Miami Opens Conference Play with a Win Over Florida State

The Miami Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 ACC) claimed the mythical Florida State Championship with a 28-22 win over the Seminoles (3-2, 0-2) at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee last Saturday night.

Florida State took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards in 11 plays, opening the scoring with a 23-yard field goal. After the teams traded punts on their next drives, the Canes took control all the way through the end of the third quarter.

In Monday’s weekly media conference, Mario Cristobal put it this way: “I would say three quarters of dominant football, and one quarter that wasn’t up to the standard.”

On Miami’s next possession, quarterback Carson Beck led a nine-play, 79-yard drive capped with a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver CJ Daniels. The Seminoles managed 34 yards on 10 plays on their next possession, but with 4th and 8 from the Miami 28, FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos was intercepted by defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, who returned it to the FSU 44. Eleven seconds later, it was 14-3 after Beck connected with wide receiver Malachi Toney for a 44-yard touchdown.

The Noles managed just 31 yards and punted back to the Canes’ 14, then held Miami to a three-and-out. FSU took over at midfield with 5:10 left in the half. Three seconds later, it was Miami’s ball at midfield. On 1st and 10, running back Ousmane Kromah rushed up the middle and Canes safety Zechariah Poyser knocked the ball out. Cornerback Keionte Scott recovered.

Miami had a Beck-to-Toney 52-yard touchdown called back for an illegal motion penalty on second down and was forced to punt with 3:13 remaining. FSU could not move the ball and punted. Miami had the ball on its own 8 with 0:45 left and let the halftime clock run out while taking a knee.

Miami took the second-half kickoff and played near-perfect football in the third quarter. On the first Cane possession, they mixed five runs and five completions for 75 yards in 5:51, finishing with a 3-yard Beck-to-Toney touchdown pass for a 21-3 advantage. On the fourth play of the Noles’ possession, Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas intercepted a Castellanos pass in the end zone.

Three completions and three rushes followed, and from the FSU 24, Beck connected with Daniels for another touchdown — 28-3 Miami. FSU punted on 4th and 16, and Miami ran out the third-quarter clock.

Here’s some third-quarter stats: points 14-0, yards 171-35, possession 11:41-3:19 — and Miami forced the only turnover. Total domination.

Cristobal saying that Miami’s fourth-quarter play was not up to standards was an understatement.

When Miami punted on its possession carried over from the third quarter, Miami’s Dylan Day was called for targeting and FSU took the ball at the UM 47. Castellanos took immediate advantage, driving FSU 47 yards on 10 plays in 2:56. The two-point try failed, but Miami was called for another penalty, and the second try succeeded. It was 28-11 with 10:04 remaining.

The Noles attempted an onside kick that failed, and Miami had the ball on the FSU 43. Two rushes for three yards and a holding penalty on third down led to a Miami punt. FSU took over on its own 4-yard line with 8:32 left.

Castellanos continued to amaze. In the 19-play, 96-yard drive, he converted a 4th and 5 from the FSU 34, another 4th and 5 from the Miami 35, and a 4th and 8 from the Miami 26. Two plays later, a Castellanos-to-Randy Pittman Jr. touchdown pass and a two-point conversion to Lawayne McCoy made it 28-19 with 3:22 remaining.

Miami recovered the onside kick at the FSU 39. The Canes made a first down and had a 4th and 8 at the 23. They passed up a shot at a field goal, threw an incompletion, and turned it over on downs with 1:10 left. On FSU’s 2nd and 10, Miami held a rush to three yards but was called for a personal foul, and the Noles had life.

Being down nine, FSU needed two scores and kicked a field goal with 0:23 remaining, hoping to recover their onside kick. They didn’t. Miami recovered, took a knee, and Hurricane Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief.

In Monday’s remarks to the media, Cristobal added, “That’s not the way we finish. Certainly something that our players immediately recognized after the game. Of course, they’re always fired up about a win up there, but there was a certain sense of, you know what, we’re better than that. We cannot allow ourselves as a program — me, as a coach — to not play the full 60 minutes and overtime if necessary. Can’t ever do that.”

The bottom line is, it might have been a little scary at the end, but the positives far outweigh that fourth quarter. Miami defeated a ranked conference rival on the road in a hostile environment. The Canes did not allow a sack. Miami forced and recovered a fumble, intercepted two passes, and did not turn the ball over. Miami is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll.

Here are some Miami individual achievements: cornerback Keionte Scott had 11 tackles and a sack; safety Zechariah Poyser forced a fumble and made eight stops; cornerback Bryce Fitzgerald and safety Jakobe Thomas each had an interception, and Thomas added a stop. It was freshman Fitzgerald’s third interception of the season, tying him for the most in Division I. Defensive end Akheem Mesidor added six tackles and a sack.

A number of players received national or conference player-of-the-week awards. Carson Beck was named ACC Quarterback of the Week. James Brockermeyer is ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, and Thomas was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week. Beck was also named one of the Davey O’Brien “Great 8” honorees and selected as Panini Bowl Offensive Player of the Week.

In last week’s edition of Canes Corner, it was noted that there were three keys to a road win at FSU: (1) winning the turnover battle — check; (2) keeping Castellanos from running outside — check, with kudos to defensive ends Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, who played 76 and 77 snaps respectively, unheard-of numbers for defensive linemen; (3) limiting penalties — can’t check that box. Thirteen penalties for 114 yards is unacceptable and the recipe for losing games that teams should win.

The Hurricanes are off again this weekend. On Friday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., Louisville comes to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in an ACC clash.

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