Third-ranked Miami needed every bit of its perfect record Saturday night, outlasting archrival Florida State 43-35 in double overtime after a back-and-forth classic in Miami Gardens. Quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, capped by a three-yard strike to Malachi Toney in the second overtime, and defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald sealed the win with an interception on the final play of the game.
The rivalry game delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the college football season. Florida State refused to go away all night, rallying twice to force overtime against a Miami team that came in at 6-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country. The Hurricanes, according to the Associated Press, have now won seven of their last 10 meetings with the Seminoles — but few have come this close.
A Tale of Two Halves
Miami came out swinging early, but the game turned into a heavyweight fight in the second half. The Hurricanes led 14-7 late in the second quarter after Mensah escaped a sack in stunning fashion — spinning out of pressure from FSU defensive lineman Daniel Lyons, buying time, and launching a 44-yard strike downfield to Daylyn Upshaw. A few plays later, Mensah found Toney on a 14-yard slant for a touchdown.
Florida State punched back. Quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, including two late connections with Duce Robinson that kept the Seminoles alive. Robinson's 75-yard touchdown catch with 2:49 left in regulation tied the game, and his 20-yard score opened the first overtime.
The Seminoles' effort came at a cost. Top rusher Ousmane Kromah, who entered the game among the nation's top-20 running backs with 565 rushing yards, went down late in the first half with a left leg injury. Trainers brought out an air cast, and Kromah was carted off the field. With Kromah sidelined and backup Sam Singleton Jr. already unavailable, Texas transfer Tre Wisner was pressed into the main running back role.
The Finish
The overtime periods were a study in nerve. Javian Mallory's rushing touchdown in the first overtime — his second of the night on 108 rushing yards — answered Robinson's opening score for FSU. Mark Fletcher Jr. added a rushing score for the Hurricanes on the night as well.
Then came the second overtime. Mensah, who finished 23 of 34 passing, drove Miami down the field and found Toney for the three-yard game-winner. Toney threw the two-point conversion pass himself, hitting Cooper Barkate to extend the lead.
Florida State got one last chance. Facing fourth-and-21 in the final seconds, Daniels launched a 36-yard heave that briefly appeared to set up a 43-41 result — only for the play to be wiped out by a holding penalty. On the next snap, Daniels heaved another ball into a maze of bodies in the end zone. Fitzgerald was ruled to have intercepted it, a call upheld on review, and the Hurricanes stormed the field in celebration.
"That was something else," Mensah said in his televised on-field interview after the game. "Credit to my defense to closing that out. What a finish."
What This Means
The win keeps Miami unbeaten at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, preserving its standing as one of the nation's elite teams as the College Football Playoff race takes shape. Mensah, the quarterback who is now the No. 1 trending search in the United States, has been nothing short of sensational: he came into the weekend leading college football with an 84.2% completion rate, having thrown for 1,438 yards and 15 touchdowns in the first five weeks of the season. Just days ago, he was named the first-team quarterback on the Associated Press midseason All-America team.
Toney's breakout performance underscored Miami's depth. The super sophomore finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns — and even showed off his arm on the two-point conversion. It was a statement game from a receiver whose stock has risen steadily all season.
For Florida State, the loss drops the Seminoles to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. The heartbreak will be compounded by the injury to Kromah, whose status going forward is uncertain. But the fight they showed — rallying against a top-three team on the road, scoring 35 points in regulation and overtime, and nearly tying the game on the final series — suggests this young team is far from finished.
What Happens Next
Miami's path forward is clear: keep winning, and a College Football Playoff berth becomes a formality. The Hurricanes will need to tighten up defensively — giving up 35 points and more than 500 yards of offense to an unranked rival will raise questions about whether they can hold off the nation's best attacks in January.
Florida State, meanwhile, faces a pivotal stretch. The health of Kromah looms over everything. If the star running back misses extended time, the Seminoles' offense will lean even more heavily on Daniels and Robinson. The coaching staff will also spend the coming week reliving the two plays that defined the night: the holding call that erased a would-be 43-41 moment, and the final interception that ended it.
Rivalry games are supposed to mean something. On a Saturday night in Miami Gardens, this one meant everything — and the Hurricanes are still standing.
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