MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – In a wild Saturday of college football chaos that saw the nation’s top two ranked teams suffer losses, the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes seized their moment. Behind a stellar performance from quarterback Darian Mensah, Miami outlasted archrival Florida State 43-35 in a double-overtime thriller, positioning the Hurricanes to claim the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002.
The stakes were clear heading into the weekend: with No. 1 Georgia falling to Auburn and No. 2 Notre Dame being upset by BYU, the path to the top ranking was wide open. Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC) navigated a grueling, back-and-forth contest to remain undefeated.
“This is what great teams do, find a way to win,” said Mensah, who threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns. His final scoring strike, a 3-yard pass to Malachi Toney in the second overtime, ultimately proved the difference.
Toney was the catalyst for the Hurricanes’ offense, reeling in 11 catches for 154 yards and two scores. Following his touchdown in the second overtime, Toney also threw a crucial 2-point conversion pass to Cooper Barkate, extending the Miami lead.
The game concluded on a dramatic defensive stand. Florida State (3-4, 1-3) pushed for a game-tying touchdown on the final possession, but Hurricanes defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald—who had left the game earlier with an injury—sealed the victory with a contested interception in the end zone. The play drew immediate protest from the Seminoles, who argued that their receiver had secured the ball for a touchdown.
“I thought it was a touchdown,” said FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels, who finished with 298 yards and four passing scores. “We can’t control the decisions and all that. It hurts, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell, whose squad has now dropped 22 of its last 32 games, was equally frustrated by a holding call that negated a 36-yard completion on a critical fourth-and-21 play. “Go watch the film,” Norvell said, pointing to the officiating as a turning point in the game.
Despite the outside noise, Miami coach Mario Cristobal remained focused on the narrow scope of his team’s mission. “I’ll focus on the real ‘1’ that’s important — the 1-0,” Cristobal said, downplaying the impending national ranking shifts.
Javian Mallory added 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes, providing a steady ground attack in a game that saw the lead trade hands repeatedly.
With the victory, Miami continues its dominance in the series, having won seven of the last ten matchups against the Seminoles. The Hurricanes now prepare to host Pitt on October 24, while a reeling Florida State squad looks to rebound against Clemson on Halloween.
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