Five up, five down: Miami’s mixed showing in 33-20 win at Wake Forest

Miami beat Wake Forest 33-20 on the road, scoring early and often before a much quieter second half. The Canes jumped to a 31-7 lead in the third quarter but managed just nine points while Wake Forest scored 13 the rest of the way. The second-half offensive slowdown and defensive lapses — particularly in the secondary — were the main themes despite the win.

• Malachi Toney: Toney posted the highest PFF grade (87.5) and was the game's most productive receiver. He had 14 catches for 112 yards and was especially dominant in the first half before an injury late in that frame appeared to limit him. His early explosiveness was a major factor in Miami's fast start.

• Darian Mensah: Mensah earned a top grade (72.1) and showed accuracy and patience. He completed a 24-pass streak and frequently found the open receiver while Wake Forest took away the deep shot early. The offense's second-half regression limited how high his grade could climb.

• Bryce Fitzgerald and Matthew McCoy: Fitzgerald (78.8) delivered a critical pass breakup in the end zone late and allowed only one catch for zero yards on three targets. McCoy's line play was described as quiet — a good sign for an offensive lineman — with pass-block (70.0) and run-block (69.7) marks that indicate steady performance.

• Ethan O'Connor: O'Connor (82.3) started, tied for the team lead with eight tackles, posted a 43.1 passer rating against him, and recorded a late interception that helped close the game out.

• JJ Dunnigan: PFF's lowest grade for a Canes player (42.4) credited him with allowing four catches on five targets for 90 yards and an opposing passer rating of 118.8, producing a 35.1 coverage grade. The writer questioned whether that was fully accurate without re-watching who was responsible for Wake tight end Jack Foley's second-half success.

Miami's pass rush showed up, but the back end looked vulnerable at points — a combination of injuries and coverage breakdowns. Offensive efficiency fell in the second half despite early success moving the ball through the air. The grades used here are PFF-based and applied to players with at least 20 snaps, and the writer notes some disagreement between those grades and on-field impressions for a few players.