WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For three quarters, Miami’s offense looked almost unstoppable.
In the fourth quarter, it was the Hurricanes’ defense that had to finish the job.
Behind a record-setting performance from quarterback Darian Mensah and four consecutive fourth-quarter defensive stops, No. 5 Miami held off a determined Wake Forest comeback attempt Friday night, escaping with a 33-20 victory.
Mensah was nearly flawless from the start, completing his first 24 attempts and eventually establishing an Atlantic Coast Conference record for consecutive completions over multiple games.
He finished the night 30 of 34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, directing an offense that built a 31-7 advantage midway through the third quarter before suddenly losing its rhythm.
That was when Miami’s defense took over.
“I think a ton of credit goes to the defense for just bowing up and executing at a high level,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said.
The Hurricanes entered the game having overwhelmed opponents through the first two weeks of the season. Their offense had been averaging 61 points per game and leading the nation in total offense at 702.5 yards per contest.
Friday night was different.
Wake Forest pushed back.
Mensah Makes History
Mensah wasted little time establishing control.
On Miami’s opening possession, he repeatedly found his receivers in stride, moving the ball efficiently and keeping the Demon Deacons’ defense off balance.
His first touchdown came on a 9-yard connection with Joshua Moore.
Later, Mensah delivered a perfectly executed throw back across the formation to Elija Lofton, who turned the play into a 21-yard touchdown.
The quarterback added another short scoring pass to sophomore standout Malachi Toney, helping Miami extend its lead to 31-7 in the third quarter.
But the significance of Mensah’s night went beyond the scoreboard.
His perfect start continued long enough for him to break the ACC’s single-game consecutive-completion record. He completed 24 straight passes to open the game, surpassing the previous conference mark of 18.
His streak eventually reached 35 consecutive completions, carrying over from last week’s game against Florida A&M.
That broke the ACC record of 30 consecutive completions across multiple games, previously established by North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky in September 2016.
Despite the historic night, Mensah credited his teammates — particularly a defense that had to rescue Miami late.
“I have a lot of faith in our defense, they give us some trouble in practice,” Mensah said. “So for them to go out there, it’s no surprise. Them dudes over there are all ballers.”
Wake Forest Refuses to Go Away
Down 31-7, Wake Forest refused to fold.
Quarterback Gio Lopez kept attacking and eventually engineered a fourth-quarter rally.
Lopez finished with 312 passing yards and three touchdowns, including a beautiful 17-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Hernandez in the back right corner of the end zone.
The score cut Miami’s advantage to 31-20 with 14:56 remaining.
Suddenly, a game that appeared to be firmly under Miami’s control was anything but comfortable.
The Hurricanes’ offense couldn’t respond.
Miami went three-and-out four consecutive times, while several Hurricanes players were shaken up.
Wake Forest kept pushing.
But every time the Demon Deacons appeared ready to make the game even tighter, Miami’s defense answered.
Defense Closes the Door
Miami’s pass rush became the difference.
The Hurricanes pressured Lopez in the end zone, forcing a holding penalty that resulted in a safety and pushed Miami’s lead to 33-20.
Wake Forest later drove deep into Miami territory, reaching the 13-yard line with an opportunity to make another push.
The Hurricanes’ defense held.
Pressure forced Lopez into an inaccurate fourth-down throw in the end zone, ending another Wake Forest scoring opportunity.
Freshman JJ Dunnigan then made his presence felt, racing around the edge and pressuring Lopez into another hurried throw on fourth down with 5:24 remaining.
With Wake Forest still threatening late, Ethan O’Connor intercepted Lopez in the red zone with 2:24 remaining.
That finally ended the Demon Deacons’ hopes of completing the comeback.
“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.
Miami’s Defense Answers the Call
The late defensive performance was particularly important for Miami because the Hurricanes had entered the night known primarily for their explosive offense.
Defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot recorded a third-quarter sack of Lopez, while Miami’s defensive front repeatedly created pressure when the Hurricanes needed it most.
“It’s a good feeling, but 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.”
That balance may have been the biggest takeaway from the night.
Miami’s offense built the lead.
Its defense protected it.
Penalties Hurt Wake Forest
Wake Forest had opportunities to make the comeback even more interesting but repeatedly hurt itself with penalties.
The Demon Deacons were flagged 13 times for 137 yards, including two penalties that erased significant fourth-quarter punt returns.
Against a team ranked among the nation’s elite, those mistakes proved costly.
“We need to learn from this and get better,” Dickert said. “Our execution wasn’t at a high enough level.”
Wake Forest was attempting to accomplish something that had eluded the program for decades: defeating a team ranked in the AP Top 10.
The Demon Deacons entered Friday with a 1-68 record against Top 10 opponents, with their lone victory coming against No. 4 Tennessee in 1946.
They came close to adding another historic victory but couldn’t finish the comeback.
Injury Concerns
Miami also left Winston-Salem dealing with several injury concerns.
Toney and starting running back Mark Fletcher Jr. were among the Hurricanes who were shaken up during the game.
Defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. briefly left in the first quarter after appearing to favor his left arm but eventually returned.
Running back CharMar Brown suffered a more concerning injury in the second quarter.
Brown broke loose for a 32-yard run that took him near the goal line before he went down. He remained on the field while medical personnel examined his right knee before being helped toward the sideline and later taken toward the tunnel.
The Bottom Line
Miami didn’t dominate from start to finish the way it had in its first two games.
Instead, the Hurricanes were tested.
Their offense established control behind Mensah’s record-setting accuracy, but when Wake Forest made its fourth-quarter push, Miami’s defense delivered the stops necessary to preserve the victory.
The Hurricanes improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, while Wake Forest fell to 2-1 and 0-1 in conference play.
For Miami, the night demonstrated that the team can win in more than one way.
Mensah made history.
The offense built the lead.
And when the game became a defensive battle, the Hurricanes’ defense closed the door.
Up Next:
Miami returns home next Saturday to host Central Michigan.
Wake Forest will hit the road for another ACC test, traveling to face No. 23 Louisville.
