Saturday was one of the wildest and craziest days in college football that fans have seen in some time. Upsets, near upsets, officiating controversies, and so much more filled a day of ultimate TV viewing from noon well into Sunday morning.
There were a lot of eye-opening storylines from No. 1 losing on a walk-off field goal after a fumble with a minute left to, wait for it, officials coming under fire. Every weekend there are one, two, or even sometimes three teams that get hosed by officials. Saturday night in South Florida, Mike Norvell and Florida State were the latest to be hosed by officials in maybe one of the better games on Saturday.
The ending at Hard Rock Stadium against an undefeated Miami team was something that Virginia Tech fans know all too well and feel for Seminoles fans on Sunday.
Florida State gets hosed by officials in overtime loss at No. 3 Miami
Let's review what happened in the second overtime. Florida State was down 43-35 and facing a 4th-and-21 when quarterback Ashton Daniels dropped back and launched a Hail Mary to the end zone, where it was caught for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 43-41. FSU needed to convert a two-point conversion to force a third overtime. Until there was a flag thrown.
Former Virginia Tech offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin was called for holding on the play. You be the judge.
🚨🚨BREAKING: ABSOLUTE ROBBERY🚨🚨
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 18, 2026
FOOTAGE OF THE CONTROVERSIAL HOLDING CALL AGAINST FLORIDA STATE ON 4TH-AND-21 IN DOUBLE OVERTIME AGAINST NO. 3 MIAMI.
THIS PENALTY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CALLED.
FLORIDA STATE GOT ABSOLUTELY SCREWED BY THE REFS.
😳😳 pic.twitter.com/WsYyXMVXCt https://t.co/BpcTm1B6pq
So Florida State was forced to go for it again, and this time, Daniels' toss to the end zone looked like a simultaneous catch. However, the call on the field was an interception for Miami. It went to video review, and the call was upheld. Ok, so it was what it was on the end zone interception, but the holding call is where Florida State and Norvell should feel robbed.
Mike Norvell says this is the second straight year FSU has lost a game on a late call with this officiating crew.
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) October 18, 2026
Said he thought the Duce pass should have been a TD because of simultaneous possession.
Also didn’t like the holding call on play before:
“Go watch the film.”
If there is a beef with either of the calls, it should be the holding call. That stuff happens on every single play, and if the referees threw a flag on every single play, then these games would never end. To call that on Chaplin, you really need to be looking for something.
As far as Virginia Tech fans go, they feel Florida State fans' pain. It was just over two years ago that Kyron Drones' Hail Mary pass was ruled a touchdown on the field, but overturned without clear and definitive evidence. Remember this one?
Does anyone remember this??? pic.twitter.com/S4Cz2k0UBt
— Kolby Crawford (@kolby_crawford) October 18, 2026
Now, it should be noted that FSU would have needed a two-point conversion if the first touchdown had stood, and there was no guarantee they would have. ACC officials have come under fire, and Hokies fans know that all too well, with a non-pass interference call on the final play last week at Cal on tight end Luke Reynolds in the back of the end zone. Now this in South Florida.
Miami fans will say it was holding, and the call was right. However, they can't deny that the home game against Florida State should not have come down to that. It had the makeup of a Mario Cristobal masterclass in losing a game they have no business losing. Remember Louisville and SMU last year? However, the Hurricanes were saved by the 12th defender, the officials, and live to see another day. Florida State fans, Virginia Tech fans, understand your frustration with another Miami Miracle from the officials.
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