FSU football: Noles comeback to defeat Miami in fourth quarter

FSU football found a way to defeat the odds with a fourth quarter comeback for the ages. The first half was all Noles, using a suffocating defense in the first half and an offense that gashed the ‘Canes defense to the tune of 7.18 yards per play. Miami committed nine penalties for 65 yards. The defense forced three turnovers(two interceptions and a sack-fumble) and held Miami’s offense to 3.57 yards per play in the first half.

One could argue the Noles wasted some prime opportunities, only scoring 10 points off of those three turnovers. They also had a missed field goal that resulted in the only Miami touchdown in the first half. A key moment was FSU’s drive after the Miami touchdown. The Noles received the ball with 3:35 and went on a nine-play 65-yard drive that ended in a 20-yard field goal to give FSU a 20-7 lead at the half.

Second Half

The teams traded punts on their opening possession, but Miami forced their first turnover on a Jashaun Corbin fumble with 9:51 remaining in the third quarter. Miami trimmed the lead to 20-14 on one of the luckiest bounces ever for Miami.

It was a tipped pass on third and goal from the 10-yard line that found Mike Harley Jr. on one knee in the back of the end zone. The FSU defense forced Miami into a long field goal that was tipped, but Jarvis Brownlee ran into the kicker. Miami accepted the penalty and went for it on 4th and 6, completing a pass in tight coverage for the first down to continue the drive.

The fourth quarter began with a fourth and two from the FSU four-yard line that Miami scored a touchdown to take a 21-20 lead.

FSU couldn’t get anything going on offense and missed opportunities when they were there. Andrew Parchment quit running a route when he was wide open that would have been a huge play to spark the offense.

Miami made it 28-0 on a 35-yard screen pass by former FSU commit Jaylan Knighton, who bounced off of a tackle attempt by Akeem Dent to score. FSU received the ball and converted a fourth and one attempt to keep the drive alive on the FSU 46-yard line. The ‘Noles drive stalled, and they settled for a 29-yard yard field goal to trim the lead to 28-23 with 4:43 remaining. FSU’s defense forced a punt with 2:29 remaining.

FSU struck with a huge 59-yard first down play to get the ball down to the Miami 21-yard line. However, the Noles missed a throw, and a false start penalty forced them into a fourth and 14. Jordan Travis converted the fourth down with a strike to Andrew Parchment, who went down at the one-yard line with 58 seconds remaining.

FSU football scored the eventual winning touchdown on a Jordan Travis run with 26 seconds remaining. Jordan Travis scored on the two-point conversion to give the Noles a 31-28 lead. Miami couldn’t muster anything on their final possession and FSU pulled off the win!