North Florida Sports Network Podcast
North Florida Sports Network Podcast
Instant Reaction: Turnovers, Trenches, and a Statement in Miami’s 28–22 Win
Let me ask you one question.
SPEAKER_01:Hey, welcome back. Miami triumph. And that's why I'm going by Miami Confederator Justin. You're in a 21 out. But uh Miami is with uh win 28-22 over the gnolls. Woo! Look, it looked like it was gonna get worse for a second, but the gnolls fought back in the fourth quarter to make it at least mathematically possible where they had a shot.
SPEAKER_02:Almost the backdoor cover. I mean, yeah, almost back coverage.
SPEAKER_01:Well, why didn't they kick a field goal earlier? They went for it, they went for it down 17. I'm like, go ahead and kick the field goal now. It's a three-possession game.
SPEAKER_02:Dude, with that field goal and backdoor cover.
SPEAKER_01:Right? And then they would have had 20, it would have been at least having given it a shot. I don't know. But I am hat I am. That's my first reaction. You know, we're watching the game. We're coming to you right after the game. Is that other than the first drive, uh they should have scored a touchdown. It was a terrible freaking call. Non-call. I get it. Miami, they three and I think the start of that game should have been better for Florida State. But being that it as it is, Miami scored a touchdown, and they the defense after that opening drive completely shut Florida State out in the first half. And that was where I think they really established the game. You know, the defensive ends contained Tommy and when it mattered, and but credit to him. I mean, he fought hard, but they also were a little desperate throwing the ball, and he turned the ball over. Three turnovers to zero for Miami, and that's the difference of the game.
SPEAKER_02:And those turnovers came fast and furious in the first half. Right. I I think Yeah, it was like back to back to back. It was like turnover, big play for Miami. Turnover. I mean, I uh like it.
SPEAKER_01:Oh yeah, that that was 14-3 real quick. That that that was that that momentum there where you got the ball midfield and then hit it on the hit it on the uh flea flicker with the uh pass. You got two really good wide receivers, Tony, the freshman, goodness gracious, another phenom, similar to Williams at Alabama last year. This kid's supposed to be in high school, yeah, and he's out there just dominating on the field. He looks like he's Tyreek Hill. Yeah, he looks really good. And uh Danek Hill, dude. Daniel's mocking the war chant. He looks good too.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, God.
SPEAKER_01:Yep, you get the receivers look good. The um O-line looks good. Uh the running backs. Every everybody look at Miami definitely has better players, and they won that game because of it. Now, they did make and they and they made a lot of penalties too. Like, so they they can work on some stuff because Florida State stayed in it when it looked, it was 28-3, and it ended 28-22.
SPEAKER_02:So that I mean, right there should have been it should have been much bigger. Dude, like I texted you uh um like in the third quarter, I was like, backdoor cover.
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah, I just knew that they wouldn't do that. Well, they kick a field goal at the end, which is I guess I get it, you gotta give yourself a shot to have the ball again. But why didn't you kick a field goal on fourth down whenever you're down seventeen? And you're in field goal range, just go ahead and make it fourteen. And make it even though they I think they got the fourth down, but it just didn't Yeah, they did. Um, but you know, credit to Miami, man. This is like we like you said uh with Chris the ball, he did what he was trying to do. He just loaded flood it, flood it.
SPEAKER_02:He tried to lose the game.
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah, but he couldn't because his players were too good in the first half.
SPEAKER_02:The players were too good to the first half.
SPEAKER_01:This was this was exactly as he planned. What are you talking about? He's like, you know what? Watch this.
SPEAKER_02:I said it four I said it four years ago.
SPEAKER_01:I know.
SPEAKER_02:Go back, go back on the podcast. I said it four years ago. I'm like, in four years, Crystal Ball will have enough talent that he can't screw the game up with a terrible coaching.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Because it felt like it it could have been a lot better. I mean, it could have been a it could have been a blowout. Florida State, to their credit, they fought hard all the way. Castellonas was running for his life the whole game. I mean, Bain is a monster. He really is. I mean, they flagged Messador. Messador is a monster, too.
SPEAKER_02:Messador, dude, Messador became a late first round pick in the draft.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, they they look incredible.
SPEAKER_02:They uh Bain's top five.
SPEAKER_01:They have draft picks. It's it's it's it's like the Miami. It's ridiculous. It's Miami, like you haven't seen them since you know 25 years at the turn of the millennium.
SPEAKER_02:This is the best Miami team in 25 years.
SPEAKER_01:Because well, yeah, and Florida State fought hard. I mean, it that that that win over Alabama is gonna people are gonna say, I don't think that's still I still think they earned the win. Um but just shows you the Miami was up against a hostile environment. They responded because they have massive offensive linemen, and they went and got really good skill players, really good pass rushers, and the tra and they and they sprinkle in the quarterbacks with the transfer portal. Because when you can dominate the line of scrimmage, you can sprinkle in those type of positions.
SPEAKER_02:And that's what Miami has actually done really well. Um, is they've uh Crystal Ball has built up the lines of scrimmage through recruiting and then sprinkled in these transfer portal type guys. And I I mean, because like you got one receiver, CJ Daniels, and then you got another one uh not Kadarius Tony.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:You know, one is a sudden freshman recruit, one is a transfer senior. You know, like Miami's been able to mix up the recruiting and the NIL transfers really well.
SPEAKER_01:Right. And the the freshman receiver might be the he's the best one. I mean, that kid is on that kid's unbelievable.
SPEAKER_02:That guy dude dude, the second touchdown he scored. You knew he was um not the yeah dude, the second touchdown he scored. I remember I dude, I was watching it as it happened, and it it was like a little in-cut, like a 12-yard in-cut route. And it was on like third and eight. And I was like, all right, good.
SPEAKER_01:Well, that was the difference of the game.
SPEAKER_02:And I was like, oh, first, wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, no, no, there he goes.
SPEAKER_01:Those two guys, those two guys, you got two, those two guys right there, Daniels and Tony. If you look at Beck's numbers, he's damn near perfect throwing to both of those guys. So you got a huge O-line. Now let's just move move ahead before we can get off this real quick. Um, Miami's gonna be favored the rest of the way. Uh, this, I think, was their tough, this was their toughest game.
SPEAKER_02:But I'm worried about the letdown against Louisville and J.
SPEAKER_01:Well, Louisville lost to Virginia. And now um now they will have it, they will have a target on their back. I mean, because they're they're now they're the clear favorite in the ACC. Everyone's gonna be looking at them, and you have some teams that are not playing them in the conference, like Georgia Tech and Virginia. So you don't you don't have really any room for error where you if you lose one, you might be left out of the Charlotte talk. Yeah. So and then and then what happens? So so I think you have to, if you're a crystal ball, you gotta keep the urgency on and hopefully Miami fan.
SPEAKER_02:We gotta we gotta play perfect moving forward.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I I think I I don't think it's gonna be a problem. I think if it's if the team stays healthy, especially on the defensive line, it's just too much. It's too much. They got too much on the both lines of scrimmage. And that's where he's built it. That's what he's known to do, and he did it. So let's see if he let's see if he let's see if he can screw this up. This would be the ultimate screw up.
SPEAKER_02:Because I think I still foresee Miami going 11 and 1.
SPEAKER_01:Alright, well we'll see. Yeah, I know you called that earlier.
SPEAKER_02:I think Crystal Ball screws up a game randomly.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Well, uh And we've got like we got like four row games left to close the season. I think it's line up.
SPEAKER_01:He's got good coordinators. I I know I've said I was like I was bullish on the coordinator hires for FSU. And you know, they were beaten tonight. And that's thanks to the rosters, but also you gotta give credit to the defense for Miami, they were prepared to to hold in. Now a couple plays were close, but that's the game, you know, and I think they they had they held Florida State intact. You know, and I think Florida State they battled hard, they looked outmatched, and they looked like they just gave everything they had. If Mike Norvell wants to win, he's gonna have to add those difference makers like they had two years ago. You gotta get those Bain guys, you gotta get those Jared Verse guys, those uh Bud, you know, the Brendan Fitzgames.
SPEAKER_02:There is a couple you know, you gotta get there is a couple there is a couple of those guys on Florida State, though. Um Deuce Robinson and the uh Kid Pittman, right? Those guys are pros.
SPEAKER_01:Right. Oh yeah, there's guys there, and that's that's what I I really like to see the fight in the fourth quarter. You know, I know Miami probably took definitely know they did, knowing Christopher, they definitely played it safe. But Florida State battled hard and they made it interesting, and this team definitely lays down last year and gets their ass kicked, but they came back and someone's gonna be like, oh, it's 28-22. And and I you know, I know I said it all year, it matters how you lose. And the way they fought back, I think is a good sign because I want to talk about Florida State now. Um the rest of the season, you're 0-2 in the conference, and that's really bad. If you looked at if you looked at the beginning of the season, if you were three and yeah, win out, just win out. You're three and two though. That's where that's where you probably expected it. Right?
SPEAKER_02:You you be win if you win out, you got a shot in the conference, because you know Miami's gonna lose one. We're gonna lose the NPT or some stupid shit.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, there's no chance of winning. Don't worry about don't worry about winning the conference. Just just win it win next week. I want to see I want to see the effort on the noon game. I want to see them coming out back against Louis. Yeah, I want to see them no they're playing, yeah. You guys playing, you guys have another buy. Okay. So we we don't we got a while. You guys just revel in this for a while. Okay, I mean you're five and oh, you're five and oh Miami, Miami should be number one. Miami should be number one. I I agree.
SPEAKER_02:Best team in the country.
SPEAKER_01:I agree. Um, but Florida State now, what I would like because they play next week at noon against Pitt.
SPEAKER_02:See, I want to see Florida, I want to say, I want to see Florida State rip off like six consecutive wins.
SPEAKER_01:I do too. And I think this would uh I think that's what everybody wants to see is how they're gonna respond. I know that's what Jimmy has kind of been foreseeing is this this h it happen. And and you know you gotta give credit to Miami. But the rest of the year you shouldn't it it puts you shouldn't lose Virginia. I know they beat Louisville today in overtime. You shouldn't have given up 46 points to Virginia, and and we'll see how the effort is against Pitt, you know, and see if they can get eight wins. Because you lost two games. You only won two. I know you got 11 new starters on offense. So how you how you gonna respond?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I mean, dude, we talked uh we talked about it um before the season started. We thought Florida State was an eight and four team. Yeah seven and five, eight and four. Right, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:They got their upset, and it's now it's about you gotta keep can't let the wheels fall.
SPEAKER_02:Win the games you're supposed to win.
SPEAKER_01:Right, and next week is I think is the start of a where you have to have a winning streak because you're about to rack up some opponents that you should be. And you should get some momentum, get that record going, get bowl eligibility before you even hit Raleigh in in Gainesville. That would that's what I would say. Yeah, because you hey you don't want you don't want the uh you don't want to go to with five wins, five wins games, yeah. You don't want or roll because they have Raleigh, you have Raleigh on a Friday night, and then they end in Gainesville. That's a loss. And they end in Gainesville who just beat Texas and looks like uh Billy Nippy. Yeah, Billy Nippier's making his annual turn of the tide. They're definitely going to do that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, now and now Miami beating Florida looks even better.
SPEAKER_01:Miami says three straight ranked wins. Uh credit to Miami. Uh, they just have to keep doing what they're doing. Um, Carson Beck being efficient, don't turn the ball over. That's what's gonna kill you. We said it all week. That's what FSU needed. And Miami, Miami got exactly Miami did exactly what FSU had to do. They they flipped it on him with I mean, right there in the second quarter, where there was a pick, and then they had or a fumble, and then they hit him with the the the flea flicker, the pass back, and it and it was a great throw, great call. And they got up 14-3, and that kind of that was it for the first half, but then the second half they came out and just really put their foot on the throat in the third quarter.
SPEAKER_02:Um, got up 20 that that's where Chris the ball um didn't totally crystal ball, was the third quarter. The third quarter, we really did put the foot on the throat, and then the third. Florida State the last the last two games.
SPEAKER_01:The last two games, Florida State's been really outmatched in the middle of the game. And it was uh definitely the story that was just clearly the story of this game. I mean, they did they won the fourth quarter, clearly, but it would they were down 28-3. So, I mean, they did fight back, and it was good to see because I think Miami was going for the the the blowout as much as Christopher would allow. But it was good to see you fight back. Yeah. Well, you know, it yeah, it doesn't matter. It's all about it's all about the response. We'll see what F issues made of.
SPEAKER_02:Actually, actually, you know what it's all about? It's all about the you.
SPEAKER_01:That's right. It is, it is. Yeah, yeah, you got it, man. I got uh oh man, I lost them. It's 28-22. I think it should have been worse. So credit for FSU for frying. I think it was this win for Miami is a win on the recruiting trail. Um where you don't have the dudes that Miami does for state. And that's what you need on the road. You need dudes like Bain. He's a monster.
SPEAKER_02:You know our smallest offensive lineman was our center, and he is 6'2, 295. Yeah, the O-line's. Our smallest lineman.
SPEAKER_01:O-line's huge.
SPEAKER_02:It's insane.
SPEAKER_01:Well, five and oh for the canes, one and oh now in the ACC, three and two for the knolls, oh and two in the ACC. So it's a there's a lot of football. There's a lot of football to be played.
SPEAKER_02:I think the knolls, I think the knolls got something left for the rest of the season, though. I better. All right. I mean, dude, dude, the uh the the Castellana's scrambling would have been such a nightmare if the game was closer.
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah. Yep, but you can't throw the picks, and that's what he's done the last two last two games. He's done that. He put himself in a in a deficit the last two weeks, and it's not it's not enough. It's definitely the defense fought harder in this game, but the opponent was better, so yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I know Castellanos was good and bad for y'all tomorrow.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, he was a Castellanos type of guy. You know, he's an eight capable of winning a game, but he's also not gonna do that usually.
SPEAKER_02:Like Johnny Poball. He's lose you a game, win you a game.
SPEAKER_01:He's not gonna win the highest.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I don't know if he's shorter. I mean, Johnny Puball was pretty short. I mean, he was a lot better, but he was short.
SPEAKER_01:Like a like 4 state out game, Miami 404 to 338, 272 yards passing, 132 yards on the ground, but Miami was efficient, uh 5.7 yards per play, before state of 4.9. First downs, 28 first downs to Miami's 14. A lot of that was on the last in the fourth quarter. 5 of 14 on third down for Miami's 7 to 16. So 2 3 on fourth down, 3-4, but it total plays 83 to 59. Florida State had the advantage, but 5 punts to 4 punts, but there it is right there. Fumbles lost, 0 for Miami, 1 for Florida State, interceptions thrown, 0 for Miami, 2 for Florida State. Time possession, pretty much right down the middle. So I mean, if you looked at this game, you're like, oh, Florida State, I gained it, but they're damn sure they turned the ball over, so they had to turn they probably got some garbage yards, and they did.
SPEAKER_02:And it was meaningful yards were not meaningful.
SPEAKER_01:Right, that's what I meant. Like my Miami Forest system yards. Miami forwards.
SPEAKER_02:Right. And then for they racked up a bunch of goddamn stats at the end of the game.
SPEAKER_01:Well, hey, when you lose, you need to look for any type of uh victory you can. So I'm if I'm an FSU fan, I'm like, damn it, man. At least we need to clean it up. Alright. We'll watch it again, probably react to it again, and we'll talk to you next time, right here on the North Florida Sports Network.
SPEAKER_02:I'm goddamn mannered shit.
SPEAKER_01:And you should be.
