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Miami alumni club brings South Florida to North Carolina

Wake Forest plays host to Miami in an ACC football game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at BB&T Field.

It's a key game for the Demon Deacons, who have scored just two touchdowns in their last 10 quarters despite running an offense led by senior Riley Skinner, who is probably the best quarterback in Wake Forest's history.

But not everyone in Winston-Salem will be cheering for Skinner. A decent contingent of local folks will be rooting for sophomore Jacory Harris and resurgent Miami.

The University of Miami Alumni & Fan Club of the Triad got started in August, and the club's Allyson Lugo said they're reaching out to more than 1,100 Miami alumni (plus plain ol' fans of The U) here in the Piedmont Triad. So far, Lugo said, the club is up to 45 core members and growing with each Miami victory.

The Miami club has held game-watch parties at Buffalo Wings & Rings off of New Garden Road in Greensboro, usually drawing between 20 and 30 members to watch the Hurricanes on the big-screen TV. In addition, 16 club members made the trip to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech game Sept. 26.

"We had a great time tailgating at Virginia Tech, and we actually met up with the Charlotte Alumni and Fan Club there and had one large tailgate," Lugo said. "It rained during our tailgating, but we still had a great time. Even though we lost the game it was a great event for our group members to get to know each other and support our team."

The group will gather at Wake Forest on Saturday, Lugo said, and they'll go to Chapel Hill for the North Carolina game Nov. 14.

Lugo said the club has drawn interest from links on the university's Web site as well as flyers placed at The ACC Conference Store. They also have a Facebook page.

Anyone interested in joining the club can e-mail Lugo at nctriadcanes@gmail.com or look for the group on Facebook.

-- JEFF MILLS, Staff Writer