End of the streak: Miami scores late to snare 24-20 win at FSU
The streak is over.
Despite taking a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Florida State dropped a 24-20 decision Saturday to rival Miami, ending a streak of seven consecutive victories in the series.
FSU falls to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in ACC play. No. 13 Miami improves to 4-0 and 2-0.
FSU actually took a 20-17 lead with less than two minutes remaining, but Miami marched right down the field and scored on a touchdown pass from quarterback Malik Rosier to receiver Darrell Langham with six seconds remaining.
In a back-and-forth second half, FSU rallied for a 20-17 lead when freshman quarterback James Blackman hit junior receiver Auden Tate for a 20-yard touchdown with just over a minute remaining. That was in response to a six-yard touchdown strike from Rosier to star receiver Braxton Berrios.
The second half featured a flurry of scoring activity after after a sleepy first half.
With the game tied at 3-3 midway through the third quarter, Miami took advantage of a 44-yard punt return by Berrios and punched it in for a touchdown one play later as Berrios hauled in a 21-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback Rosier. That gave the Hurricanes a 10-3 lead with 6:57 to go in the third.
But FSU answered early in the fourth quarter when Blackman connected with tight end Ryan Izzo for a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 10-10. That score was set up by a 46-yard run by freshman tailback Cam Akers.
Sophomore placekicker Ricky Aguayo drilled a 38-yard field goal with 6:55 remaining to give the Seminoles a 13-10 lead before Barrios scored his second touchdown.
Both teams struggled mightily on offense in the first half.
The Seminoles took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a 27-yard field goal by sophomore Ricky Aguayo, but that was the only real threat mustered by either team.
FSU ran the ball well, with junior tailback Jacques Patrick rumbling for 84 yards on eight first-half carries, but neither quarterback was effective in the early going. Blackman and Rosier combined to complete just 11 of 29 passes in the first half for a grand total of 86 yards.
Miami tied the game at 3-3 early in the third quarter on a 31-yard field goal by senior Michael Badgley.
Check back for more on this story.
-----------------------------------------