Miami
Hurricanes
2-0
Spread
-20.5
NCAAF Predictions
Miami Hurricanes vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Predictions
Friday, September 18, 2026 at 7:30pm EST
@
Wake Forest
Demon Deacons
2-0
Spread
+20.5
50%
50%
Spread
Miami Hurricanes -20.5
Wake Forest Demon Deacons +20.5
Moneyline
Miami Hurricanes -1600
Wake Forest Demon Deacons +900
Total
Over 55.5 (-115)
Under 55.5 (-105)
Professional Picks
14 listed
Professional Picks On This Game
Tom Strickland
Total pick
Simon Says
Spread pick
Simon Says
Total pick
Wes Salvato
Spread pick
Wes Salvato
Total pick
Garrett Perry
Spread pick
Abe Howland
Spread pick
Don Williams
Spread pick
Bryan Pratt
Total pick
King Jon Sanderson
Spread pick
Percy Walker
Total pick
Eli Rothstein
Total pick
Franny DiStefano
Spread pick
Franny DiStefano
Total pick
Miami vs. Wake Forest Prediction: Mensah’s Fast Start Meets a 21-Point Spread
Analysis updated September 18, 2026 at 5:06 AM CDT
Darian Mensah has eight touchdown passes and no interceptions through two games. That makes Miami appealing to win, but its early scoring needs context.
Miami’s passing edge
Darian Mensah’s accuracy gives Miami the strongest case to win at Wake Forest, where SPF lists the Hurricanes at -21 and -1600 on the moneyline. The Washington Post / Associated Press reports that Mensah has completed 41 of 45 passes for eight touchdowns without an interception through two games.
Malachi Toney has supplied 330 receiving yards and four touchdown catches. Miami leads the FBS with 702.5 yards per game and ranks second with 61 points per game, but that two-game sample includes a 77-7 win over Florida A&M. Those averages alone don’t justify expecting a cover.
Betting recommendation: Pass
Wake Forest’s Gio Lopez threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns against Akron, then passed for one touchdown and ran for two in a win at Purdue, according to the same report. His production gives Wake Forest a way to answer Miami’s scoring, though it doesn’t establish an edge at +21.
Miami must win by at least 22 points to cover; a 21-point margin pushes. The Hurricanes are the winner pick, but there’s no clear basis for projecting that margin. At -1600, a moneyline bettor risks $1,600 to profit $100. Two games of results don’t establish that this price offers value.
Pick
Miami Hurricanes
Confidence
medium
Betting lean
Pass