real chance to make it a one-score game. KSAT

Three moments shaped the result:

The 24-0 run in the middle of the game. Miami turned a tie into a 24-point lead and forced Wake Forest to play catch-up.
The safety. The holding penalty in the end zone gave Miami two points and the ball, which stopped Wake’s momentum.
The final turnovers on downs. Miami’s defense stopped Wake Forest on fourth down twice late in the game.

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Injuries and Availability

Health was a storyline before and during the game. Before kickoff, starting cornerbacks OJ Frederique and Xavier Lucas were out for an extended period. As a result, Miami moved safety Bryce Fitzgerald to cornerback and put freshman JJ Dunnigan in the starting lineup. 247Sports 247Sports

During the game, Miami also lost players. Running back CharMar Brown left with a first-half injury, according to Fox Sports. In addition, Toney was one of several Hurricanes who got banged up in the second half. Fans should watch the official availability reports before the next game. FOX Sports

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Betting Odds and Results

Many readers search for the betting side of Miami FL vs Wake Forest, so here is a factual summary. Please note that sports betting is for adults of legal age only, and you should follow the laws where you live.

Miami closed as roughly a 20.5-point favorite, with a total of 55.5 points. The final score was 33-20, so Miami won by 13 points. That means Wake Forest covered the spread. In addition, the two teams combined for 53 points, so the game finished under the total. CBS Sports

The ESPN game page showed the spread opening near 19.5 and moving to 20.5. Lines can vary by sportsbook, so always check the number you used. ESPN

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Head-to-Head History

The recent series favors Miami. The last meeting before this game was on November 23, 2024, when Miami beat Wake Forest 42-14 at Hard Rock Stadium. You can see that game on the 2024 Wake Forest football team page. Wikipedia

Winston-Salem has not hosted this matchup often. According to 247Sports, the last time the two teams played in Winston-Salem was in 2009. That made the 2026 game a rare visit for the Hurricanes. 247Sports

Now the 2026 result adds another win to Miami’s recent run in the series. Overall, Miami has won the last two meetings by a combined 55-34… wait

Hmm.

Correction: Head-to-Head History section ki aakhri line adhoori reh gayi thi aur us mein “wait” likha reh gaya. Us section ko neeche wale corrected version se replace kar dein. Baaqi article wahin se aage chalta hai.

Miami FL vs Wake Forest Head-to-Head History (Corrected)

Miami has dominated this series. Before Friday’s game, the Hurricanes led the all-time series 9-3 across 12 meetings since 1928. In addition, Miami had won eight straight against Wake Forest, including all six meetings as ACC opponents. Winsipedia On3

The last meeting before 2026 was on November 23, 2024. Miami won that game 42-14, and you can see the details on the 2024 Wake Forest football team page. Winston-Salem has not hosted this matchup often. Miami had not played at Wake Forest since 2009, when the Hurricanes won 28-27. On3 On3

With the 33-20 win, Miami improves to 10-3 all-time against Wake Forest and stretches its winning streak in the series to nine games. The Hurricanes are also now 4-0 in Winston-Salem. For the full story of the rivalry, read this Canes Warning series history or check the Winsipedia series record. The On3 key numbers preview also lists the series splits by location.

What the Result Means for Miami and Wake Forest

Miami: Still Unbeaten, But Room to Improve

Miami is now 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. Before this game, Mensah was already an early Heisman Trophy candidate and the country’s most accurate passer through two games. Friday night only strengthened that case. KSAT Covers

However, the win also exposed problems. The offense produced just 13 yards in the fourth quarter, and the secondary gave up big plays. A fan-site recap warned that Miami must play better in the second half if it wants to reach the ACC title game in Charlotte. As a result, the coaching staff has plenty to fix before the tougher games at Clemson and against Florida State. State of The U

Wake Forest: Real Passing Offense, Real Problems

Wake Forest fell to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the ACC. Even so, the Deacons showed they can move the ball against a top-five team. Before this game, Lopez ranked 15th nationally in passing yards per game at 287.5, and he added 312 more yards against Miami. NCFootballNews Covers

The main issues are discipline and defense. Thirteen penalties and a pass defense that struggled to pressure Mensah will need attention. Still, the second-half rally suggests this team can compete with most ACC opponents.

Upcoming Schedule for Miami and Wake Forest

Both teams stay busy over the next several weeks. Here are the next confirmed games:

Miami Hurricanes

Date	Opponent	Site
Sept 26	Central Michigan (6:30 PM, The CW)	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Oct 3	at Clemson	Memorial Stadium, Clemson
Oct 17	Florida State (Florida Cup)	Hard Rock Stadium
Oct 24	Pittsburgh	Hard Rock Stadium

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Date	Opponent	Site
Sept 26	at Louisville	L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium
Oct 3	Stanford	Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium
Oct 10	at NC State (rivalry)	Carter-Finley Stadium
Oct 17	at California	California Memorial Stadium

These dates come from the Miami and Wake Forest season pages. Kickoff times and TV channels can change, so confirm them on the official schedules before you plan to watch.

Where to Watch Miami FL vs Wake Forest Highlights, Box Score and Replays

The game aired on ESPN. The broadcast team was Mike Monaco on play-by-play, Jordan Rodgers on color, and Dana Boyle on the sideline. Miami’s radio home was 104.3 WQAM. On3 On3

If you missed the game, these pages are the best places to catch up:

The ESPN game page for the box score and game stats
The NCAA.com game summary for the official recap data
The Fox Sports college football hub for news and scores from around the country
The Sports Illustrated college football page for analysis and Week 3 coverage
Sports-Reference’s college football database for historical player and team stats

Miami FL vs Wake Forest FAQs

Who won Miami FL vs Wake Forest?

Miami won. The Hurricanes beat the Demon Deacons 33-20 on Friday, September 18, 2026.

What was the final score of Miami vs Wake Forest?

The final score was Miami 33, Wake Forest 20. Miami led 31-7 in the third quarter before Wake Forest rallied to within 11 points.

What time did Miami FL vs Wake Forest start?

Kickoff was at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, September 18. That was 4:30 a.m. Saturday in Pakistan and 5:00 a.m. Saturday in India.

What TV channel showed Miami vs Wake Forest?

ESPN carried the game.

Where was Miami vs Wake Forest played?

The game took place at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest’s home field.

How did Darian Mensah play against Wake Forest?

Mensah completed 30 of 34 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. He also completed his first 24 passes, an ACC single-game record.

What ACC records did Mensah set?

He broke the ACC single-game record of 18 straight completions by making his first 24. He also passed Mitch Trubisky’s ACC mark of 30 consecutive completions over multiple games, reaching 35 straight.

How did Gio Lopez play for Wake Forest?

Lopez completed 29 of 46 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He led two long touchdown drives in the fourth quarter.

Did Wake Forest cover the spread against Miami?

Yes. Miami was about a 20.5-point favorite and won by 13. The combined 53 points also stayed under the 55.5 total. Lines varied by sportsbook.

What is the all-time series between Miami and Wake Forest?

Miami now leads 10-3 all-time. The Hurricanes have won nine straight against Wake Forest.

What are Miami’s and Wake Forest’s records after the game?

Miami is 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. Wake Forest is 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the ACC.

Who do Miami and Wake Forest play next?

Miami hosts Central Michigan on September 26. Wake Forest visits Louisville on the same date.

Final Thoughts on Miami FL vs Wake Forest

The Miami FL vs Wake Forest game gave fans exactly what a Friday-night ACC matchup should. Darian Mensah was historically accurate, Malachi Toney and the receivers made big plays, and Miami’s defense held on when the offense went quiet. Meanwhile, Gio Lopez and Wake Forest showed real fight and made the Hurricanes work for the win.

Miami stays unbeaten and keeps its title hopes alive, but the fourth-quarter drop-off is a clear area to improve. Wake Forest, on the other hand, needs to clean up penalties and find answers on defense before the tougher conference games arrive. Bookmark this page, because we will update it as new stats, rankings, and injury news come in.