Just another cursed, heart-attack finish as Diaz, Miami Hurricanes fall late at FSU | Opinion
The Miami Hurricanes had bowl eligibility in their grasp. They had hopes of an ACC Coastal Division title maintained. Their young quarterback had redeemed himself. UM’s biggest rival was beaten. In Tallahassee.
Then everything changed in the final minute.
The way this stomach-churning season has gone, was there ever a doubt?
Florida State 31, Hurricanes 28.
And tight end Will Mallory, encapsulating the result in five words: “Frustrating. Sad. This one sucks.”
Miami might have had one last play to score at the end but quarterback Tyler Van Dyke failed to spike the ball in time.
“That’s just inexperience right there,” he admitted.
Miami is now a level 5-5 on the season and 3-3 in the ACC, definition of average, Coastal hopes over and a bowl not yet earned after the latest heart-attack finish.
Four of the Canes’ wins have been by 3, 1, 4 and 3 points. Three of the losses have now been by 2, 3 and 3 points.
Saturday the Canes had rallied from 14-0 down and were set to win 28-23, but then allowed a 59-yard pass play and then a 4th-and-14 conversion, which led to a 1-yard quarterback sneak in the final seconds.
Not sure if coach Manny Diaz’s pregame speech Saturday included the distribution of sleeping pills as Adele ballads played softly in the background, but I can think of no other excuse imaginable for the way his Canes started this game against traditional rival FSU.
The Canes had the tailwind of three wins in a row to give oxygen to a season once on life support. By winning again they would have secured bowl-eligibility -- and eliminated the Seminoles from that. More important, a win would have kept alive UM’s shot at still winning the Coastal and reaching the conference championship.
Big game, in other words. Lots to play for.
To say Miami came out flat is an unfair insult to flat.
The hole was 14-0 after one quarter, a nightmare quarter in which the Canes had three turnovers -- all involving the second-year freshman Van Dyke -- and eight penalties. Miami looked like it didn’t belong on the same field as a fired-up FSU squad that belied the 3-6 record it carried in.
This was (improbably) the main game on ESPN. It was the 66th edition of this rivalry, the history of it and the national stage, not to mention the stakes, demanding better than what Miami showed early.
We saw the wheels coming off the young Van Dyke in what seemed initially a back-to-earth thud of a performance. During the three-game win streak he’d thrown for 1,140 yards and 10 touchdowns with only one interception.
That TVD did not make the trip to Tally, evidently. At least not in time for the first quarter,
Van Dyke threw an interception deep into double coverage.
Then threw a second one that saw receiver Mike Harley have the ball taken from his possession by the defender.
And then he lost a fumble.
All in the first quarter as buoyant ‘Noles fans did their Tomahawk Chop chant almost as if it weren’t an anachronism of a stereotype-caricature that should-a been retired awhile ago.
But the kid came back. Oh my, did he!
And brought his Canes with him.
It was another reason to think Van Duke may be UM’s answer at QB the next two or three years.
His 5-yard scoring strike to Key’Shawn Smith put Miami on the board, down 17-7.
His 14-yard TD to Harley drew the Canes within 20-14.
His 4-yard TD to Will Mallory gave Miami its first lead, 21-20, on the first play of the fourth quarter. UM had it 4th-and-2 from the FSU 4. I’d have kicked a field goal. Diaz went for it. His team made him look smart.
The Van Dyke’s fourth TD pass, a 35-yard catch and run by Jaylen Knighton, made it 28-20 and had ‘Noles fans with their hands on their heads, like, “What just happened here?”
Van Dyke would shake off his awful first quarter to pass for 315 yards and those four TDs.
But the defense could not complete his redemption. Diaz had been 2-0 against FSU, his alma mater, before Saturday’s late collapse.
And because of that UM reverted from the team that had won three straight games (two against ranked opponents) to the team is it: Average. Capable of good. But ultimately average.
UM and FSU have played so many thrilling games over the years, often as highly ranked teams. The tenor of the rivalry showed between the third and fourth quarters when the sidelines briefly emptied onto midfield as the ‘Noles appeared miffed that a couple of Canes seemed to be dancing on FSU’s logo.
It’s been tough times for the state’s shrunken “Big 3” football schools, by the way. (At least the Hurricanes have company in that, if that’s any consolation).
Miami (5), Florida State (3) and Florida (3) have won 11 national championships combined, but none lately. And none imminent, based on 2021 performance.
Bobby Bowden and Howard Schnellenberger must be up there shaking their heads over a game of canasta.
Miami is now 5-5 with the loss -- the burner under Diaz turned down from high but still warm.
FSU is now 4-6 with the win, coach Mike Norvell still on shaky ground.
The Gators? They ended a three-game losing streak and limped to 5-5 Saturday, coach Dan Mullen’s future still seen as in limbo.
It is (very) late in the college season, and none of the Big 3 state teams is yet bowl-eligible, the very lowest bar for what might be claimed a successful season.
Six games decided by four points of fewer.
It tells you how close Miami is to a much brighter view of this season. But also how far.
The bottom line seldom lies. It usually is the only truth you can count on. So: 5-5.
Average.
This story was originally published November 13, 2021 at 7:40 PM.
