Mensah sets ACC consecutive-completions marks, defense rises in 4th as No. 5 Miami tops Wake Forest
Miami rode Darian Mensah's record-setting start and a shutdown fourth quarter to withstand Wake Forest 33-20, extending the Hurricanes’ strong start to the season. Mensah connected on his first 24 passes, finishing 30 of 34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, while Miami’s defense stymied Wake Forest in the final period with four straight stops. The Hurricanes built a 31-7 lead before a late rally by Wake Forest, aided by Miami’s four turnovers and penalties that slowed the offense. The result leaves Miami at 3-0 (2-0 ACC) as Wake Forest drops to 2-1 (0-1 ACC), with Miami set to host Central Michigan next. Momentum shifted after an early offensive burst, but the defense preserved the win in crunch time for the top-25 squad.
Dive Deeper:
Darian Mensah opened with a 24-for-24 stretch, setting ACC records for consecutive completions and continuing a multi-game streak that extended from the previous week.
Mensah finished 30-of-34 for 220 yards with three passing touchdowns, including a 9-yard strike to Joshua Moore on the opening possession and a precise back-shoulder pass to Elija Lofton for a 21-yard score.
Miami led 31-7 by mid-third quarter before the offense stalled, resulting in four straight three-and-outs and several injuries that allowed Wake Forest to mount a rally.
Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, including a 17-yard TD to Carlos Hernandez to cut the lead to 31-20 with 14:56 left in regulation.
Miami’s defense then forced a safety after pressuring Lopez in the end zone, and later stifled Wake Forest on back-to-back fourth-down attempts in the Miami red zone.
Ethan O’Connor sealed the win by intercepting Lopez in the red zone at the 2:24 mark, preserving the Hurricanes’ lead.
Wake Forest entered the game with a historically poor record against top-10 teams, and the 13 penalties for 137 yards — including two negated punt returns — were a major disruptive factor.