The eighth-ranked Miami Hurricanes are guaranteed to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference title game if they win their final two regular-season games.
They start the challenge Saturday afternoon when Miami (9-1, 5-1) hosts Wake Forest (4-6, 2-4) in an ACC matchup.
Miami is powered by senior quarterback Cam Ward, who leads the nation in passing yards (3,494) and passing touchdowns (32).
The Hurricanes are coming off a 28-23 loss at Georgia Tech on Nov. 9, and then a bye week.
Miami is 5-0 at home this season, but Wake Forest, despite its overall struggles, is 3-1 on the road.
The Hurricanes, who lead the nation in scoring with an average of 45 points per game, haven’t been as good on defense (57th at 23.1 ppg), and Miami coach Mario Cristobal said this week that he knows the problem.
“When you say tackling and getting off blocks, it’s about alignment,” he said. “If you are not in the correct position, you eat it as a team.”
Miami could get some help on Saturday from a pair of starter-level defensive players who appear likely to return from injury: cornerback Damari Brown and defensive lineman Elijah Alston.
Brown, at 6-foot-2, is a shutdown-type corner but hasn’t played since Miami’s opener on Aug. 31. Alston, a fifth-year senior, has 12 career sacks.
Both players have been medically cleared and are practicing. Cristobal said he expects them to play this week or next.
Wake Forest, meanwhile, has allowed 30 or more points seven times this season and is 1-6 in those games.
The Deacons also are 3-3 in games decided by one score.
It remains to be seen if Wake Forest can stop Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (934 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns) or Miami’s 1-2 running back punch of Damien Martinez (676 rushing yards, eight TDs) and Mark Fletcher Jr. (444s, six).
Restrepo on Saturday could reach 1,000 yards for the second straight season. And Miami’s running game is a concern for Wake Forest after the Demon Deacons allowed Omarion Hampton to rush for 244 yards last week in a 31-24 loss at North Carolina.
To stop Restrepo, Ward and the rest, Wake Forest’s best defense might be its offense.
For example, running back Demond Claiborne has the ability to help the Demon Deacons chew the clock. He ranks fifth in the ACC with 919 rushing yards and tied for fourth with 11 rushing TDs.
Another Wake Forest weapon, Taylor Morin, ranks seven in the league in receiving yards (676 yards).
Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier didn’t finish the North Carolina game due to an injured left shoulder. But Bachmeier – who has 14 TD passes and nine interceptions this season — is expected to play Saturday.
Overall, Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson indicated his team is capable of scoring a huge upset over Miami, which will finish the regular season at Syracuse on Nov. 30.
“As opposed to last year, we go into every game feeling we have a chance,” Clawson said. “We are capable of moving the ball and scoring points. We have flashes of playing well, but we haven’t yet sustained a 60-minute complete game.”
