Canes Corner: Miami Rises to No. 1 in AP and USA Today Coaches Polls

Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC) was not at their best against Florida State (3-4, 1-3) at Hard Rock Stadium last Saturday night but were able to eke out a 43-35 (2 OT) win in front of a rare sellout crowd of 66,790. With No. 1 Georgia falling 27-24 to Auburn and No. 2 Notre Dame dropping a hard-fought 28-24 battle at BYU, the Hurricanes were atop the AP Poll for the first time since December 8, 2002.

UM-FSU meetings are referred to as “rivalry games.” Their matchups are always contentious “turf wars” with fierce and cutthroat competition. Miami was considered the better team going in by most pundits but Florida State went toe-to-toe with the Hurricanes while showing no fear as the Seminoles traded blows with the favorites on every one of the 142 plays from scrimmage.

FSU took the opening kickoff but could not cross midfield and punted. Miami took over on their own 14 and drove 86 yards in 11 plays with a 7-yard rush by Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. putting UM up 7-0.

The Noles drove 73 yards on 10 plays with their second possession, but on fourth-and-2 from the Miami 3, passed up a shot at an easy field goal and were stopped. Miami then went three-and-out, punted, and FSU took over at their own 47.

The Noles drove 53 yards in 3:01 that spanned the first and second quarters with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Ashton Daniels to Desimone Riles knotting the score.

The teams traded punts on their next possessions before Miami drove 80 yards on six plays with a Darian Mensah 14-yard TD connection with Malachi Toney giving the Canes a 14-7 advantage.

FSU didn't flinch. The Noles drove 60 yards to the Miami 5 and with fourth-and-3 at the UM 5, again passed up an easy field goal and were stopped.

Miami could not move the ball and punted to the UM 45, but two 15-yard personal fouls against Miami, a face mask during the play and a personal foul after the whistle, gave FSU a first-and-10 on the Miami 15.

Three plays later, Daniels ran it in from the 2 and it was 14-14 at halftime.

Miami took the second-half kickoff and drove 44 yards to the Florida State 30 before Mensah tossed his first interception of the season.

An FSU punt was followed by a UM turnover on downs at the FSU 42. The Seminoles promptly drove 58 yards in four plays over 1:36 and took a 21-14 lead on a 28-yard Daniels-to-Quintrevion Wisner TD pass with 4:09 left in the third quarter.

The Canes drove 57 yards to the FSU 18 on a possession that went into the fourth quarter but were stopped on fourth-and-1.

The lads from Tallahassee had the ball and the lead at their 28, but could only manage 20 yards and punted to the UM 28.

Four plays and 72 yards later it was tied at 21. Mensah to Toney for 35, a 4-yard rush by Javian Mallory, a 30-yard Toney run and a 3-yard TD run by Mallory in 1:58 brought Miami even.

On FSU's second play of the ensuing possession, Wisner fumbled and Miami CB Xavier Lucas recovered at the UM 39. There was 8:57 remaining.

Facing a third-and-10, Mensah hit freshman WR Daylyn Upshaw for 15 yards and a first down. Mallory ran 14 to the 32, Toney took a pass to the 21, and three Jordan Lyle runs led to a third-and-goal at the 3.

A Mensah 3-yard TD pass to TE Elija Lofton put Miami up 28-21 with 2:49 remaining.

Ten seconds later, it was 28-28 when, after a touchback on the kickoff, Daniels hit WR Duce Robertson with a 75-yard pass for the score with 2:39 left.

Miami punted after four plays and 2:04, and FSU took a knee to run out the clock.

Overtime was upon us. Teams take turns trying to score from 25 yards out until one team does better than the other (it gets more complicated than that on the third possessions but thankfully that doesn't apply here).

OT 1 — FSU up first. On third-and-5, Daniels hit Robertson with a pass for 20 yards and a TD. The extra point put the Noles up 35-28 and Miami's backs to the wall.

An incompletion on first down was followed by a 25-yard TD run by Mallory and, with the extra point, it was time to try again.

OT 2 — This is the one the world is arguing about now and some of your grandparents will argue for a few decades and your grandchildren many years after that. (Note: This only applies to those who've chosen to read this far.)

In the second OT, Miami went first. Mensah to Upshaw for 20 on first down. Mensah to Toney for a 3-yard TD two plays later.

In the weird and wonderful world of NCAA Football overtime rules, on your second possession you must try for a two-point conversion after a touchdown.

Toney lined up wide left and went into pre-snap motion to the right. Mensah handed the ball to Toney, who continued heading right, then threw and completed a pass to WR Cooper Barkate.

Miami had a 43-35 lead and FSU was on the spot.

On first-and-10, Daniels was sacked by Miami DB Omar Thornton. Second-and-16 — incomplete. Third-and-16 — false start penalty. Third-and-21 — a 36-yard TD pass from Daniels to Micahi Danzy was nullified by a holding penalty on an offensive lineman.

This is the play that will be argued about most. I was at the game and saw the play, watched a recording on TV and saw opinions on sports shows, but all I've seen only shows the offensive linemen from behind with no clear view of his arms, so no opinion here.

On fourth-and-31 from the UM 46, Daniels dropped back evading rushers and threw a 60-plus-yard Hail Mary into the end zone that both FSU's Robertson and UM's safety Bryce Fitzgerald had two hands on.

Fitzgerald fell backwards and cradled the ball on his stomach while apparently Robertson still had his hands touching the ball. The referees huddled then ruled that Fitzgerald intercepted the ball.

The play was subject to automatic review and somewhere far away the suits agreed with the zebras and Miami was ruled the winner.

The News Leader always tries to applaud locals who excel in games we cover. 2022 Homestead Senior High graduate Daniel Lyons plays on the FSU defensive line.

Lyons had eight combined tackles for the Seminoles and we hope he will hold his head high, even after the devastating loss that surely could have gone either way.

Malachi Toney was named the Paul Hornung Award National Player of the Week after his 11 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns, two rushes for 31 yards and two-point conversion pass in overtime.

Javian Mallory was named ACC Freshman of the Week after his 13 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns against FSU.

I'm running long here so no quotes.

Next up is a noon kickoff against the Pitt Panthers on Saturday, October 24, at Hard Rock. On October 31, Miami is at North Carolina and on Nov. 7 at Notre Dame.

MEN'S BASKETBALL — Friday, October 23, 6 p.m. at the on-campus Watsco Center against Vanderbilt. Free admission. Free parking at the Watsco Center lots. $2 hot dogs and much, much more.

VOLLEYBALL — Friday at 6 p.m. vs. Notre Dame and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. vs. Louisville.

SOCCER — Friday at 8 p.m. vs. Boston College.

SWIMMING AND DIVING — Saturday, October 24, at noon and Sunday, October 25, time to be determined.

Come on down and bring the family.

All the above free events are on campus.

That's it for now. Be well all and Go Canes!