The same player changed responsibilities
Malachi Toney caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Darian Mensah in the second overtime against Florida State. Then the receiver became the passer, finding Cooper Barkate for the two-point conversion that set Miami’s final margin at 43–35 on October 17.
Miami still needed a defensive finish, eventually getting Bryce Fitzgerald’s interception on Florida State’s final attempt. But Toney’s second contribution meant the Seminoles needed a touchdown and a conversion merely to keep playing. One player had supplied two different answers to the same short-field problem.
The fourth quarter had not settled anything
Toney finished with eleven catches for 154 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Javian Mallory rushed thirteen times for 108 yards and two scores. His 25-yard run answered Florida State’s touchdown in the first overtime and kept Miami in the game.
The Hurricanes had already discovered how quickly a lead could disappear. Elija Lofton’s three-yard touchdown catch gave them a 28–21 advantage with 2:49 remaining in regulation. Ten seconds later, Ashton Daniels and Duce Robinson had tied it with a 75-yard touchdown. Miami’s lengthy scoring possession had not bought the defense a lengthy reprieve.
Unbeaten is not the same as uncomplicated
Miami finished with 583 yards, including 257 rushing, and improved to 6–0 overall and 4–0 in the ACC. Florida State gained 443 yards and forced the game past regulation despite those offensive totals. The Hurricanes’ survival should not obscure how much work remained after their apparent fourth-quarter breakthrough.
Toney’s versatility provided an unusually direct solution at the finish: use a proven receiver to score, then make the defense account for him as a thrower. That is a useful offensive resource, not a substitute for preventing another immediate answer. Miami leaves this rivalry with both a win and clear defensive questions. Sunday’s poll had not been released when this edition was prepared; Saturday’s result is established, while a new ranking remains a separate announcement.
Sources & reporting
- Florida State Athletics: official Miami box score and play-by-play ↗
- Florida State Athletics: Miami postgame report, October 17 ↗
- State of The U: Miami–Florida State recap ↗
This article adds independent analysis to publicly available reporting. We did not conduct the interviews or report the game firsthand. Report a factual error.