Canes Open ACC Play by Defeating Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Amid a hostile, hyped-up collection of garnet and gold in Doak Campbell Stadium, the Miami Hurricanes didn’t flinch.

They hit big plays through the air. They held onto the ball. They created turnovers. They kept the nation’s top-ranked offense out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

Equal parts efficient and ruthless, they opened ACC play Saturday night with a big-time win over a big-time rival to show they are a big-time force to be reckoned with as the college football calendar turns to October.

In their first road test of 2025, the third-ranked Canes defeated No. 18 Florida State 28-22. Miami improved to 5-0 overall, 1-0 in the ACC. FSU fell to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play. It was the first ranked meeting between the teams since 2016, and the Canes now own a 37-33 lead in the series.

The Seminoles entered the game with the nation’s best scoring offense (53 points per game) and total offense (600 yards per game) but were held to 404 total yards – 188 of those yards in the fourth quarter when the Canes had built a 25-point lead. FSU had 83 offensive snaps, 24 more than Miami.

Cornerback Keionte Scott paced Miami’s defense with 11 tackles and had a fumble recovery. Safety Zechariah Poyser recorded eight stops and a forced fumble. Cornerback Bryce Fitzgerald and safety Jakobe Thomas each had interceptions with Thomas adding a sack. Defensive end Akheem Mesidor racked up six tackles and a sack. After kicking a field goal on their opening drive, the Seminoles didn’t score again until their ninth drive.

Meanwhile, quarterback Carson Beck, who has played in his share of unwelcoming road environments, completed 20 of 27 passes for 241 yards and threw four touchdown passes – two each to wide receivers CJ Daniels and Malachi Toney. Toney finished with seven grabs for 107 yards and Daniels’s five receptions went for 78 yards. Running back Mark Fletcher rushed for 40 yards on 12 carries. Miami didn’t commit a turnover.

FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos completed 25 of 45 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the Seminoles in rushing with 57 yards. Wide receiver Duce Robinson had six catches for 87 yards.

FSU went on offense to start the game and Castellanos found running back Ousmane Kormah deep down the right sideline for a 28-yard gain. Castellanos then scrambled up the middle for 15 yards to the Miami 24. The Seminoles eventually moved the ball inside the 10-yard line but were stopped on third and goal and settled for a 23-yard field goal by Jake Weinberg. FSU led 3-0 and it was the first time the Canes had trailed this season.

The teams exchanged punts, and Miami got the ball back at its 21. Fletcher moved the chains with a 10-yard gain before Beck threw a gorgeous deep ball to Daniels for 47 yards. The Canes were inside the red zone. Fletcher picked up a 4^th and 1 with a two-yard gain to the eight-yard line, and two plays later Beck connected with Daniels on a four-yard scoring strike to give Miami a 7-3 lead.

On the ensuing drive, Castellanos hit Robinson for 17 yards to the Canes 43 before the Seminoles faced a 4^th and 8 from the 41-yard line. FSU went for it and Castellanos was intercepted deep down the middle by Fitzgerald, who returned his third pick of the season all the way to the Seminoles 44. On the very next snap, Beck took a flea-flicker from Fletcher and looked deep for Toney, who cradled a perfect ball over his left shoulder and glided into the end zone. In the blink of an eye, Miami had an 11-point lead.

FSU crossed midfield but a personal foul penalty on guard Jacob Rizy stalled its momentum, and the Canes got the ball back. The Seminoles’ defense responded with its first three-and-out and got the ball back at midfield with 5:10 left in the first half.

On the next snap, Poyser knocked the ball out of Kromah’s hands and Scott recovered at the Miami 46. Beck appeared to connect with Toney on another long touchdown pass, but the play was called back for illegal motion. FSU’s defense held and the Seminoles took over at their 10-yard line.

Castellanos completed two passes for first downs, but a sack by Mesidor thwarted the drive. Miami ran out the clock in a first half that saw the Canes outgained in yardage 181-150 but sporting a 14-3 lead.

Miami received the ball to start the second half and Beck quickly moved the Canes to the Seminoles 40, where they faced a 4^th and 2. Beck found Toney across the middle and the freshman outraced FSU’s secondary all the way to the end zone, giving Miami a 21-3 lead.

The Seminoles crossed midfield, but on 1^st and 10 from the UM 37, Castellanos threw towards the end zone and was picked off by Thomas. Miami’s offense responded with another soul-crushing drive, marching 80 yards in eight plays with Beck hitting Daniels for his second touchdown reception. The 24-yard scoring strike gave the Canes a 25-point lead.

The teams exchanged punts and FSU returned to the red zone for the first time since its opening drive. Castellanos connected with wide receiver Lawayne McCoy for an eight-yard touchdown reception and the two-point conversion cut the lead to 28-11.

The Seminoles tried an onside kick. Miami recovered, but the Canes couldn’t move the chains and pinned FSU back at its four-yard line. Castellanos drove the Seminoles to the Miami 35 and converted a 4^th and 5 with a seven-yard scramble. He converted another fourth down with a 15-yard pass to tight end Randy Pittman to the Canes 11. Two plays later, Castellanos found Pittman for a six-yard score. Another successful two-point conversion made the score 28-19. But there was just 3:22 left on the clock.

The Canes recovered another onside kick and moved the ball to the FSU 30, where they lined up for 4^th and 1. Running back Marty Brown moved the chains, but the Seminoles were offsides. Miami ran the clock down to 1:12 before FSU got the ball back. The Seminoles marched to the UM 17 and Weinberg kicked a 35-yard field goal to cut the lead to six points with 25 seconds left. FSU’s third onside kick was recovered by linebacker Wesley Bissainthe to seal the win.

The Canes are off this coming weekend before hosting Louisville at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, October 17. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on either ESPN or ESPN2.