Miami Hurricanes trounced by Florida State Seminoles in worst home loss in series history
Home not-so-sweet home.
The fans finally showed up at Hard Rock Stadium. The Hurricanes barely did.
Miami lost the game, starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (again) to a shoulder injury and surely some pride Saturday on homecoming, as Florida State clearly flexed its superiority by defeating Miami 45-3. FSU clinched bowl eligibility and put Miami in dire risk of not qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2007.
The result marked UM’s worst loss ever at home to FSU.
“Obviously a poor performance by our program,’’ UM coach Mario Cristobal said. “As a head coach, you’ve got to take responsibility for that. Our entire program has to take it head-on and go back to work, and build. That’s where we are. We all have work to do.”
For the first time since 1973 — that’s 49 years — the Hurricanes (4-5, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) have lost four consecutive home games. They must win two of their three remaining regular-season games — at Georgia Tech, at No. 4 Clemson and home against Pittsburgh — to qualify for a bowl.
The last time UM was 4-5 was in 1978 under Lou Saban. The last time the Canes scored a touchdown was early in the third quarter Oct. 22 against Duke.
“What we’re doing isn’t good enough,’’ tight end Will Mallory said. “We have to do more. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. We have to go back to work and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.’’
By halftime, when FSU (6-3, 4-3) led 31-3 in front of a sellout crowd of 66,200, Van Dyke (4-of-8 for 24 yards) was out of the game for good. He appeared to re-injure his throwing shoulder at 14:01 of the second quarter, reentering the game soon after and leaving again at 11:53. He watched from the sideline for the second half.
“He looked good to start the game,’’ Cristobal said. “And it went south.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Garcia came in briefly in the second quarter to replace Van Dyke and threw an interception on his first pass. Florida State scored three plays later to make it 28-3, before Garcia came in for one completion and was subsequently replaced by true freshman quarterback Jacurri Brown.
Brown got the most action of his young career, going 5-of-9 for 37 yards, with an interception. He also ran 14 times for 54 yards.
“Young kid is a baller,’’ receiver Xavier Restrepo said. “He came in, no hesitation and started moving the ball.’’
Garcia finished 1-of-2 for 1 yard and the interception.
UM’s quarterbacks combined for 10-of-19 for 62 yards and the two picks. Those interceptions and two fumbles led to 14 FSU points.
Those “lumps” Cristobal described in rebuilding a college football program might feel like mortal wounds about now to Hurricanes fans who watched the Canes lose.
But for Florida State, led by quarterback Jordan Travis, it was nothing less than glorious. The Seminoles earned bowl eligibility for the first time under third-year FSU coach Mike Norvell. Travis completed 10-of-12 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception.
The Seminoles outgained the Hurricanes 456 to 188 total yards. FSU’s Trey Benson rushed for two touchdowns and the duo of Benson and Lawrance Toafili combined for 270 yards — 180 of them rushing.
“This game means so much to our program and our fanbase and our players,’’ Norvell said. “We talked about the chance to leave a legacy. Everybody will remember this game. ...We were able to dominate that game with the true character of what this team is all about.”
The last time UM won at Hard Rock Stadium was Sept. 10 against Southern Miss of the Sun Belt Conference. Since then, the Canes have posted home losses to Middle Tennessee State of Conference USA, North Carolina, Duke and FSU.
The Canes travel to Atlanta next weekend for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Georgia Tech, 4-5 and 3-3 after defeating Virginia Tech on Saturday. The next UM game is at Clemson, 8-1 and 6-1 after losing Saturday to Notre Dame.
UM wraps up the regular season home on Nov. 26 against Pitt, 5-4 and 2-3 after defeating No. 22 Syracuse on Saturday.
“We’re just trying to win each and every week,’’ UM cornerback Te’Cory Couch said. “We’re not thinking ahead.’’
Florida State travels to Syracuse (6-3, 3-2) next Saturday, before a Nov. 19 meeting with Louisiana and a nationally televised regular-season home finale Friday, Nov. 25, against the Florida Gators.
This story was originally published November 5, 2022 at 11:03 PM.
