Have we learned anything relevant about Miami yet?
The Hurricanes steamrolled Stanford, 45-6, at home in Week 1, and then essentially mercy-ruled Florida A&M, 77-7, the next weekend.
A trip to Winston-Salem on Friday to take on Wake Forest will be a stiffer test than what the Canes faced in their first two tilts, but it’s not expected to be too much of a sweat.
Miami is a 20.5-point favorite over the Demon Deacons in this ACC clash.
Miami vs. Wake Forest odds, prediction
Wake Forest strung together a 9-4 season out of nowhere in 2025. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year for new head coach Jake Dickert, and it got off to an ugly start with a 10-9 win over Kennesaw State, but the Demon Deacons rolled from there and were in contention for a spot in the ACC Championship Game for much of the campaign.
What was most impressive about Wake Forest’s surprising campaign was that the Demon Deacons could get the job done in a variety of ways. They played some barnburners, but they also went 4-1 in one-possession games, which is a feather in Dickert’s cap.
The job won’t get any easier for the Deacons in 2026, as their roster needs to overcome plenty of turnover.
One of the new faces in town is quarterback Gio Lopez. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Bill Belichick brought him to UNC last season after a promising start to his career with South Alabama. Lopez didn’t fit in Chapel Hill, but he’s looked the part in his first two outings with the Deacons, doing damage through the air and on the ground.
Wake’s defense, meanwhile, has looked spotty through the first weeks of the campaign. If Purdue can clip at 5.5 yards per play against the Demon Deacons, imagine what Miami can do.
The Hurricanes are probably a little overvalued against a strong outfit on the road, but the Over 56.5 points is my favorite avenue in this tilt.
The Play: Over 56.5 points (-110, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
