Miami Hurricanes stage epic comeback to beat FSU 28-27

The Miami Hurricanes staged one of the greatest comebacks in school history behind a dominant defensive performance in the second half to earn a 28-27 victory over Florida State on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Florida State took a 20-7 lead into halftime. They extended to 27-7 with a 74-yard punt return by D.J. Matthews who burned the Miami Hurricanes repeatedly on Saturday 3:08 into the second half.

The Miami defense took over from there. The Hurricanes forced three second-half turnovers to set up short fields and spark the comeback. Florida State finished the game with 200 total yards, 39 of those came on the first drive of the game. The Seminoles finished with 40 total yards in the second half.

Miami got back into the game in the third quarter with a pair of N’Kosi Perry touchdown passes 42 seconds apart. Both scores were set up by the defense. A Sheldrick Redwine sack caused Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois to fumble and Miami recovered at the Seminoles 20 yard line.

Trailing by 20 Mark Richt chose to go for it on fourth down from the Florida State three as a field goal would have kept the Florida State lead as three scores. Perry hit Lawrence Cager for his sixth touchdown of the season and second of the game to cut the lead to 27-14.

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Michael Pinckney intercepted Francois on the second play of the Seminoles ensuring drive and stumbled to the 17-yard line. If he didn’t fall Pinckney likely ends up in the end zone. As it was Perry hit Jeff Thomas in the right corner of the end zone from 17 yards out to cut the FSU lead to 27-21.

The teams exchanged punts and Florida State missed a field goal before two big plays put the Hurricanes in front for the first time on the night.

After two straight incompletions, Perry hit Jeff Thomas on third and ten for 31 yards to the Florida State 41 yard line. On the next play, Perry connected with true Freshman tight end Brevin Jordan for the 41-yard touchdown to give Miami the lead with 11:52 left.

Jordan’s touchdown came exactly 15 minutes of playing time after Matthews touchdown.

The Miami offense did what it had to do as the defense completely shut down Florida State the rest of the way. The Seminoles went three and out on their last three drives of the game while accumulating negative five yards. Yes….negative five yards.

Matthews punt return was nearly double the number of yards Florida State’s offense had in the second half. The Miami defense could not have been much more dominant. Florida State’s average start on their drives in the first half was at their own 40-yard line. That flipped in the second half.

Perry finished 13 of 32 for 204 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He did lose a fumble. Thomas had three receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown and Cager had three for 33 and two touchdowns.

Defensively Jaquan Johnson returned after missing the last two and a half games leading Miami with ten tackles. The Hurricanes fell one tackle for loss short of their season average with 11.

Gerald Willis, Joe Jackson and Jonathan Garvin each had two tackles for loss. Garvin and Willis each had five tackles and Jackson four. Garvin and Jackson’s two TFLs were both sacks as Miami finished with six on the night.

It was an incredible defensive performance and the offense made the plays they had to in the second half for a game that surely will not be forgotten by Miami Hurricanes fans. Miami plays at Virginia next week before they have their bye two weeks from now.