Second-half defensive collapse sinks Florida State

In the first half of Saturday’s annual showdown between Florida State and Miami, the Hurricanes ran 30 plays for 57 total yards and zero points.

In the second half, No. 13 Miami ran 43 plays for 280 yards and 24 points as it snapped a seven-game series losing skid to beat Florida State, 24-20, at Doak Campbell Stadium.

FSU’s defense allowed two touchdown drives of 75 yards in the game’s final 5:09, including a nine-play march that ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Malik Rosier to Darrell Langham with six seconds left.

Both drives came just after FSU’s offense had given the team the lead.

“Our defense made plays in the first half, was outstanding," said FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher, whose team fell to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "In the second half, we gave up a couple of third-and-longs and then they picked one up there at the end, and they had a two-minute drive.”

Third-down conversions were the biggest improvement made by Miami in the second half. After going just 1-for-8 on third down in the first half, the Hurricanes (4-0, 2-0) converted six of nine in the second half.

Four times, those conversions were from third-and-10 or longer. On the second half’s opening drive, Rosier completed a 32-yard pass on third-and-20 to set up a field goal. On the ensuing possession, he converted a third-and-10 before being intercepted by Stanford Samuels III two plays later.

On the game-winning drive, Miami converted on third-and-10 twice on crossing routes to Braxton Berrios, who finished the game with eight catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

FSU linebacker Matthew Thomas said the third-down conversions hurt the defense late in the game, especially the defensive line, when they couldn’t get off the field.

“They were isolating guys, they had certain plays for certain guys — certain matchups you could call it, and I think that was what hurt us,” Thomas said.