Good morning, college football fans - Friday night brings a fresh ACC test for No. 5 Miami, which heads to Wake Forest with both teams still unbeaten at 2-0.
The Hurricanes have looked sharp through two games, rolling past Stanford 45-6 and blasting FAMU 77-7. Wake Forest has also opened 2-0, beating Akron 38-16 before edging Purdue 38-36 in overtime.
A big part of the Demon Deacons’ early-season success has come from third-year quarterback Gio Lopez. He’s been around the block, with stops at South Alabama, North Carolina, and Wake Forest, and through two games he’s been steady: 37 completions on 59 attempts, four touchdown passes, and no interceptions.
Miami enters the night as a -20.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 55.5 points on FanDuel Sportsbook. The Hurricanes are 2-0 against the spread and 1-0 as a road favorite, while Wake Forest is listed at 0-2.
Miami has also revealed its captains for the game. The seven players wearing the 'C' are Malachi Toney, Armondo Blount, Mark Fletcher, Darian Mensah, Mohamed Toure, Matthew McCoy, and Zechariah Poyser. Wake Forest has not released a captains post.
As for the uniforms, Miami is going with its familiar road “stormtroopers” look: white helmets, white tops, white pants, white socks, and black cleats. That’s the same combination the Hurricanes wore against Stanford earlier this season. Wake Forest, meanwhile, will be in all-black jerseys.
Game day gets rolling early, with the CIS Pregame Show at noon, parking lots opening at 2:30 PM ET, Deactown Fan Zone at 4:30 PM, Deacon Walk at 5:15 PM, gates opening at 6:00 PM, the Field Pregame Show at 7:00 PM, and kickoff set for 7:30 PM.
In Other News...
Miami Looks Smarter After Former QB Targets Brutal Collapse
The transfer quarterback market can look a lot different once the games start, and former Miami target CJ Bailey is a reminder of that. The NC State quarterback, a Miami native who was once rumored to be on the Hurricanes radar, stayed put after the recruiting cycle and has now been at the center of a rough moment that turned a defensive stop attempt into a Vanderbilt touchdown and an NC State loss.
For Miami, it only adds to the sense that the program may be wiser to keep building a different way. The Hurricanes have leaned on transfer quarterbacks in recent years, but the staff is also focusing on recruiting top high school quarterbacks for the future, a route that can bring more long-term stability than chasing another available name from the portal. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Have Found The Defensive Anchor It Desperately Needed
Through the first three games of the 2026 season, Miamis defensive front has looked a lot steadier than anyone had reason to expect after losing two first-round draft picks. A junior defensive lineman has been a constant presence in that reset, working both inside and on the edge while stacking up sacks, tackles and pressure on the quarterback. For a group trying to reestablish its identity, that kind of versatility has mattered as much as any single splash play.
The coaching staff has praised the defenses execution, and this has been one of the clearest signs that the front is settling into a workable rhythm. What stands out is not just the production, but the way the junior has handled a larger and less defined role, showing growth every time Miami asks him to shift spots or responsibilities. The early returns suggest the Hurricanes may have found a stabilizing force up front, even if the bigger test of just how far he can carry that unit is still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Fans Have Every Reason To Hate This Viral Miami Hit
Miami linebacker Mo Toure turned heads during the game against Wake Forest with a tackle on running back Ty Clark that quickly became one of the more talked-about moments from the matchup. Toure, an eighth-year senior, has been around long enough to feel like a throwback in todays game, and his path through college football has been shaped by medical redshirts and the extra eligibility window created by the COVID year.
For Wake Forest fans, the play was a reminder of just how strange the modern roster landscape can be when an older, seasoned defender is crashing into a younger back from the 2024 recruiting class. The hit itself was legal and part of the action, but the reaction around it showed how much the age and experience gap has become part of the conversation whenever Miami is involved in a physical game. [Read more 🡒]