For the 2nd week in a row, Miami fans get a Saturday without waiting for the Hurricanes to kick off.
The Canes have already done their Week 2 work.
Miami are 2-0 after Thursday night’s 77-7 demolition of Florida A&M, and attention can now turn towards the next job.
Wake Forest.
Miami get a fresh look at their next opponent
Wake Forest’s trip to Purdue gives Miami another useful look at the team waiting for them next Friday.
Wake Forest have now given Miami even more to study after edging Purdue 38-36 in double overtime, moving to 2-0 ahead of Friday night’s meeting with the Hurricanes.
The Demon Deacons opened the season with a 38-16 win over Akron, with quarterback Gio Lopez throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
That immediately makes him one of the main names Miami’s defence will be preparing for.
Wake Forest should also provide a much more meaningful examination than FAMU.
Miami’s first two opponents have combined for only 13 points, and neither Stanford nor FAMU managed an offensive touchdown.
The trip to Winston-Salem should tell us a little more.
FAMU gave Miami’s depth something useful
There is little point running through the 77-7 scoreline again.
The more useful takeaway from Thursday is what happened after the starters had finished their work.
Luke Nickel completed all eight of his passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
Javian Mallory ran for 142 yards and two scores.
Young receivers and defenders got genuine game snaps.
That is exactly what Miami needed from a game like FAMU.
The tougher part now is keeping those younger players involved when the margins become smaller.
Miami’s depth is going to matter over a full ACC schedule, particularly with injuries already testing parts of the secondary.
The next test starts now
Miami have been brilliant through two games.
Mensah has been almost impossibly efficient.
The run game answered its Week 1 questions against FAMU.
And the defence still has not allowed an offensive touchdown.
Wake Forest is where the conversation starts to become a little more interesting.
Can Miami’s balance travel?
Can the secondary handle a quarterback willing to attack downfield?
Can the defence finally create a turnover?
And can the Hurricanes maintain the same ruthless approach once the opposition becomes more competitive?
Those are much better questions to be asking at 2-0.
The Last Word from Across the Pond
This is one of those quieter days where Miami’s most relevant story is happening somewhere else.
The Hurricanes have already taken care of Week 2.
Now the focus shifts towards Wake Forest and another ACC road game.
Miami’s opening two performances have been spectacular, but Friday night in Winston-Salem is the next proper checkpoint.
For now, the Canes can watch, prepare and enjoy a rare Saturday off.
We will be seeing the Demon Deacons soon enough.
Leave a Reply