Heartbreak at Hard Rock: FSU blows 20-point lead, falls to Miami
MIAMI GARDENS -- For well over a half Saturday, two-touchdown underdog Florida State looked ready to stun the college football world.
Then in what seemed like an instant, the Seminoles came crashing back to earth, surrendering 21 unanswered points in a turnover-filled second half and dropping a 28-27 decision to rival Miami.
UM has now won two straight games in the series -- both with late rallies -- and has defeated Florida State for the first time in South Florida since 2004.
The Seminoles fall to 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. The No. 17-ranked Hurricanes improve to 5-1 and 2-0.
Florida State got off to an early lead with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Deondre Francois to Keith Gavin early in the first quarter.
Miami answered with a touchdown of its own early in the second quarter to tie the game, then the Seminoles took control with four straight scores.
Junior placekicker sandwiched a pair of field goals around another 17-yard Francois touchdown pass -- this one to Tamorrion Terry. And the Seminoles added another touchdown when sophomore punt returner D.J. Matthews brought back a punt for a 74-yard score.
That gave the Seminoles a 27-7 advantage early in the third quarter.
From there, it was all Miami.
The Hurricanes took advantage of two FSU turnovers deep in its own territory and converted both into touchdowns -- passes of 3 and 17 yards from redshirt freshman quarterback N'Kosi Perry.
Miami then took a 28-27 lead on another pair of big passes from Perry; the first one went for 32 yards to receiver Jeff Thomas on a third-and-10, and the second was a 41-yard touchdown strike to tight end Brevin Jordan.
FSU now will have a bye week before returning home to play Wake Forest on Oct. 20.
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