Miami escaped Florida State with a gritty 43-35 double-overtime win, but the victory came with a few uncomfortable questions. Xavier Chaplin's holding penalty wiped out a potential Seminoles touchdown before Bryce Fitzgerald's controversial interception sealed the game. The finish has fueled debate over Miami's narrow escape, and now an ESPN analyst has raised another concern.
Ahead of Miami's clash with Pittsburgh, ESPN's College GameDay delivered a reality check with Will Compton questioning the No. 1 Hurricanes' championship credentials, citing their struggles against Florida State and controversial officiating decisions.
"I'm off the bus as well, and you just said it; you alluded to it," Compton said on ESPN's College GameDay , agreeing with Josh Pate's analysis of Miami not being the best team in the country. "They got away with one with some help from the referees last weekend against Florida State. Right now, I'm off the bus. The O-line plays got to get much better."
Compton was referencing to last week's game that has sparked controversy over two decisions that went Miami's way. The first involved an offensive holding penalty against Florida State tackle Xavier Chaplin, which Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell disputed. The call wiped out a potential touchdown after quarterback Ashton Daniels connected with Micahi Danzy on a deep pass.
The controversy deepened when Florida State faced fourth-and-31. Daniels launched another pass toward the end zone, targeting Duce Robinson, but Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald contested the throw, and officials ruled it an interception, ending the Seminoles' comeback hopes.
Norvell believed both players had possession of the ball as they hit the ground, meaning Florida State should have been awarded the touchdown. However, the officials upheld the interception after a replay review, leaving the head coach frustrated even after the game.
"I watched the replay," Norvell said after the game. "I mean, at the start of football, it's a tie. It goes to the receiver, but I guess they had a different angle. There are plenty of plays, but just to have that outcome come down to a play."
While Compton believes Miami benefited from the officials' decisions, his ESPN colleague Steve Shaw offered a contrasting view, defending the officiating. During the broadcast, he explained that the replay offered insufficient evidence to overturn the on-field ruling.
However, there's another reason why Compton questioned Cristobal's team. The ESPN analyst believes the Hurricanes' offensive line has emerged as another major concern, especially after the Florida State game.
"This offensive line has still got a long way to go," Compton added on ESPN's College GameDay. "There's a lot of leakage last week against Florida State. Again, double-digit favorites against that team. Florida State pressures the quarterback 15 [14] times."
Compton's concerns are not without merit. Florida State pushed Miami to the brink last week, exposing a level of pressure on Darian Mensah that had rarely been seen this season. At times, Mensah escaped the rush and found his receivers; on other occasions, the pressure got to him, leaving his passes off target.
According to Pro Football Focus, Miami surrendered 14 quarterback pressures, its highest tally since facing Virginia Tech on September 27, 2024. The figure also marked a season high, as the Hurricanes had not allowed more than nine pressures in any previous game this year.
Miami's struggles up front were particularly evident at tackle, where Samson Okunlola surrendered seven quarterback pressures on the left side, while right tackle Matt McCoy gave up five.
However, despite the offensive line's struggles in pass protection, the ground game delivered, with the Hurricanes racking up 257 rushing yards, their highest total against an FBS opponent this season.
"We are going to get better," center Ryan Rodriguez said. "And the way you do get better is just practice it, rep it."
"We know [stunts have] been a weakness for us. We know teams are going to try to exploit that. We've got to get better at that, and we are very conscious of that. … You can't just show up, be on different levels, be on different pages, and try to be one-on-one. If everyone tries to be one-on-one, we're going to get picked," he added.
While the Hurricanes have had their share of lapses, completely blaming them is a no-go. They have still delivered this season, earning a spot on the Joe Moore Award's midseason honour roll. Miami remain serious championship contenders, but can they maintain that level of play? That is the real question.
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