Florida State (3-4, 1-3 ACC ) fell below .500 on the season once more, losing to No. 3 Miami in a double-overtime heartbreaker to the Hurricanes.
The Seminoles led by seven in the fourth but couldn’t go ahead by more, allowing the Hurricanes to first tie and then take a lead late in the game, though a 75-yard connection from Ashton Daniels to Duce Robinson tied up the game once more.
After scoring first but allowing a Miami touchdown to send things to double OT, FSU failed to keep the game going on back-to-back Hail Mary fourth-down touchdown attempts, the first called back due to holding and the second ruled an interception.
What takeaways are there from the matchup? The Tomahawk Nation staff breaks it down below.
Should FSU have gone for it on either or both of its fourth-down attempts in the red zone?
- Matt Minnick: For the second week in a row Mike potentially cost FSU the game with his decision making. This team simply does not have the personnel at OL or QB to justify giving away points. I’m probably in the minority, but I would have kicked both field goals.
- Tony Morris: The first one sure, could set up some momentum and make Mike look tough. The second, ABSOLUTELY not, games like this, you have to take EVERY point you can get.
- NoleThruandThru: I would have taken the points and kicked both times, personally, especially with what we saw in Louisville last week. But if FSU kicks FGs in either or both of those situations, Miami doesn’t have to deal with horrible field position, so I’m ambivalent here and not sure that this was specifically what lost the game with those unknowns.
- Curt Weiler: We all thought in the moment you needed sevens not threes to win that game. Can’t hindsight it when the game ended up going to OT.
- Jacob Smith: I think I briefly mentioned this in last week’s Q&A, but if you can’t gain a few yards on a 4th down, you honestly don’t deserve the points/to win.
- FrankDNole: I would have kicked FG’s both times, although that does not mean FSU would have been up 6 points. It would not necessarily have resulted in the same outcome with an ensuing kickoff and difference in starting field position.
- Tim Scribble: No. Miami goes 3 and out on the first one inside the ten yard line and ultimately sets up FSU having to go 53 yards for their first touchdown. Second one, Miami three and out again in tight quarters instead of at the 25 after a kickoff and tons of space.
- Jon Marchant: Yes. You were 21 point underdogs. You’re trying to win the game (or you should be). Failing still put Miami in bad field position, which was advantageous, if risky with your defense.
- Perry Kostidakis: I know that the fact that either of them would have meant no overtime seems like it should be a yes, but considering the way the game unfolded, I still think they were the right calls. Miami’s poor field position flustered it all night on a soggy field and that allowed FSU to stay in it.
Who impressed you the most in the loss?
- Matt Minnick: Malachi Toney. Oh you meant for FSU? Umm…I guess the refs for how disciplined they were at ensuring the league’s preferred outcome was achieved.
- Tony Morris: Duce at the end, kept FSU in it.
- NoleThruandThru: Does Malachi Toney count? He has some Peter Warrick in him. In all seriousness, I’ll say Danzy simply for that incredible catch alone. His body control and high-pointing was textbook. I’m impressed that he has developed into a true WR and not just a fast guy with decent hands. Everyone is going to be talking about that last play but Danzy’s catch should’ve counted and was the more egregious of the two, IMO.
- Curt Weiler: The team’s resilience in the face of adversity impressed me. This team’s MO as recently as last week was to crumble once it stopped succeeding and adversity hit. To respond multiple times (and even score a TD twice in the second OT idk idk idk) in a hostile road atmosphere against a top-three opponent was surprising.
- Jacob Smith: Genuinely, Ashton Daniels showed TWICE that he can throw moon balls to perfection. I have to say, even though it’s likely going to be another middling season, his stock is certainly improving.
- FrankDNole: I guess Daniels once Kromah was injured on his circa Greg Jones probable season-ending run.
- Tim Scribble: Until the injury, Ousmane Kromah. He was running strong against a stout Miami defensive front. Credit to the offensive line as well, gave up just two sacks. Yeah, there were QB hurries but not all on them. FSU most likely puts up more yards on the ground if Ous doesn’t get hurt.
- Jon Marchant: Ousmane Kromah. He kept FSU’s offense steady and he plays with so much effort on every play down after down. The way the team reacted showed how important he is to them. My honorable mention here goes to Duce Robinson, who showed up big.
- Perry Kostidakis: Duce Robinson didn’t make much noise for most of the game, but when he did, it was massive. His 75-yard catch-and-run to tie the game late in the fourth was impressive on its own, but then he came up clutch once more in overtime and very nearly had some additional heroics in double-overtime.
How should the Seminoles’ offense function moving forward with the loss of Ousmane Kromah?
- Matt Minnick: Keep it simple. Quick throws and single reads.
- Tony Morris: Utilize the guy you dropped a bag on, give Tre Wisner touches and even Amari Thomas.
- NoleThruandThru: Everyone who’s been bashing the Wisner take was justified but will now need to change their tune. FSU’s best position unit has now become a serious concern, and the Seminoles may need to consider converting a younger WR into a RB for emergency situations. I hate it for Kromah. Injuries don’t discriminate but when they happen to someone who does things the right way and is a great ambassador for the program, it just sucks even more.
- Curt Weiler: Tre Wisner isn’t a bad option (even if he did have a costly fumble) but no Kromah and no Singleton is a tough situation to manage depth-wise. Maybe you can find more in your passing game? That aspect of the offense showed some signs late against a very good defense.
- Jacob Smith: It’s going to have to be on Wisner, I think. I feel awful for Kromah; I hope he gets well soon.
- FrankDNole: Wisner. I got nothing more than Amari.
- Tim Scribble: I think more simple/short routes. Rubs, crosses, quick and simple schemes. Let the short passing game prop the loss of Kromah and Singleton.
- Jon Marchant: Being down to your third-string back in Wisner is tough. They’ll either have to move someone to running back or use the passing game as an extension of the run game. One interesting thing Mike did at Memphis was motion a WR into the backfield into a split-back formation, where the WR sometimes took handoffs.
- Perry Kostidakis: It’s going to have to lean into what it did best against Virginia — quick reads with Ashton Daniels’ ground game factoring in way more. I thought Tre Wisner (outside of a crucial fumble) had a pretty nice game all things considered and am curious to see what it looks like when he’s holding down the running back room with true freshman Amari Thomas the only other back available.
Does this result change your thoughts on Mike Norvell’s future at Florida State?
- Matt Minnick: Hahahahaha. No.
- Tony Morris: No, it’s time to clean house and rebuild this program. Enough waiting around for something good to happen.
- NoleThruandThru: I mean, he still needs to be fired and the entire program needs to be gutted on- and off-field to start over. Nothing changes that. But tonight was probably the worst result that could have happened for those who want Mike fired immediately, which is likely everyone without the last name Norvell. It gives the people in charge more ammunition to make excuses to keep him around. I can’t ever bring myself to root against FSU but I also realize that a blowout loss tonight would have been better for the program in the long run.
- Curt Weiler: I think he may make it through this season? Rest of the schedule doesn’t look as daunting as it did a few months ago and the final bye week was the likely last in-season time to make the move. I don’t see that happening now. But long term? No.
- Jacob Smith: It’s so, so much more than Mike, so many different elements that are contributing to Norvell’s scorching-hot seat, but I can appreciate that he kept it close. The only people saying “Extend Norvell” are UF and UM fans, though.
- FrankDNole: Does yo mama?
- Tim Scribble: No, if anything it’s a microcosm of Norvell at Florida State— always a chance they can beat any team, always a chance they can lose to any team.
- Jon Marchant: Absolutely not.
- Perry Kostidakis: I think that it means he’ll finish out the year, given the schedule moving forward is much easier. How things look at the end of the season is still up in the air, but coming within two iffy calls of upsetting the No. 3 team in the country as a 21.5-point underdog feels like the kind of result the administration hoped would keep it from making a midseason switch (though being a 21.5-point underdog in year seven in the first place is why everybody is expecting one to come).
Address the officiating on the final two plays of the game in your best family-friendly language
- Matt Minnick: Anyone expecting a different outcome from this league is delusional.
- Tony Morris: Egregious, that holding call even shocked the Miami fanbase and took away what could’ve been a legendary play in program history.
- NoleThruandThru: Look, ever since the lawsuit happened, FSU will never be the beneficiary of crucial calls like that. Just facts. As I said before, the holding call on the Danzy touchdown was the more egregious of the two calls. I don’t know about you, but once the game went into second overtime, it just felt like Miami wouldn’t be allowed to lose. That said, the way Mike Norvell just takes it and stands around with that look on his face year after year instead of blowing up on the referees after such blatant calls… as a player, it would be hard for me to give my all for someone who doesn’t fight for me in the moment when things like that happen.
- Curt Weiler: Shameful. So many obvious holds uncalled throughout the game but to call what didn’t remotely look like a hold to negate an incredible touchdown was brutal. Then to wait an eternity (until Miami’s defender had stolen the ball) to determine it was a pick when replay had no chance in you know where of overturning that with video evidence was also exceptionally bad. Same crew as the Stanford debacle last season, Norvell said postgame.
- Jacob Smith: Despair-inducing is the best way I can describe it. Reminiscent of the Fail Mary, too. Awful, awful, awful.
- FrankDNole: Not surprising since they have to protect their flavor of the month. Frankly, ACC officiating is a joke, and the entire nation had the opportunity to witness it on prime-time national television.
- Tim Scribble: It sucks. Even the ACC after show referred to the Danzy catch as a phantom hold and the missed potential helmet-to-helmet on Daniels. Also, why does it take five minutes on obvious calls but less than a minute on a game ending play? We could call out ACC conspiracies but in the end ACC officiating has been awful for years, and that’s a call you can’t argue.
- Jon Marchant: Trash. It’s trash they robbed FSU not once but twice. It’s trash the conference is only now finally protecting its best team. The sequence of different calls by different refs (one incomplete and one interception) and then the quick review on the 4th and 31 with no real discussion of dual possession after robbing the 3rd and 21 on a holding call is trash. And maybe the refs wouldn’t feel so bold about getting away with it if Mike had ever, in the seven years he’s been here, put in effort with the refs. Fight, argue, cajole… “play the game” with them that you sometimes have to play. Instead he just stands there. And I’m ready for him to not be the one standing there anymore.
- Perry Kostidakis: Both were grade A-marlakey, in my admittedly biased opinion. A very ticky-tacky holding call wiped off a miracle moment from Micahi Danzy and then the secondary side angle of the final play, to me, looked like a Duce Robinson touchdown catch. And also, not the question, but Miami not getting flagged for restraining Danzy as he attempted to recover Wisner’s fumble was also a game-changing moment.