Visiting Wake Forest stood toe-to-toe with 11th ranked Miami for three and half quarters, but it wasn't nearly enough.
The Hurricanes took control midway through the fourth quarter in a 42-14 win on Saturday afternoon.
Quarterback Cam Ward scored from 1 yard out for the Hurricanes to finally put the Demon Deacons aways with under eight minutes to go. Ward's touchdown along with a two-point conversation made it 28-14.
The Hurricanes (10-1) scored 22 points in the final eight minutes to turn it into a rout.
The Demon Deacons (4-7) had 193 yards of offense but gave up just over 500 yards.
Coach Dave Clawson said being able to keep it close until the fourth quarter was something that played into his team's hands.
"If you would have told me we'd be done six at the half and in a one-score game in the fourth quarter I would have taken it," Clawson said. "But you're only going to hold the down so long. They have elite skill at quarterback and at tailback and at wide receiver."
Safety Nick Andersen said with an offense as talented as the Hurricanes, there's a lot to worry about.
"They've got good players all over the place so you couldn't just focus on stopping the run or stopping the pass," Andersen said. "That's why they are so difficult to defend."
Quarterback Hank Bachmeier of the Demon Deacons was just 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards with the one touchdown pass and the pick-six interception.
"It's just a lack of execution and I have to do a better job," Bachmeier said. "It's really frustrating because we had opportunities to close the gap and finish the game. Our defense did a phenomenal job, and I have to do a better job."
On their next possession the Hurricanes scored again on an 18-yard touchdown run from Jordan Lyle to make it 35-14 with 6:24 to play.
Later in the game Ward hit Jacolby George for a touchdown and a 42-14 lead.
The Hurricanes scored first, late in the first quarter when Ward hit George for a 13-yard touchdown.
On the Demon Deacons next possession, however, Bachmeier hit Micah Mayes for 36 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7 after Matthew Dennis converted the point-after at-tempt.
Andres Borregales made a 40-yard field goal for the Hurricanes later in the first quarter for a 10-7 lead.
Bachmeier then threw an interception that Mischael Powell turned into a 76-yard return for a touchdown to make it 17-7.
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On the ensuing kickoff Damond Claiborne scored thanks to a 100-yard return to cut the lead to 17-14 with 7:35 left in the half.
Late in the half the Hurricanes scored on a Borregales 25-yard field goal to make it 20-14.
Ward was 27 of 38 passing for 280 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Lyle had seven carries with 115 yards to pace the offense for the Hurricanes.
"Going into the half, we had them exactly where we wanted them and then we just didn't take advantage of opportunities in the third quarter when we had the ball at midfield," Clawson said about the missed chances. "With Miami and their offense, it's a matter of time. I thought our defense played really, really well."
Clawson said he felt like the Demon Deacons were doing enough to stay in the game and, once again, praised their effort.
"In the fourth quarter, when the dam broke, it broke," he said. "That's what good teams do. They're a good football team and certainly have a great chance of winning the ACC."
The Demon Deacons will close out their season on Saturday with a noon game at home against Duke.
Wake Forest 7 7 0 0 - 14
Miami 10 10 0 22 - 42
M - J. George 13 pass from Cam Ward (A. Borregales kick)
W - M. Mays 36 pass from Hank Bachmeier (M. Dennis kick
M - A. Borregales 40 field goal
M - M. Powell 76 interception return (Borregales kick)
W - Demond Claiborne 100 yard kickoff return (Dennis kick)
M - Borregales 25 field goal
M - Ward 1 run (Arroyo pass from Ward)
M - J. Lyle 18 run (Borregales kick)
M - George 15 pass from Ward (Borregales kick)
A - 64,210
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