Miami Hurricanes vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons FAQ: What to know about the matchup
The No. 8 Miami Hurricanes (9-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-6, 2-4 ACC) on Saturday.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon from Hard Rock Stadium.
Here is what you need to know about the matchup.
How can I watch the Miami Hurricanes vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons game?
The Hurricanes’ home game against Wake Forest will be televised on ESPN. It is also available on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
Who is favored in the Miami Hurricanes vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons game?
As of Friday morning, the Hurricanes are listed as a 24-and-a-half-point home favorite against the Demon Deacons, according to Odds Shark. The over/under is 64.5 points.
What is the history between the Miami Hurricanes and Wake Forest Demon Deacons?
Saturday will be the 12th all-time meeting between Miami and Wake Forest. Miami leads the series 8-3 and has won each of the past seven.
The Hurricanes’ most recent loss to the Demon Deacons: 1944.
What were the expectations for the Miami Hurricanes and Wake Forest Demon Deacons entering the season?
The Hurricanes were voted to finish third in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Demon Deacons were voted to finish 15th in the ACC.
How have the Miami Hurricanes and Wake Forest Demon Deacons done so far this season?
The Hurricanes swept through their nonconference schedule with a 41-17 road win at the Florida Gators followed with a 56-9 blowout win against Florida A&M, 62-0 shutout of Ball State at home and 50-15 win over USF on the road. Miami followed with a pair of come-from-behind victories — 38-34 win over Virginia Tech and 39-38 over Cal — to start ACC play. UM followed that by holding off a Louisville comeback for a 52-45, beating Florida State 36-14 and rallying from down 11 in the third quarter to beat Duke 53-31 before falling 28-23 at Georgia Tech.
Wake Forest’s wins so far this season are over North Carolina A&T, NC State, UConn and Stanford — teams with a combined 16-25 record. The Demon Deacon’s six losses are to Virginia, Ole Miss, Louisiana-Lafayette, Clemson, Cal and North Carolina.
Who are some Miami Hurricanes players to watch?
▪ Quarterback Cam Ward: He’s the undisputed leader of the team. Beyond the performance expected on the field, eyes will be on Ward to set the tone as the Hurricanes hope to shake off the Georgia Tech loss with their goals of making the ACC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff still alive.
(It should also help that Wake Forest’s defense is giving up an average of 281.9 passing yards per game — the fifth-most among 134 FBS teams.)
▪ The defensive line: Wake Forest is allowing an average of 3.1 sacks and 5.3 tackles for loss per game. Miami’s defensive line has the talent to wreak havoc and the Hurricanes need the group, led by Rueben Bain and Tyler Baron, to step up on Saturday.
▪ Defensive back OJ Frederique Jr.: The true freshman has been one of the rare consistent standouts in a shaky secondary. As broken down earlier this week by ESPN’s David Hale, Frederique has the lowest quarterback rating against of any ACC cornerback (3.6) while allowing just a 26-percent completion rate, and just 2 yards per target against.
Who are some Wake Forest Demon Deacon players to watch?
▪ Safety Nick Andersen: The junior leads the ACC and is fifth nationally with 105 total tackles. He also has two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
▪ Running back Demond Claiborne: The junior is fifth in the ACC with 919 rushing yards and tied for fourth with 11 rushing touchdowns. This includes having at least 100 rushing yards or multiple rushing touchdowns in six of 10 games. Claiborne has also caught 20 passes for another 236 yards and two touchdowns, making him one of five Wake Forest players with at least 20 catches, 200 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. After the Hurricanes gave up a season-high 271 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, UM needs to be weary of facing one of the conference’s top rushers.
▪ Defensive lineman Jasheen Davis: Even despite missing two games early in the season, Davis leads Wake Forest with eight-and-a-half tackles for loss and four-and-a-half sacks. The senior also has five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble this season.
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