Florida State coach Mike Norvell rips ACC officials, says holding call in OT was ‘an absolute joke’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State coach Mike Norvell expressed frustration Monday with the Atlantic Coast Conference officiating crew that oversaw his team’s 43-35 loss at Miami in double overtime, calling a late holding penalty “an absolute joke.”

Norvell also questioned the interception that ended the game.

Norvell said he spoke with ACC Supervisor of Football Officials Gary Patterson but has not heard “his final review” of the game.

On the first of two “Hail Mary” attempts in the waning seconds, FSU’s Ashton Daniels completed a pass to Micahi Danzy in the end zone, but the completion was waved off because left tackle Xavier Chaplin was flagged for holding.

“The holding call, it was an absolute joke,” Norvell said. “I have not heard (Patterson’s) final review from it. I’ve got a lot of respect for the job everybody has. Same thing happened a few plays earlier that was not called. But in that moment, that play, it’s just a shame. It really is.

“We had to go convert the 2-point play. But for those kids to not be able to finish the game on the field, in that moment, it’s really disappointing. There are a lot of judgement calls in all things but that was bad. I haven’t gotten the final response from them, but if it’s anything less than what I said, it tells me everything I need to know.”

Norvell also criticized what he perceived as a lack of a discussion on the “simultaneous possession” on the second desperation throw to the end zone, the one that Florida State’s Duce Robinson got both hands on but was ruled an interception by Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald.

“The Hail Mary thing at the end, the only disappointing thing (is) I know it went to review,” Norvell said. “From what I’ve been told, simultaneous possession never even came up in the conversation of review. … As I said immediately after the game, if you got two guys going up for a catch, and they both come to the ground, simultaneous possession, that has to be a part of the discussion.”

Norvell went on to say he was proud of the Seminoles’ resolve in those moments, although Miami held on for the win. He also praised the Hurricanes, who were ranked No. 3 and moved up to No. 1 on Sunday, and said “that was a great college football game.”

Norvell also was candid about Florida State’s 3-4 record. The Seminoles have lost to a pair of top-10 teams on the road, Miami and Alabama, and to SMU in a home game on Labor Day.

Florida State has a bye this week before hosting Clemson on Oct. 31. Norvell is 41-38 in his seventh season at FSU.

“We’re not in the business of being close,” Norvell said. “We’re not in the moral victories of it … I told them (Sunday), told the staff, ‘I’m a proud coach for how a team played.’”

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