Quarterback Darian Mensah set Atlantic Coast Conference records with a dazzling start, connecting on his first 24 passes and totaling 35 consecutive completions over multiple games, leading the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes to a 33-20 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Friday night at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Darian Mensah Sets ACC Records in Miami’s 33-20 Victory Over Wake Forest
Mensah finished the night completing 30 of 34 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, guiding Miami to a 3-0 overall record and a 2-0 mark in conference play. His 24 consecutive completions to start the game broke the previous ACC single-game record of 18, which had been held jointly by three players, according to NC Football News. Furthermore, when factoring in completions from the previous week’s game against Florida A&M, Mensah extended his streak to 35 straight completions, eclipsing the multi-game ACC mark of 30 set by North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky in September 2016, as detailed by Arkansas Online.
Early Dominance and Record-Breaking Connection
Miami asserted control early in the contest, building a 24-7 halftime advantage before extending it to 31-7 midway through the third quarter. Mensah’s scoring tosses included a 9-yard strike to Joshua Moore on the game’s opening possession, a 21-yard throw back to the left side to Elija Lofton, and a short touchdown pass to standout sophomore receiver Malachi Toney. Toney finished the game with 114 yards on 12 receptions.
Despite the hot start, the Hurricanes faced adversity when injuries began to mount. Running back CharMar Brown suffered a knee injury in the second quarter, and teammate Mark Fletcher was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game with an upper-body injury, leaving Miami depleted at the position. Receiver Malachi Toney also had his repetitions managed after halftime due to a minor injury.
Wake Forest Rally and Late Defensive Stops
Trailing comfortably, the Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1 ACC) mounted a furious comeback in the second half. Quarterback Gio Lopez finished the night completing 29 of 46 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Lopez connected with Kamrean Johnson for a 10-yard score, Jack Foley for a 23-yard touchdown, and Carlos Hernandez for a 17-yard strike to cap off 75- and 63-yard touchdown drives that trimmed Miami’s lead to 31-20 with 14:56 left in the fourth quarter.
Securing the Conference Road Win
After scoring 31 points through the first three quarters, Miami’s offense went cold in the final period, managing just 13 yards of total offense and three punts. The defensive unit was forced to step up to preserve the victory, coming up with four straight fourth-quarter stops.
After the safety pushed the score to 33-20, Miami’s defense turned Wake Forest away on downs near the 14-yard line and later near midfield. With 2:24 remaining in the game, defensive back Ethan O’Connor intercepted a pass from Gio Lopez in the red zone to officially dash any hopes of a late Wake Forest comeback.
Head coach Mario Cristobal addressed the sloppy finish in his postgame remarks on SportsCenter, noting that while the team has areas to clean up, finding a way to win on the road in the conference is paramount.
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