Despite yet another hefty early deficit, Florida State notched a third straight 10-win season and ACC championship appearance along with a fifth straight victory over Miami in a thrilling 30-26 win at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday night.
Miami raced to a 23-7 lead thanks to long touchdown passes from Brad Kaaya to Phillip Dorsett and Clive Walford around a short touchdown run from Duke Johnson.
A Roberto Aguayo field goal drew Florida State to within 13 with 8:10 to play in the first half and Florida State threatened again late in the half, but FSU quarterback Jameis Winston was intercepted by Miami’s Deon Bush inside the 10-yard-line.
On Florida State’s first possession of the second half, the Seminoles again coughed the ball up in Miami territory on a fumble by Dalvin Cook.
The Seminoles drew within six at 23-17 on a Winston pass that was deflected into the air and into the hands of senior running back Karlos Williams, who easily trotted into the end zone with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
With just over three minutes to play and FSU trailing 26-23, Cook finally put the Seminoles ahead for good on a 26-yard touchdown run. Cook scored from 44 yards out in the first half to get Florida State on the board.
The Hurricanes proceeded to march into Florida State territory on the ensuing drive, but FSU safety Jalen Ramsey cemented a 26th straight victory with a fourth down interception of Kaaya.
Kaaya finished with 316 yards passing and the two scores, but completed fewer than half of his passes and did the majority of his damage in the first half. Johnson finished with a game-high 130 yards on the ground for the Hurricanes while Walford led all receivers with 127 yards.
Winston eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the fifth time this season, finishing with 304 yards through the air. Cook rushed for 92 yards to lead FSU, but on just seven carries.
Travis Rudolph was Florida State’s leading receiver with 65 yards. Senior Rashad Greene finished with 53 yards on four catches to become the first Seminole receiver to eclipse the 1,000-yard total in consecutive seasons since Ron Sellers in 1967 and 1968. Greene now sits 92 yards shy of Sellers’ career receiving mark at Florida State.
Aguayo, the reigning Lou Groza Award winner, was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals which included a season-long of 53 yards.
Florida State (10-0, 7-0 ACC) clinched the ACC Atlantic prior to taking the field on Saturday thanks to a Clemson loss to Georgia Tech earlier in the day. The Seminoles will face either Duke or Georgia Tech in Charlotte on December 6th.
Miami (6-4, 3-3 ACC) was eliminated from contention in the ACC Coastal division. The Hurricanes would have stood a chance in a three-way tie scenario.
FSU will return home Saturday to face Boston College in its ACC finale while Miami will travel to face Virginia.
