Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs Florida State Seminoles Match Player Stats On Oct 07, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 7, 2017

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Miami quarterback Malik Rosier hit receiver Darrell Langham from 23 yards out with six seconds remaining as the No. 13 Hurricanes rallied to beat in-state foe Florida State 24-20 on Saturday, snapping a seven-game losing streak in the rivalry.

After Florida State (1-3, 1-2 ACC) scored with just over a minute left to take a 20-17 lead, Miami's final drive started at its 20-yard line. The Hurricanes (4-0, 2-0) twice picked up first downs on third-and-long to keep the drive alive, setting up the game-winner to Langham.

It was Langham's only catch of the game.

Miami's last win in the series came in 2009, when it beat FSU 38-34.

Rosier finished 19 of 44 passing for 254 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception, and he was also the team's leading rusher with 29 yards on 14 carries. Rosier's other two passing touchdowns went to Braxton Berrios, who finished with six catches for 62 yards and two scores and almost beat the Seminoles himself.

The senior's long punt return in the third quarter set up Miami's first touchdown -- a 21-yard pass from Rosier to Berrios -- then Berrios hauled in the go-ahead touchdown from Rosier with 5:09 left in the fourth quarter from 6 yards out. Berrios also hauled in two huge catches on the Hurricanes' final drive, finishing with eight receptions for 90 yards.

With 1:24 remaining in the game and Florida State trailing 17-13, Seminoles quarterback James Blackman hit wide-open receiver Auden Tate for a 20-yard score.

It looked for a moment like it would be the second straight week in which the Blackman-to-Tate connection would win a game for the Seminoles, who beat Wake Forest 26-19 on a 40-yard game-winning touchdown connection by the duo.

Blackman finished 17 of 28 passing with 203 yards passing, two touchdowns and two picks. Tate was the Seminoles' leading wideout with three catches for 56 yards and a score, while tight end Ryan Izzo hauled in four passes for 54 yards in the loss.

Florida State was led on the ground by freshman running back Cam Akers, who tallied 121 yards on 20 carries.

Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher, who came into the game 17-1 against teams from Florida in his eight years at the helm, lost to Miami for the first time.

The Miami defense was led by safety Jaquan Johnson with 12 tackles, while fellow defensive backs Dee Delaney and Michael Jackson both recorded interceptions.

Florida State's defense was stout all game against the run -- allowing only 83 rushing yards total -- but it wasn't enough.

Seminoles defensive back Kyle Meyers was the team's leading tackler with six stops, while defensive back Stanford Samuels picked off Rosier for his first career interception.

After struggling on offense for the entire first half and going into the locker down 3-0, Miami's first drive after intermission went for 12 plays and 62 yards as the Hurricanes tied the game 3-3 on a 31-yard field goal by kicker Michael Badgely.

The first touchdown of the game wasn't scored until there was 6:57 remaining in the third quarter. Following a 44-yard punt return by Berrios to the Florida State 21-yard line, Rosier connected with Berrios for the score on the first play of the drive, and the Hurricanes pulled ahead 10-3.

The Seminoles answered with their first touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Blackman found tight end Ryan Izzo from 15 yards out to tie it at 10 with 12:17 remaining in the game.

Florida State kicker Ricky Aguayo then gave the Seminoles back the lead with 6:55 left with a 38-yard field goal.

Miami, which opened the ACC schedule with back-to-back games on the road for only the fourth time in program history, finally gets a shot to play a conference foe at home next week when it hosts Georgia Tech.

Florida State hits the road to face Duke.

NOTES: Saturday's attendance was 78,169. ... Miami head coach Mark Richt won two national titles as an assistant coach with the Seminoles in 1993 and 1999. ... Florida State's hero in last year's 20-19 win against Miami -- former All-American defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who blocked Miami's game-tying extra point with a minute left in the game -- served as an honorary captain for Saturday's coin toss. Walker was able to attend the game because his NFL team, the Denver Broncos, are on a bye this week. ... The Hurricanes' all-time road record against Florida State is 15-10 after Saturday's win. ... Florida State starting receiver and kicker returner Keith Gavin injured his right leg after the Hurricanes' first touchdown on a return and did not come back.