Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a TD as No. 8 Miami defeated visiting Wake Forest 42-14 in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.
Miami (10-1, 6-1) can clinch a berth in the ACC championship game against No. 13 SMU by beating host Syracuse next Saturday.
Ward completed 27 of 38 passes as the Hurricanes totaled 508 offensive yards and improved to 6-0 at home. Ward also threw for a two-point conversion and was intercepted once.
Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5) was led by Demond Claiborne, who had 176 all-purpose yards. His biggest play was a 100-yard kickoff return for a score.
However, Claiborne lost a fumble on a fourth-quarter kickoff return.
The Demon Deacons have allowed 30 or more points eight times this season, and they are 1-7 in those games.
Miami entered the game leading the nation in scoring (45.0) and was favored by 23 1/2 points. But Miami didn’t blow the game open until a 22-point fourth quarter.
The Hurricanes led 10-7 after one quarter and 20-14 at halftime. There was no scoring in the third.
Miami scored on the game’s opening possession as Ward passed 13 yards to Jacolby George. That capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive.
Wake tied the score on its first drive as Hank Bachmeier tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Micah Mays Jr. On the TD, Miami let Mays run free, mistakenly thinking they had zone coverage on a crossing pattern.
Miami took a 10-7 lead to close the first quarter as Andres Borregales nailed a 40-yard field goal. Miami had a TD called back on that drive due to offensive pass interference on George.
With 7:50 left in the second quarter, Wake Forest was in Miami territory when safety Mishael Powell blitzed, jumped and intercepted a Bachmeier pass, returning it 76 yards for a TD.
On the next play, Wake Forest closed its deficit to 17-14 on the kickoff return by Claiborne, who made one great fake and darted to his left, outrunning Miami.
The Hurricanes, on the last scrimmage play of the first half, got a 25-yard field by Borregales.
Wake Forest’s defense created an opportunity in the third as Xavier Restrepo fumbled and the ball was recovered by Branson Combs at Miami’s 33. However, Wake Forest was driven back and punted on fourth-and-33.
With 7:58 left in the fourth, Ward scored on a 1-yard QB sneak. Ward then tossed to Elijah Arroyo for a two-point conversion and a 28-14 lead.
After Claiborne’s fumble, Miami freshman Jordan Lyle ran for an 18-yard touchdown.
Lyle, who didn’t play until the fourth quarter, finished with a game-high 115 rushing yards on just seven carries.
–Field Level Media
