Toney and Fitzgerald finish Miami’s 43-35 double-overtime win over Florida State

Malachi Toney caught the go-ahead touchdown in the second overtime, and Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Ashton Daniels on Florida State’s final play as No. 3 Miami survived its rival 43-35 on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

Miami improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State fell to 3-4 and 1-3 after taking a fourth-quarter lead and twice answering the Hurricanes with Duce Robinson touchdown catches.

The ending left the Seminoles disputing their final chance. A sack and a false start pushed Florida State backward in the second overtime. Daniels then appeared to find Micahi Danzy for a 36-yard touchdown, but holding erased the play. His next pass into the end zone was ruled an interception by Fitzgerald. Tomahawk Nation’s Jordan Silversmith reported that Robinson also appeared to have a claim to that last ball; the interception stood as the game’s final ruling.

Toney finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Darian Mensah completed 23 of 34 passes for 326 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Hurricanes also got 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Javian Mallory, whose 25-yard run in the first overtime kept Miami alive after Robinson’s second score.

Miami moved first in the second extra period. Mensah hit Daylyn Upshaw for 20 yards, Jordan Lyle ran for two, and Toney caught a three-yard touchdown pass. The successful two-point conversion made it 43-35 and left Florida State needing a touchdown and conversion of its own.

The Hurricanes had already surrendered one late chance to finish the game. Mensah’s short touchdown pass to Elija Lofton put Miami ahead 28-21 late in regulation, capping a 61-yard possession after Quintrevion Wisner lost a fumble. Florida State answered on its next offensive snap: Daniels found Robinson for a 75-yard touchdown that tied the score with 2:39 left.

Robinson caught five passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels threw for 298 yards and four scores and added a rushing touchdown. Wisner supplied another receiving touchdown on a 28-yard pass that had given Florida State a 21-14 lead in the third quarter.

Florida State’s running game also took a hit before halftime. Tomahawk Nation reported that Ousmane Kromah was carted off with an ankle injury. He finished with 44 yards on 14 carries; no longer-term prognosis was established in the immediate postgame reporting.

Miami had entered the night with five wins by comfortable margins, while Florida State was coming off a 44-20 loss at Louisville. Local 10’s preview had pointed to Miami’s productive offense and the difficulty of applying those records to this rivalry. This time the Hurricanes needed both overtime possessions and a final defensive ruling to get through it. They host Pittsburgh next Saturday.