Ten lessons from the Miami Hurricanes’ victory over Wake Forest

The Miami Hurricanes maintained their ACC title and College Football Playoff hopes with a vital win over Wake Forest on Saturday.

Miami scored ten wins for the first time since 2017. Here are some things we learnt in their penultimate game:

Defense came to play.

The Hurricanes’ defense outperformed expectations and secured the victory. After the Demon Deacons scored on the first possession, UM did not allow another offensive touchdown.

Wake Forest attempted to repeat Georgia Tech’s approach of using the running game to defeat UM, but Miami limited them to 94 rushing yards on 40 attempts.

The Hurricanes made several important stops in their own territory in the second half, keeping the Demon Deacons off the scoring for the entire half—UM’s first second-half shutout in conference play in nearly four years.

Explosive offensive still exists.

For three quarters, Miami’s attack was out of synch. Following a strong opening drive, the Hurricanes sputtered and did not reach the end zone again until the fourth quarter.

However, the offense caught fire in the game’s final minutes, scoring three touchdowns in the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter. These three late touchdowns transformed a gloomy 20-point showing into a commanding 42-14 victory.

Meesh Powell and Francisco Mauigoa in form

Meesh Powell, a defensive back, and Francisco Mauigoa, a linebacker, have had erratic seasons, but their final home game was likely their finest.

Powell recorded a key pick-six (his team-best fifth interception of the season), as well as three tackles and a sack. Pro Football Focus assigned him an 81.4 defensive grade and an 83.8 coverage rating. Both of these were his highest grades since Week 1.

Mauigoa, a veteran last season, recorded a season-high 12 tackles this week. Perhaps more crucially, he made all of his tackles, which is only the third time this season. PFF assigned him a 78.8 defensive rating and an 84.7 tackling grade. Both were seasonal highs.

Cam Ward is enjoying the finest season by any UM quarterback.

On Saturday, Cam Ward surpassed Bernie Kosar to become Miami’s single-season throwing yardage leader. Ward already had the single-season throwing touchdown record.

The Hurricanes have produced a number of NFL quarterbacks, including Kosar, Jim Kelly, and Ken Dorsey. Gino Toretta and Vinny Testaverde earned the Heisman Trophy at UM.

Those quarterbacks all spent their whole careers at Miami, and they played during various eras of college football. However, in his first season with the Hurricanes, Ward has exceeded them in this category.

Jordan Lyle sparks offense.

Jordan Lyle, a freshman running back, has played infrequently in conference play, but he had an impact when he came on late.

Lyle recorded a team-high 115 running yards on only seven carries, including an 18-yard score and a 61-yard run. He received an offensive grade of 88.4 during his time on the field.

The offensive line blocks well.

Despite conceding a sack, Miami’s offensive line played well in the win on Saturday. According to PFF, all six offensive lineman who played 30 or more snaps got pass-blocking grades of at least 75.

Markel Bell, who played 31 plays at left tackle, received the highest pass-blocking grade (84.7).

Strong performance by Elijah Arroyo.

Veteran tight end Elijah Arroyo maintained his good season with 79 yards on six receptions.

Arroyo has 482 yards and five touchdowns on 26 receptions this season. He received a season-high 84.1 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus for his effort on Saturday, and he currently has a 73.9 offensive grade for the season.

Freshmen on Special Teams

Dylan Day has been making plays on special teams all season, and he had another big one this week. He caused a fumble on a kickoff return, which was scooped up by fellow freshman Bobby Pruitt.

Day, a former three-star prospect, has only played 10 defensive plays, but coaches have praised him for his efforts on special teams.

Home cooking

In Mario Cristobal’s first year at UM, Miami was winless in conference play at home and suffered a humiliating defeat at Hard Rock Stadium against Middle Tennessee State.

Two years later, the Hurricanes went unbeaten at home, outscoring opponents 290 to 102.

“They finished the regular season unbeaten at home, which was a significant accomplishment for us. “A lot of progress,” Cristobal stated. “I know there’s a lot of people that I’ve known for a long time since I played that (say) defending home base and playing winning football at home was always right at the top of the food chain and top of the priority list.”

Winning is hard.

At this time in the season, style points are less significant. Getting wins is difficult enough, regardless of the opponent. That was on show in the SEC, when playoff hopefuls Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all fell to unranked opponents.

The Hurricanes experienced a glitch against Georgia Tech. Despite a sluggish start, they rallied and won their last game. They are one win away from the program’s second trip to the ACC championship game and its first berth in the College Football Playoff. All of this is possible if the Hurricanes win.

“In November, you always want to win,” Cristobal said. “Games will be hilarious. The scores are a little disorganized. With that stated, I admire our team’s ability to dig deep, hold each other accountable, and find a way to complete tasks.”