In Week 3 of the college football season, two ACC programs will face off when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons host the Miami Hurricanes on Friday, September 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Miami is a 20.5-point road favorite and returns a 1.05x payout with a win, via PrizePicks.
The Hurricanes are off to a 2-0 start and have outscored Stanford and Florida A&M by a combined margin of 122-13. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons are also 2-0 after squeaking out a 38-36 double-overtime win against Purdue last week.
Below, we’ll break down a Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction and picks for Friday night's game, including the spread, over/under, and player projections for PrizePicks.
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#5 Miami vs. Wake Forest Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Friday, September 18
After reaching the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last season, Miami has gotten off to a stellar start in 2026. Miami took care of business against Stanford in a 45-6 win in its season opener, then followed it up with a 77-6 rout against Florida A&M in Week 2.
Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah has been flawless, leading the nation in completion percentage (91.1%) and ranking third in TD passes (8). According to PrizePicks, Mensah is currently the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy with a 5x payout for a correct "Yes" prediction.
Much of Mensah’s success comes from the stable of weapons at his disposal. WR Malachi Toney sits third in the nation in receiving yards (330) and is tied for third in TDs (4). In addition, former Duke WR Cooper Barkate has made an impact, hauling in 6 passes for 83 yards.
Opposing teams must also honor the Hurricanes’ stellar ground attack, which features RB Mark Fletcher Jr. and RB Javian Mallory. Fletcher racked up 105 yards and 2 TDs on just 7 carries against Florida A&M and is averaging 7.3 YPC on the year.
Meanwhile, Wake Forest is fresh off a 9-4 campaign and looking to have another impressive season. Wake Forest got all it could handle against Big Ten foe Purdue last week but moved to 2-0 thanks to a strong offensive performance.
The Demons Deacons have boasted one of the country’s better passing offenses through the opening few weeks. According to Game on Paper, Wake Forest has tallied the 18th-best EPA/pass (0.56).
QB Gio Lopez is completing 62.7% of his passes and has thrown 4 TDs across two games after a subpar season at North Carolina in 2025. Lopez completed 16 of 27 passes for 225 yards and a TD against Purdue.
However, Wake Forest is vulnerable on defense. The Demon Deacons have surrendered 0.27 EPA/rush (117th in the country) and aren't efficient against the pass. That could be very costly when facing an electric offense like Miami's.
Miami vs. Wake Forest Spread, Over/Under – Friday, September 18
Miami enters Friday’s game as a 20.5-point favorite against Wake Forest, via PrizePicks.
Here are the full payouts for Miami vs. Wake Forest, including winner payouts, the spread, and the over/under.
Make your Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction on the spread on PrizePicks.
PrizePicks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Miami vs. Wake Forest Prediction on Over/Under – 9/18/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction on the over/under for the Friday, September 18 matchup.
- The over is 6-0 in Wake Forest’s last six contests and 4-0 in Miami’s last four games.
- Miami’s secondary will be without its top two CBs for this matchup. Xavier Lucas and Romanas Frederique Jr. are listed as out, and both are expected to miss several games.
- The Hurricanes have really thrived on third and fourth downs, posting a 72.7% late-down success rate.
- After recording an ACC-best 50 sacks in 2025, Miami has recorded just 3 sacks through its opening two games. To make matters worse, Lopez tends to extend plays with his legs.
- Wake Forest has averaged 38.0 points per game in 2026, with Lopez recording no turnovers and being sacked just twice.
Lock in your Miami vs. Wake Forest prediction on PrizePicks before kickoff.
Miami vs. Wake Forest Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 9/18/26
Here are the top Miami vs. Wake Forest picks to target on Friday, September 18. Today’s college football picks for PrizePicks include QB Darian Mensah and WR Carlos Hernandez.
Miami QB Darian Mensah vs. Wake Forest: 291.5 Pass Yards
- Mensah completed 14 of 15 passes for 252 yards and 3 TDs in just two quarters against Florida A&M. Wake Forest has surrendered the sixth-most passing yards per game (242.5) among ACC teams in 2026.
- The Hurricanes’ QB has thrown for 300+ passing yards in two of his last three games dating back to last season with the Duke Blue Devils.
- Mensah recorded the country’s 11th-best EPA per dropback (0.28) in 2025.
- Wake Forest surrenders 0.25 EPA per pass play, which ranks 83rd in the nation.
Add Darian Mensah + Miami to cover the spread to your PrizePicks lineup now.
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Wake Forest WR Carlos Hernandez vs. Miami: 64.5 Rec Yards
- Hernandez ranks ninth nationally in receiving yards (253) and sixth in the ACC in yards per reception (23.0).
- The electric Demons Deacons WR has registered at least 88 receiving yards in each of his two games in 2026.
- With Lucas and Frederique out, Hernandez could line up against CB Bryce Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has traditionally played inside, logging significant snaps at both slot corner and FS.
- Hernandez has eclipsed 65 receiving yards in six consecutive games dating back to the 2025 campaign.
Add Carlos Hernandez + Wake Forest to win to your PrizePicks lineup now.
Make Miami vs. Wake Forest Picks on PrizePicks
Miami has looked like a juggernaut but hasn’t really been tested much. Now, the Hurricanes will face their toughest opponent to date when they open ACC play against the Demon Deacons on Friday night.
Don’t wait until kickoff — make your Miami vs. Wake Forest picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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