No. 5 Miami visits Wake Forest on Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the standalone Friday night game and the ACC opener for both teams. Miami is unbeaten and has not been challenged; Wake Forest is coming off the best win on its schedule.
Odds and Spread
Betting lines for this game are not posted yet. This table fills in automatically once books release them.
Miami is a clear road favorite, though Friday night games in small ACC stadiums have a long history of being closer than the number suggests. Wake Forest has already beaten a Big Ten team at home this season. Check your book before kickoff.
Start Time, TV Channel and How to Watch
| Date | Friday, September 18, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
| Streaming | ESPN app and ESPN Unlimited with a TV provider login, or Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Sling Orange |
| Rankings | Miami No. 5 in the AP Top 25, Wake Forest unranked |
| Stadium | Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
How Both Teams Got Here
Miami is 2-0 and has won by a combined 116-13. The Hurricanes beat Stanford 45-6 in Week 1 and Florida A&M 77-7 on a Thursday night in Week 2, with Darian Mensah, the Duke transfer, running the offense.
Wake Forest is 2-0 as well and the résumé is better than the record suggests. The Demon Deacons beat Akron 38-16 to open and then beat Purdue 38-36 in Week 2, a one possession win over a Big Ten opponent that says more about this team than either Miami result says about the Hurricanes.
What to Watch
Miami has not faced a competent defense yet. Stanford and Florida A&M do not test anyone, and the 77 point game in particular tells us nothing about how Mensah handles pressure. Wake Forest’s win over Purdue came in a shootout, so the Deacons will score; the question is whether they can get enough stops to stay in it.
The Friday night slot matters more than people think. Wake Forest’s stadium is small and loud, the crowd will be at capacity for a top five visitor, and Miami is on a short week after playing Thursday two weeks ago and then having a longer gap. This is the first road environment of the Hurricanes’ season.
Related
Darian Mensah · Miami football schedule · ACC standings · AP Top 25 · College football scores
The Bottom Line
No. 5 Miami at Wake Forest kicks off Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Winston-Salem. Miami has outscored two overmatched opponents 116-13; Wake Forest has a Big Ten scalp and the louder building. The live odds table above updates automatically.