Miami secured a dramatic 43‑35 victory over arch‑rival Florida State in a double‑overtime showdown on Saturday night, a win that could catapult the Hurricanes to the No. 1 spot in the next AP Top 25 poll, a position they have not held since 2002. The result matters to Miami residents because it not only preserves the city’s pride in its football program but also opens the door to national recognition and the associated economic boost that comes with a top‑ranked team.
Quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, completing 23 of 34 passes. His decisive third‑quarter touchdown pass was a 3‑yard strike to wide receiver Malachi Toney in the second overtime period. Toney finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and two scores, and he also threw a successful two‑point conversion pass to Cooper Barkate after Miami’s overtime touchdown.
Running back Javian Mallory contributed 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including one in the first overtime, while Mark Fletcher Jr. added another rushing score. Florida State’s quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, but a crucial fourth‑down holding penalty erased a potential go‑ahead play late in regulation.
Defensive heroics came from Miami safety Bryce Fitzgerald, who intercepted a pass on the final play to seal the win after Florida State’s Duce Robinson caught a 75‑yard touchdown that had tied the game with 2:49 left in regulation. Fitzgerald’s interception was reviewed and upheld, despite Florida State’s claim that the play should have been ruled a touchdown.
Coach Mario Cristobal downplayed the impact of the national poll shuffle, noting, “We have a good enough sample size of 2026 to know that’s absolutely insignificant and irrelevant with the changing of the guard from week to week. I’ll focus on the real ‘1’ that’s important — the 1‑0.” His comments were reported by NBC Miami.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell expressed frustration with the officiating, saying, “Since the start of football, if it’s a tie it goes to the receiver. I guess they had a different angle.” The Seminoles, now 10‑22 in their last 32 meetings with Miami, will travel to Clemson on Oct. 31.
With No. 1 Georgia falling to Auburn and No. 2 Notre Dame losing to BYU on the same day, the Hurricanes stand alone as the only unbeaten top‑five team. According to Sportradar, this marks the first instance since Nov. 17, 2012 that the nation’s two top‑ranked teams both lost on the same regular‑season day.
What’s next: Miami will host Pitt on Oct. 24, while Florida State heads to Clemson on Oct. 31. The upcoming AP poll, released Sunday, will reveal whether Miami ascends to the No. 1 ranking.
Sources: nbcmiami.com
