Wake Forest knew it wouldn’t be able to keep Miami’s offense quiet for long. Sadly for them, they were right.
Cam Ward threw for 280 yards and connected on two touchdown passes to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day. Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown, and No. 11 Miami pulled away with 22 points in the fourth quarter to beat Wake Forest 42-14 on Saturday.
The Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 College Football Playoff) can secure a spot in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. No. 13 SMU secured the other spot by defeating Virginia 33-7 on Saturday.
“We still have nothing to lose,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, Miami was a mid-team last year. We’re better than they were last year. We have nothing to lose. It’s good to control your destiny another week, but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t win.”
Ward completed 27 of 38 passes and ran for a touchdown. He broke two Miami single-season records that had stood for 40 years, both previously held by Bernie Kosar — most passing yards and most completions in a season.
Ward now has 3,774 yards and 268 completions this season. Kosar had 3,642 yards on 262 completions in 1984.
Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5). Claiborne also rushed for 62 yards, and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Wake Forest was only down 20-14 going into the fourth quarter, but then Miami took control.
“With Miami and their offense, it’s a matter of time,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “I thought our defense played really, really well — but in the fourth quarter, when the dam broke, it broke. And that’s what good teams do.”
The game was more evenly matched than it seemed at first. Miami marched 84 yards on their first possession, with Ward going 6 for 6 on the drive and ending it with a 13-yard touchdown pass to George. Wake Forest responded with a 75-yard drive, with Bachmeier connecting with Micah Mays Jr. for a 36-yard touchdown to tie the game.
Neither team scored again until the fourth quarter. Wake Forest gained just 118 yards on 50 plays (2.4 yards per play) after their opening drive that averaged nearly 11 yards per play.
“The story of the game was the defense, without a doubt,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “After that first series, the busted coverage, that’s what Miami Hurricane defense should look like.”
Powell’s interception return for a touchdown gave Miami a 17-7 lead in the second quarter. However, the 10-point lead lasted only 15 seconds, as Claiborne ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown to bring Wake Forest within 17-14.
Ward rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 7:58 left, and after Wake Forest fumbled the next kickoff, Jordan Lyle scored on an 18-yard run to make it 35-14. Lyle finished with a game-high 115 rushing yards, and George scored again with 1:53 remaining.
