FSU’s dominant win over Miami shows how programs have switched places in two years
Mike Norvell was in his first season coaching Florida State the last time the Seminoles played at Hard Rock Stadium.
He watched from his living room while dealing with COVID-19 as his rebuilding program was dealt a 52-10 loss (the worst in the history of the Miami-FSU rivalry) by what was at the time a more experienced Hurricanes squad.
What a difference two years can make.
On Saturday night - two years after FSU lost by 42 points, Norvell had an in-person view as the Seminoles thoroughly handled a rebuilding Miami team under first-year coach Mario Cristobal en route to their own 42-point drubbing (45-3) in Miami Gardens. It was FSU’s most lopsided victory ever at Miami and second-most in series history.
FSU, which ended that 2020 season with a 3-6 record and went 5-7 last season, clinched bowl eligibility for the first time under Norvell while the Hurricanes were left in serious jeopardy of finishing with a losing record.
“That was one of the hardest nights of my life,” Norvell said. “Watching on television and seeing a team that was at the beginning. We were in such a weird and strange place because of outside circumstances. I wanted to be here with them more than anything even for the experience because through it you learn from each other and you get an opportunity to come back and continue to work and believe and formulate an understanding that you can overcome.
“It was a pretty terrible night, but it gave us an opportunity to have a night like this.”
Back then, Florida State was clinging to a top-10 recruiting class with the message of optimism that someday soon things would improve and they’d be a part of that process.
The Seminoles are seeing the fruits of that labor this season.
The Hurricanes are now the team in that position with a 2023 recruiting class ranked No. 8 nationally by 247Sports.com and clinging to the belief that they will resurrect the program when they arrive in Coral Gables.
Miami’s rout of FSU two years ago was keyed by its veteran transfers at the time such as then-quarterback D’Eriq King.
FSU is now the one benefiting from making the right moves through the transfer portal, acquiring key contributors such as running back Trey Benson, who ran for two touchdowns on Saturday. And linebacker Tatum Bethune, a Miami Central alum who transferred from UCF, finished with five tackles in his first game ever at Hard Rock Stadium.
But the Seminoles’ coaching staff has also developed the talent they have recruited or inherited since Norvell arrived in Tallahassee.
Their offensive line — a mix of veterans such as sixth-year senior Dillan Gibbons and younger players like redshirt sophomores Darius Washington and Robert Scott Jr. — is virtually the same as it was last year. The group allowed one sack against Miami and helped the Seminoles rush for 229 yards and total 454 yards overall.
Jordan Travis, who threw only two passes against UM in 2020, threw three touchdown passes this time around and has become one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks.
Wide receiver Ontaria Wilson, who caught Travis’ first touchdown toss on Saturday, has flourished into a dangerous deep threat.
Redshirt freshman Patrick Payton, a Miami Northwestern alum, provided most of the highlights (a sack, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup) on a defense that forced three costly Miami turnovers and held the Hurricanes to 186 total yards.
“I love that about this team is you look at guys that have come in as newcomers whether it’s a transfer making an immediate impact or guys that have come in those first couple of classes,” Norvell said. “We were so specific to what we were looking for. Yes, we wanted the biggest, strongest, fastest, but they had to be the right fit for Florida State and guys that truly loved the process of work and cared about people, and that’s what you saw tonight - a team that cares about each other.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2022 at 12:50 AM.
