Friends, I just……I don’t know. I’m having a hard time describing what I just witnessed from the press box at Hard Rock Stadium. I do know the Hurricanes prevailed in double overtime 43-35 over archrival Florida State. I am not totally sure how it happened yet. But let’s try to recap.
Malachi Toney had a legacy game, with 11 catches for 154 yards, two touchdowns, and an all crucial two-point conversion pass in overtime. Javian Mallory had a national stage coming out party, leading the ground attack with 108 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. Darian Mensah was 23/34 for 326 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Mo Toure had a big game on the defensive side with 12 total tackles.
This game started off with Miami looking like they were going to take control right out the gate. After stopping Florida State on their half, on an 11-play, 86-yard touchdown drive capped off by Mark Fletcher, Jr. scampering in from seven yards for a relatively quick 7-0 lead.
But that’s when this game turned into a true fight. Miami had to punt it away after stuffing Ousmane Kromah inside the Miami five, and the Noles went 53 yards to tie it up at 7. The team traded punts, but Miami went back up 14-7 after Mensah found Daylyn Upshaw for a 44-yard gain and finished the drive with an RPO slant to Toney. Miami turned Kromah and the Noles away again on fourth and short at their own five, but three plays later, they had to punt again, and again, Florida State drove down to tie it back up. The teams went to the locker room tied at 14.
Miami got the opening kickoff and drove into field goal range, but Mensah forced up a ball in the end zone to Cooper Barkate, who was tightly covered, and Ashlynd Barker came down with it for a touchback. Florida State punted it back to Miami, but an incomplete pass turned it over on downs in FSU territory, and the Noles made Miami pay.
Florida State drove 58 yards and finished it with a 29-yard screen pass – something that gave Miami all kinds of issues on Saturday – to Tre Wisner for a touchdown and a 21-14 lead in the third.
Miami leveled it in the fourth quarter when Toney totaled a 35-yard catch and 30-yard run to set up goal to go, and Mallory got wide on an outside stretch and tied it at 21. Ethan O’Connor forced a fumble two plays later, and Xavier Lucas recovered it. 10 plays later, Mensah rolled right and hit TE Elija Lofton for a three-yard score and a 28-21 lead. But one play later, Duce Robinson got a step on Lucas and pulled in a pass for a 75-yard touchdown down the sideline to tie it back up. Miami was able to get across midfield, but not close enough to try e field goal and had to punt. FSU got it off the goal line, and the game went into overtime.
Florida State was on offense first, and a dime of a 20-yard throw from Ashton Daniels to Robinson on third and 5 to go back up 35-28. Two plays later, Mallory got free and weaved his way for a 25-yard touchdown to tie it back up. Miami took over and found the end zone on a three-yard catch by Toney, who took an end around and threw a two-point conversion to Barkate for a 43-35 lead.
FSU found themselves in fourth and 21, and it appeared as though Daniels had hit on a miracle lob touchdown to Micah Danzy, but a holding call wiped it out. On fourth and 31, Daniels threw it up for grabs again, and Bryce Fitzgerald outfought the FSU receiver for the pick, which was upheld on review.
Speechless. What a game.