No. 3 Miami needed every ugly ounce of this one.
On a wet, muggy night in Miami Gardens, with rain falling through kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes outlasted Florida State 43-35 in a double-overtime grinder that turned into a full-on survival test. The rivalry had all the usual heat, but the weather and the sloppiness made it even messier than expected.
The first half was the kind of stretch that can bury a team if it doesn’t settle in fast. Miami hurt itself with penalties and kept giving Florida State short fields, while Mike Norvell’s team also left points on the table with its approach. Still, the Seminoles managed to head into halftime tied 14-14 after a choppy opening 30 minutes.
Darian Mensah had moments that looked like the start of a Heisman-type night, but the offense never got fully clean. The ball moved in fits and starts, and Miami’s first half landed in the wrong place almost immediately.
Florida State pushed ahead and carried a 21-14 lead into the fourth quarter, which only sharpened the pressure on Miami. The Hurricanes also had to fight through self-inflicted problems on offense, including failed fourth-down tries and repeated runs to the weak side that Florida State stuffed.
Then Miami finally found a rhythm.
A creative drive got the Hurricanes back into it, starting with a completion to Malachi Toney, followed by a run from Javian Mallory, then a jet sweep to Toney before Mallory finished it off for the tying score. That was followed by the kind of defensive snap Miami desperately needed, and Ethan O’Connor delivered it with a forced fumble and recovery.
From there, Miami put together what turned into the drive of the game. Mensah, who had been uneven all night, hit a third-and-long throw to keep the series alive. The Hurricanes leaned back on the run with Jordan Lyle and then finished the possession with a pass to Elija Lofton for a touchdown with 2:49 left.
That made it 28-21, but Florida State wasn’t done. In one play, Duce Robinson and Ashton Daniels connected for a 75-yard touchdown over Xavier Lucas to pull the Seminoles right back into it.
The finish didn’t come easily after that, either. The game went to overtime, where Florida State had the ball first and marched down the field to get inside the end zone on the opening possession of the extra period.
Miami still found a way to survive. The Hurricanes escaped with the win, and now they head home to face Pitt in the first afternoon game of the year.
In Other News...
ACC Coach Chuck Amato Remembered For The Legacy He Left Behind
Chuck Amato, whose coaching journey included a meaningful stop at Florida State before he became the head coach at NC State, has died at 80, closing the book on a career that stretched across several programs and decades. Amato spent seven seasons leading the Wolfpack from 2000 to 2006, guiding them to a 49-37 record, four bowl victories and a school-record 11-win season in 2002, all while building on the reputation he had already established as a longtime college football coach.
For Florida State fans, Amatos name carries the kind of familiar weight that comes from being part of the sports coaching fabric long before he ever took charge elsewhere. His path also included a stint at Akron, and he retired in 2018 after leaving behind a broad footprint in the game, one now being remembered for the stability, success and longevity he brought wherever he worked. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Backfield Suddenly Has One Huge Job Before Clemson
Florida States running back depth took a major hit this week, leaving Quintrevion Wisner and Amari Thomas as the only healthy backs in the room after Ousmane Kromahs season-ending injury. It is the kind of turn that immediately changes how a staff has to plan a week, especially with Clemson looming and the Seminoles trying to steady themselves after a rough stretch.
Mike Norvell said he remains confident in where the program is headed, even with the recent setbacks piling up around the roster. The day also brought sad news off the field, with former FSU assistant and NC State head coach Chuck Amato dying at 80 after battling throat cancer, a reminder of how tightly connected the sports present-day urgency can be to its past. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Exposed A Miami Problem Other Teams Will Notice
Miamis double-overtime win over Florida State came with a clear warning sign attached. Darian Mensah spent much of the night under duress, as the Hurricanes allowed 14 quarterback pressures, their most since Sept. 27, 2024, and the Seminoles kept finding ways to disrupt the pocket with stunts and twists that tested the protection from the edges inward.
Samson Okunlola and Matt McCoy had a difficult time sorting out those looks, and coach Mario Cristobal pointed to Florida States twisting maneuvers as the source of some of the breakdowns. Center Ryan Rodriguez said the answer has to come from sharper recognition and better technique, because if Miami keeps leaving that kind of pressure on its quarterback, other defenses will notice the film and come after the same weak spots. [Read more 🡒]