# Wake Forest Faces Miami in Big 2026 Test

> Wake Forest's 2026 season starts with a major challenge against No. 5 Miami.
- Title: Wake Forest Faces Miami in Big 2026 Test | Shortify
- Summary: Wake Forest's 2026 season starts with a major challenge against No. 5 Miami. Wake Forest must overcome Miami's strong start to secure a win in their biggest…
- Keywords: wake forest, miami hurricanes, college football, wake forest demon deacons, miami, 2026, college football playoff, acc, darian mensah, malachi toney, mark fletcher, ahmad moten
- Source: Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI — https://si.com/college/wake-forest/football/wake-forest-welcomes-no-5-miami-for-biggest-test-of-2026-01m2kepsv4ec
- Published: 2026-09-16T15:51:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: wake forest, miami hurricanes, college football, wake forest demon deacons, miami, 2026, college football playoff, acc, darian mensah, malachi toney, mark fletcher, ahmad moten
## Wake Forest Starts Strong
Wake Forest began the 2026 season by smoking Akron at home before winning an overtime game against Purdue on the road.
## Miami's Dominant Start
Miami Hurricanes are 2-0 with a 77-7 demolition of Florida A&M after dismantling Stanford.
## Wake Forest Underdogs
Wake Forest enters this game as the underdog with a considerable talent gap against Miami's national championship aspirations.
## Miami Players to Watch
Darian Mensah, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, leads Miami's offense after transferring from Duke.
## Toney's Impact
Malachi Toney caught 109 passes for 1,211 yards as a freshman and opened 2026 with three touchdowns.
## Wake Forest's Edge
Wake Forest has a home advantage in Winston-Salem with a crowd that could make Miami's first road test uncomfortable.
## Miami's Advantage
Miami possesses the superior roster and has spent its first two games looking like a national championship contender.
## Wake Forest's Challenge
Wake Forest needs a strong fourth-quarter performance to give itself a chance against Miami.
## What Happens Next
Wake Forest hopes for a repeat of Friday night's unexpected outcomes to secure a win.
## Key takeaway

Wake Forest must overcome Miami's strong start to secure a win in their biggest 2026 test.