FSU football falls in dramatic 2OT loss to No. 3 Miami

Florida State football lost in double overtime to No. 3 Miami, 43-35, extending the program’s road losing streak to 12 games and further ramping up the pressure on head coach Mike Norvell on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The Seminoles (3-4, 1-3 ACC) rallied behind an inspired second-half performance from quarterback Ashton Daniels and Duce Robinson at Hard Rock Stadium.

After running back Ousmane Kromah left the game with an air cast on his left ankle in the second quarter, Daniels became the focal point of the offense. He posted 298 yards and hit Duce Robinson for a 75-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, which sent the game to overtime. In the period, Daniels uncorked a 20-yard pass to Robinson for the first score.

Down 43-35 and in need of a score, Daniels seemed to have found Robinson for a magical 4th-and-31 touchdown, but Bryce Fitzgerald was deemed to have intercepted the pass, even with both players having hands on the ball. It allowed Miami, who scored two quick overtime touchdowns, to survive the Seminoles’ upset bid.

Daniels added 32 rushing yards and a score. Miami’s Darian Mensah threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception.

Here are three takeaways from the Seminoles’ loss in Miami.

The Seminoles posted a single-game high of 138 rushing yards on Miami’s defense, with 90 yards coming in the first half. The Hurricanes allowed a nation-best 42.6 yards per game coming into the night.

In total, FSU posted 443 yards, the most allowed by Miami’s defense this season. It wasn’t the prettiest game for the Seminoles offense, at times, which included two first-half fourth-down turnovers in the red zone, but it found a way to extend the game while down a key player.

Kromah, who posted 44 rushing yards on 14 carries, left the game late in the first half on the medical cart. His left ankle was placed in an air cast after he was rolled up following a nine-yard gain. His run set FSU up for the game-tying score in the first half, a three-yard rushing score by Daniels.

Tre Wisner was thrust into the feature back role, and he came up big with a 28-yard touchdown catch on a screen pass late in the third quarter, which put FSU ahead 21-14. While the Seminoles scored the most points this season against Miami, the offense struggled to capitalize in the fourth quarter after its defense got multiple stops and turnovers.

Yet, when FSU needed a score down 28-21, Daniels found Robinson for the 75-yard touchdown that tied the game at 28. In overtime, Daniels again found Robinson, this time for a 20-yard score in the first period. Despite magical moments, Daniels was sacked and then saw a false start in the second overtime turn into 4th and 21.

YOU BE THE REFEREE AND MAKE THE CALL:

WAS THIS A TOUCHDOWN BY FLORIDA STATE OR AN INTERCEPTION BY MIAMI?

🧐🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/qoLpgFnAuh

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 18, 2026

Daniels uncorked a 36-yard touchdown pass ot Micahi Danzy, but the celebration was short-lived as a holding call on Xavier Chaplin wiped away the score. The next play, a 4th and 31 hail mary towards Robinson, was the one deemed to be the interception by Fitzgerald by the officials, ending the game.

Facing the nation’s best-scoring offense, FSU’s defense held the Hurricanes relatively in check in the first half. While Miami recorded 220 yards, the 14 points were the least scored in a half by the team. After an 11-play, 86-yard drive for the game’s first score, the Seminoles’ defense started to get more pressure in Mensah’s face, sacking him once.

Mensah still had moments of magic, including when he spun out of a sack before throwing for 44 yards. It set up Miami’s second score. Yet, Mensah wasn’t as effective, and the Seminoles capitalized by picking him off for the first time this season on the opening drive of the second half.

The Seminoles stopped Miami twice on fourth down in the second half, including a key stop from Chris Jones earlier in the fourth quarter. He speared a leaping Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the air and planted him short of the line to gain. Despite a stronger second-half performance, Miami regained the lead after converting a third down.

After a Mandrell Desir sack, Miami faced 3rd and 10 with seven minutes left in the game. While pressure got home to Mensah, he avoided being sacked and found his receiver Daylyn Upshaw on the sideline for a first down. The Hurricanes went on to have a 10-play, 61-yard scoring drive that ended with Mensah throwing a touchdown pass to Elijah Lofton.

Miami wore down FSU in overtime, scoring in the first overtime on a 25-yard Javian Mallory run and scoring on three plays on its second possession. The Hurricanes almost didn’t have the chance to find the end zone, as Barker and CJ Richard Jr. both broke on a ball that could have been intercepted. However, the defenders collided, and the ball fell to the turf.

Mallory scored on the next play. Miami ended the game with 583 total yards, and wide receiver Malachi Toney gashed FSU for a second straight year, posting 154 yards and two touchdowns on 11 receptions.

It came at a high cost for FSU, with Kromah’s injury likely keeping him sidelined for a significant portion of the season.

It’s another blow to an already slim running back room. The Seminoles lost Samuel Singleton Jr. in the loss to Alabama, and Norvell was confident he could return this season.

With Singleton and Kromah out for lengthy periods of time, and FAU transfer Gemari Sands kicked off the team, Wisner has to step up as the feature back for FSU.

His first test came agaisnt the Hurricanes, and he posted 63 rushing yards on nine carries, while adding 56 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Yet, he had a costly fumble that came with the game tied at 21, and it led to the Hurricanes’ last touchdown of regulation.

(Current Record 3-4, 1-3 ACC)

vs. New Mexico State | 34-17 W

vs. SMU* | 27-24 L

Bye

at Alabama | 50-36 L

vs. Central Arkansas | 34-7 W

vs. Virginia* | 38-7 W

at Louisville* | 44-20

at Miami* | 43-35 L 2OT

Bye

vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31

at Boston College* | Nov. 7

at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13

vs. NC State* | Nov. 21

vs. Florida | Nov. 27

Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football falls in dramatic 2OT loss to No. 3 Miami

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