No. 3 Miami somehow escaped Florida State with a 43-35 double-overtime victory Saturday night, but the controversial Hail Mary interception ruling that sealed the game is going to fuel fan debates for years. Seriously, what a finish.
First, The Flag That Stunned The Noles
The game was already wild before Miami snatched an eight-point lead to kick off the second overtime. Then came the sequence that no one will forget. Florida State was staring down fourth-and-21 when quarterback Ashton Daniels just hurled a jump ball into the end zone. Seminoles receiver Micahi Danzy actually came down with it, surrounded by a couple of Miami defenders. Wild, right? But before anyone could celebrate, there was laundry on the field. Offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin got hit with a holding penalty, a call you almost never see in those desperate, end-of-game moments. From the replay, Chaplin looked like he might have been slightly outside the defender’s shoulder pads, but the Canes pass-rusher seemed to slip and fall right after. It was a tight, tight call, and it instantly wiped out a Seminoles miracle. Can you believe it?
Then, The Hail Mary That Made History
So, with that penalty, Florida State was suddenly facing fourth-and-31. Could they possibly pull off that magic again? Seminoles fans are going to argue they did. Daniels rolled right, chucked up another Hail Mary. This time, it was Duce Robinson who absolutely leaped above the crowd and got his fingertips on the ball. But here’s the thing: a Miami defender also got his hands on it at the exact same moment, and everyone just went down in a scrum. Talk about chaos! It was nearly impossible to tell who actually had possession. The officials on the field ruled it an interception, and after a review, they said there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn that call. ESPN rules analyst Steve Shaw backed them up, stating flat out, “That was an interception. Clearly nothing to overturn it. That was the correct call.”
That call, controversial as it might be, keeps No. 3 Miami’s undefeated season alive. For Florida State, it’s just brutal. This heartbreaking loss is now their third straight in this bitter rivalry series. What a night for college football, man.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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