Jermaine Johnson will only get one opportunity to play in the Florida State-Miami rivalry. And one game was all he needed to produce one of the greatest all-time performances in series history.
The well-traveled defensive end -- who originally hails from Minnesota, went to junior college in Kansas and played the past two seasons at Georgia before transferring to FSU this offseason -- was an absolute menace to the Hurricanes' offense on Saturday.
In helping the Seminoles pull out a 31-28 victory, Johnson recorded seven tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. He also forced a fumble.
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"It was remarkable," FSU coach Mike Norvell said, adding that Johnson has provided everything the Seminoles could have hoped for when they grabbed him out of the transfer portal last December. "What I love about Jermaine is just the attitude and the approach he brings every day. You can look on the field and see all the sacks and the TFLs and the impact plays that he's made.
"The impact that he's making in this program -- just the willingness to help young guys, the willingness to give of himself, to be an example in those moments, when times get hard and times get challenging -- I thought it was just special. And you see how that carries over."
Indeed, Johnson has been a force all season for the Seminoles, who improved to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in ACC play with Saturday's victory. He came into the game leading the team -- and ranking among the national leaders -- with eight sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.
FSU's coaches had high hopes when they convinced Johnson to head south to Tallahassee last winter, but they never could have dreamed he would be anywhere close to this productive.
In two seasons as a part-time starter at Georgia, Johnson was credited with 7.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss.
In 10 games with the Seminoles, he has recorded 11 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.
"He played so hard tonight," Norvell said. "When you prepare the way that he prepares, it carries over. And in the big-time moments, you're prepared to go make the big-time plays. And he absolutely did that tonight."
Johnson's big-time plays came early and often Saturday.
With FSU leading 7-0 midway through the first quarter, Johnson beat his blocker on a third-and-15 play and jarred the football loose before UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke could deliver a pass. FSU defensive end Derrick McLendon recovered the fumble at the Hurricanes' 12-yard line, and Jashaun Corbin rumbled in for a touchdown on the very next play.
It was the first of Johnson's three sacks in the game.
"I'm proud of Jermaine," fellow defensive end Keir Thomas said. "We come to work every day, and I just watch how he approaches it. He approaches it like a pro."
Johnson's determination was on full display early in the fourth quarter, when FSU's coaches sent in several second-team players to give the starters a rest after Van Dyke broke off a 19-yard run.
The Hurricanes had started that drive at their own 27-yard line and took just six plays to get to the Seminoles' 26. UM was already leading by one point, and FSU was looking to get some fresher bodies into the game to stop the Hurricanes from extending their advantage.
Johnson, however, was not having it.
He told his replacement to go back to the sideline, and he then beat Miami right tackle Jarrid Williams for a sack on the very next play.
"They must have thought I was tired," Johnson said. "But I knew I had something in the tank. And like I said, I didn't want to let my teammates down. And I felt like I could give our defense the best chance if I stayed on the field, rather than come off. So I stayed in the game and tried to make something happen."
Miami ended up scoring on that drive, but Johnson wasn't done just yet.
After FSU's offense responded to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 28-23 with less than five minutes remaining, Johnson was in on the ensuing third-down tackle that forced UM to punt the ball back to the 'Noles.
Less than two minutes later, Jordan Travis was surging into the end zone for the game-winning score.
"I just wanted to help my brothers win," the senior pass-rusher said. "That's all I was thinking about. ... It still hasn't set in. The only thing that mattered to me was not letting my team, my brothers down. ...
"I tried to do all I could. I love these boys, and this is my last game in Doak Campbell. I just wanted to make everybody happy. That's all."
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