| Florida State–Miami football rivalry | |
| Teams | Florida State Seminoles Miami Hurricanes |
| Originated | 1951 |
| Series | Miami leads, 31–25 |
| Last winner | FSU |
| Trophy | None |
The Florida State–Miami football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Miami Hurricanes football team of the University of Miami and the Florida State Seminoles football team of Florida State University. Although both universities participate in a variety of intercollegiate sports, the competition between the Hurricanes and Seminoles has traditionally focused on their football teams.
The Hurricanes currently lead the football series 31–25, with Florida State having won the most recent matchup.[1] Since the late 1980s, one or both squads have often been highly ranked coming into the game, adding national championship implications to an already heated rivalry. Kicks have played an important role in the series with many wide right, wide left, blocks and other mistakes that would have won the game for the fallen.
The series has consistently drawn very high television ratings with the 2006 Miami–Florida State game being the most-watched college football game—regular-season or postseason—in ESPN history, and the 2009 and 1994 meetings being the second- and fifth-most watched regular season games, respectively.[2]
FSU and Miami played an epic game in 1987. Both teams were ranked in the top 4. FSU jumped out to a 19-3 lead. FSU held the lead until Miami came back in the 4th quarter to take a 26-19 lead. FSU scored a touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game. FSU could tie with the extra point, but Bowden decided to go for the win. The 2 point conversion fell incomplete and the Noles lost 26-25 to the Canes.
Florida State defeated Miami 24-10 as Miami was missing their starting QB and was forced to play freshman Gino Toretta. Miami went on to win the National Championship upon Craig Erickson's return. FSU was not eligible to play for it, as they suffered two losses at the beginning of the season including to Southern Miss.
After being labeled a "key persona" by Keith Jackson for hitting his third field goal of the game, Florida State kicker Gerry Thomas missed a field goal to the right with less than a minute remaining, and the top-ranked Seminoles lost in Doak Campbell Stadium to the second-ranked Hurricanes, 17-16. Miami went on to split the national championship with the University of Washington, and Florida State finished the season 11-2, ending it by winning the Cotton Bowl Classic against Texas A&M University.
Seminole placekicker Dan Mowrey missed a field goal to the right, and the 1992 Seminoles lost to the Hurricanes in Miami, 19–16. Miami took an undefeated record to the Sugar Bowl, but lost the national championship to Alabama Crimson Tide. Florida State did not lose again, and finished the season ranked second, after Alabama, in both major polls.
Miami took a 27-24 lead after a Ken Dorsey touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, but Seminole quarterback and 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke moved the Seminoles into field goal range during a last minute drive in Miami's Orange Bowl stadium. Florida State kicker Matt Munyon missed a field goal attempt again to the right to seal the Hurricanes' victory. Controversy erupted later in the season when the Seminoles were ranked higher by the BCS and picked to play in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma for the national championship despite Miami being ranked higher in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. The Seminoles lost to the Sooners 13-2, while the Hurricanes defeated Florida 37-20 in the Sugar Bowl. Miami would finish #2 in the polls that year.
The defending champion Hurricanes staged a comeback against the underdog Seminoles to take a 28-27 lead with only minutes remaining in the game in Miami. The Seminoles drove down the field to give kicker Xavier Beitia a chance to win the game with a last second field goal. Beitia missed the kick to the left, giving Miami the victory. FSU went on to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 9-5 overall record, but lost in the Sugar Bowl to Georgia. Miami would finish the regular season undefeated and then lose in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, to Ohio State, in what is considered to be one of the greatest games in college football history.
This contest, a rematch of the regular season game won by Miami, took place in the 2004 Orange Bowl. In this contest, Beitia missed a field goal—wide right—that could have given the Seminoles the lead with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. This game was of lesser importance on a national scale compared to the other Wide Right games, but continued the streak of Florida State losses determined by a single kick. With the win, Miami would finish #5 in the polls that year. It was the first and only bowl meeting between the rivals, as Miami's move to the ACC the next season would make the schools intra-conference rivals and, for all practical purposes, eliminate the possibility of the teams ever meeting in a bowl game again.
Miami was ranked No. 9 and FSU No. 14. The Florida State Seminoles finally gained some redemption for the past Wide Right heartbreaks. Trailing 10-7, the Hurricanes drove down the field to set up a game-tying field goal with 2:16 left. When the ball was snapped, it was mishandled by holder Brian Monroe and the ball never reached the kicker's foot. This ultimately led to a Florida State victory.
Florida State had a 24-3 lead at halftime, but Miami made a miraculous comeback by scoring 29 points to FSU's 10 with 4 minutes left in the game. FSU was faced with 3rd and goal at the 20 yard line against a Miami team that was on fire from the comeback, but Antone Smith scored on a 20 yard touchdown run to put FSU up by 9.
Florida State victories are colored ██ garnet. Miami victories are colored ██ dark green. Ties are white.
| Date | Winner | MIA | FSU | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 15, 1951 | Miami | 35 | 13 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 25, 1953 | Miami | 27 | 0 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 30, 1955 | Miami | 34 | 0 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 2, 1956 | Miami | 20 | 7 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 8, 1957 | Miami | 40 | 13 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Nov. 7, 1958 | Florida State | 6 | 17 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 3, 1959 | Miami | 7 | 6 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Nov. 4, 1960 | Miami | 25 | 7 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 5, 1962 | Miami | 7 | 6 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 30, 1963 | Florida State | 0 | 24 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 19, 1964 | Florida State | 0 | 14 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 24, 1966 | Florida State | 20 | 23 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 26, 1969 | Florida State | 14 | 16 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 30, 1970 | Florida State | 3 | 27 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 18, 1971 | Florida State | 17 | 20 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 16, 1972 | Florida State | 14 | 37 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 29, 1973 | Miami | 14 | 10 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Nov. 8, 1974 | Florida State | 14 | 21 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 15, 1975 | Miami | 24 | 22 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Sept. 18, 1976 | Miami | 47 | 0 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 24, 1977 | Miami | 23 | 17 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Sept. 23, 1978 | Florida State | 21 | 31 | Orange Bowl | |
| Sept. 22, 1979 | Florida State | 23 | 40 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Sept. 27, 1980 | Miami | 10 | 9 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 7, 1981 | Miami | 27 | 19 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 30, 1982 | Florida State | 7 | 24 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 12, 1983 | Miami | 17 | 16 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Sept. 22, 1984 | Florida State | 3 | 38 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 2, 1985 | Miami | 35 | 27 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Nov. 1, 1986 | Miami | 41 | 23 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 3, 1987 | Miami | 26 | 25 | Doak Campbell Stadium | FSU goes for and fails a 2pt conversion instead of a tie |
| Sept. 3, 1988 | Miami | 31 | 0 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 28, 1989 | Florida State | 10 | 24 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 6, 1990 | Miami | 31 | 22 | Orange Bowl | |
| Nov. 16, 1991 | Miami | 17 | 16 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Wide Right I |
| Oct. 3, 1992 | Miami | 19 | 16 | Orange Bowl | Wide Right II |
| Oct. 9, 1993 | Florida State | 10 | 28 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 8, 1994 | Miami | 34 | 20 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 7, 1995 | Florida State | 17 | 41 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 12, 1996 | Florida State | 16 | 34 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 4, 1997 | Florida State | 0 | 47 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 10, 1998 | Florida State | 14 | 26 | Orange Bowl | |
| Oct. 9, 1999 | Florida State | 21 | 31 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Oct. 7, 2000 | Miami | 27 | 24 | Orange Bowl | Wide Right III |
| Oct. 13, 2001 | Miami | 49 | 27 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Miami win snaps FSU's 54-game home unbeaten streak |
| Oct. 12, 2002 | Miami | 28 | 27 | Orange Bowl | Wide Left |
| Oct. 11, 2003 | Miami | 22 | 14 | Doak Campbell Stadium | |
| Jan. 1, 2004 | Miami | 16 | 14 | Dolphin Stadium | 2004 Orange Bowl (first and only bowl meeting), Wide Right IV |
| Sept. 10, 2004 | Miami | 16 | 10 | Orange Bowl | First overtime game; first game as ACC rivals |
| Sept. 5, 2005 | Florida State | 7 | 10 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Miami muffs hold on potential game-tying FG attempt |
| Sept. 4, 2006 | Florida State | 10 | 13 | Orange Bowl | Final meeting at the Orange Bowl |
| Oct. 20, 2007 | Miami | 37 | 29 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Randy Shannon's first win over FSU |
| Oct. 4, 2008 | Florida State | 39 | 41 | Dolphin Stadium | First regular season meeting at UM's new home field |
| Sept. 7, 2009 | Miami | 38 | 34 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Last-second FSU pass bounces incomplete in end zone |
| Oct. 9, 2010 | Florida State | 17 | 45 | Sun Life Stadium | Jimbo Fisher's first win over UM |
| Nov. 12, 2011 | Florida State | 19 | 23 | Doak Campbell Stadium | Al Golden loses in first game against FSU |
| Overall | Miami, 31–25 |
Records table sources: 2010 Florida State Football Media Guide,[3] HurricaneSports.com,[4] and College Football Data Warehouse.[5]
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