The Miami Hurricanes face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Friday, Sept. 18, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, according to game previews. Fifth-ranked Miami enters the Week 3 matchup as a 20.5-point road favorite, according to betting markets tracked by outlets covering the game.
Miami Hurricanes Early Season Form and Key Stats
The Miami Hurricanes have won their first two games of the 2026 season by an average margin of 55 points, scoring 122 points total under head coach Marco Cristobal, according to preview reports. In Week 1, Miami defeated Stanford 45–6, led by former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah. Mensah completed 27 of 30 passing attempts for over 400 yards and five touchdowns, while wide receiver Malachi Toney caught 12 passes for 234 yards and three scores. In Week 2, the Hurricanes defeated Florida A&M 77–7. According to sports analysts, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson has maximized the performance of his transfer quarterback early in the schedule, mirroring his previous work with Cam Ward and Carson Beck.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Momentum and Roster Outlook
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons enter Week 3 with a 2-0 record under second-year head coach Jake Dickert, following a 38–36 double-overtime road victory against Purdue. North Carolina transfer quarterback Gio Lopez leads the Wake Forest offense, accumulating 575 passing yards and four touchdowns over the first two games. Running back Ty Clark III and wide receiver Carlos Hernandez have also contributed to an offense that has scored 76 points across its first two contests. However, according to game evaluations, Wake Forest’s defense has allowed an average of 26 points per game against opponents like Akron and Purdue.
Betting Odds and Spread Analysis
Sportsbooks list Miami as a 20.5-point favorite on the point spread, with a moneyline of -1700 to -1650 depending on the platform, according to recent odds reports. Wake Forest enters as a +20.5 underdog with a moneyline ranging from +890 to +950. The over/under point total is set between 55.5 and 56.5 points. Expert betting picks for the matchup highlight Miami on the first-quarter spread at -6.5 and Malachi Toney to exceed 95.5 receiving yards.
Roster Injuries and Defensive Matchups
Miami’s defense will play without both of its Week 1 starting cornerbacks, OJ Frederique and Xavier Lucas, who are expected to miss several weeks due to injuries, according to team reports. Wake Forest linebackers Vincent Firenze and Aiden Hall anchor the Demon Deacons’ defense as the unit prepares to face Miami’s top-ranked offensive unit.