Late interception secures win over Miami for FSU

Special to the Outlook
Seminoles.com

Throughout the afternoon, especially during the second half against Miami, the Florida State defense made one statement after another.

None was as huge as one single act by defensive back Jarrian Jones, though. It was his interception that sealed a 27-20 victory for the Seminoles over the Hurricanes on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Doak Campbell Stadium.

What fans saw was the residual of work that Jones has been putting in, said coach Mike Norvell.

“He has worked very, very hard; just improving,” Norvell said, following the victory. “He has grown up on the field. He has grown up off the field. Who he is as a man; I respect and love.

“He is just a special person and for him to be in that moment and have the opportunity to seal the game to finish it like that I’m really proud of him.”

Up until the dramatics provided by Jones, the fourth-rank FSU team had trouble shaking free of their determined rivals who strung enough big plays together to keep spectators in their seat until the final whistle. Miami was facing a fourth-and-long with 45 seconds left when Jones made the pick of his career.

FSY extended its unbeaten streak to 10-0 overall and 8-0 in the ACC.

Florida State’s defense played well in the second half and both defenses made lots of plays in the opposing backfield.  FSU had seven tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks and Miami had nine stops in the Seminoles’ backfield and three sacks.

Linebacker Kalen DeLoach led the Noles with 10 tackles and recorded two quarterback sacks and a pair of tackles for loss.

FSU quarterback Jordan Travis faced a UM defense determined to pressure him all day and finished 19 of 31 for 265 yards and a touchdown without an interception.

Trey Benson was the Noles’ most productive rusher with a team-high 80 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. 

Wide receiver Johnny Wilson returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games and led the team with five catches for 82 yards.  Keon Coleman also returned after missing last week’s win over Pitt and had four receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown.

Miami started freshman Emory Williams at quarterback and he finished 8 of 23 for 175 yards and two touchdowns before being carted off the field with just over two minutes left. 

Canes’ wide receiver Jacolby George had a huge game gaining 153 yards on five receptions and scoring a pair of touchdowns.  Donald Chaney led UM in rushing gaining 85 yards on 12 carries.

Florida State got on the scoreboard first in a low scoring first quarter when Trey Benson carried Hurricane defenders into the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run.  The play capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive that put the Seminoles up 7-0 with 7:13 left in the first quarter.

Miami lost a scoring opportunity on the ensuing possession when a quarterback sack by DeLoach forced the Hurricanes to try a 51-yard field goal that sailed wide left with 3:41 on the clock.

FSU outgained Miami 125 to 51 over the first quarter with Travis completing 7 of 10 passes for 88 yards, while Williams was 1 of 4 for 43 yards.  Benson led all rushers with 28 yards on seven carries.  Mark Fletcher led the Canes with 18 yards on four rushes.

The Seminoles took a 10-0 lead just 47 seconds into the second quarter on a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzpatrick that capped an 11-play 52-yard drive that stalled at the Miami 15.  It was the 12th field goal for Fitzpatrick, who has only one miss this season.

Miami cut into the lead again with 2:42 left in the half driving 82 yards on 11 plays and scoring when Williams found George with a 3-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-7.

A holding penalty and quarterback sack put FSU’s offense just outside its goal line on their final possession of the half and a punt from the back of the end zone set the Canes up in great field position at the Noles 31. Six plays later, the Canes tied the score at 10 on a 57-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

Miami used a productive second quarter to out-gain FSU 180 – 126 over the first half with 96 of the Hurricane’s yards coming from their running game. 

Travis was 9 of 15 passing for 105 yards in the first half.  Tight end Jaheim Bell led all FSU receivers with three catches for 41 yards and Johnny Wilson had two receptions for 125 yards.

Donald Chaney gained 80 yards on seven carries for Miami, while Williams was 5 of 11 passing for 84 yards.

FSU tried an onside kick to open the second half which Miami recovered to set up their first drive of the second half at the Seminoles’ 47.  FSU’s defense held the Canes out of the end zone, but they took the lead 13-10 on a 51-yard field goal with 12:11 left in the third quarter.

FSU’s response was immediate scoring on their next drive.  After an 8-yard pass to Keon Coleman, Travis hit Ja’Khi Douglas over the middle for 62 yards to the Miami five where Fitzpatrick tied the score at 13-13 with 9:32 left in the third with a 22-yard field goal.

After stuffing Miami’s offense for a three-and-out on their next possession, Benson gave the Seminoles 10 straight points when he raced 38 yards behind outstanding blocking for a touchdown making the score 20-13 with 5:48 remaining which held into the fourth quarter.

With both defenses making every yard challenging, Coleman set the Seminoles up with an electrifying 57-yard punt return to Miami’s 17 with just over 12 minutes left in the game.   Then, he put FSU up 27-13 when he fought through pass interference and reeled in Travis’ six-yard touchdown pass with 10:54 remaining.

Just as FSU appeared to take control of the game, Williams threw deep down the right sideline that looked like it would be picked off by either of two FSU defenders closing in on the receiver.  Instead, the ball threaded through and into George’s hands and he raced 85 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-20 Florida State with 8:22 left in the game.

On what would be their final offensive possession of the game, the Hurricanes got the ball on their own 12 with 4:26 left on the clock.  Facing a four and two, Williams was flushed to the left side and extended the ball just over the down marker, but was injured on the play.

He was replaced by Tyler Van Dyke. He converted for a first down before Jones stepped in front of his fourth down pass attempt to effectively end the game.