Darian Mensah completed 30 of 34 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 5 Miami Hurricanes to a 33-20 road win over Wake Forest on Friday night at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Mensah’s record-setting accuracy set the tone on offense for the Hurricanes (3-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), and Miami’s defense did the rest by holding off a late comeback attempt by the Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1 ACC). It was Miami coach Mario Cristobal’s 100th career win.
Mensah completed his first 24 passes before throwing his first incompletion with 3:18 left in the third quarter.
The streak was the second-most consecutive completions in an FBS game behind East Carolina’s Dominique Davis’ record of 26 in a row in 2011. Mensah’s 35 consecutive completions over multiple games is also the second most in an FBS game behind Davis’ record 36 in a row.
Mensah broke the Hurricanes record of 24 consecutive completions previously set last season by Carson Beck, and most consecutive completed passes in a single game (15) also held by Beck. Mensah also broke the ACC single-game record for consecutive completions to begin a game (19) and the conference record for most consecutive completions over multiple games (30).
Trailing 31-7, Wake Forest trimmed Miami’s lead when quarterback Gio Lopez connected with Jack Foley for a 23-yard touchdown pass. After forcing a punt, Lopez hit Carlos Hernandez in the corner of the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 31-20.
Lopez completed 29 of 46 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Miami’s defense broke up the momentum with its pass rush. As the Hurricanes pressured Lopez in his own end zone, Deacons tackle Tolu Olajide was called for holding in the end zone resulting in a safety.
Wake Forest drove into the red zone on its ensuing drive before Miami stopped the Deacons on downs on two consecutive possessions. On a third advance into Hurricanes’ territory, Ethan O’Connor intercepted Lopez at Miami’s 4-yard line with 2:24 left in the fourth.
Malachi Toney caught 12 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, but caught 10 of those passes for 111 yards in the first half. Mark Fletcher Jr. ran for 85 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Foley caught six passes for 118 yards and Hernandez had 10 catches for 69 yards for Wake Forest.
