Wide Wrong: Five Reasons Why FSU Could Have, and Should Have, Beat Miami

How do you solve a problem like Travis Benjamin?
No idea. FSU's corners didn't have one either.

This may not come as a shock to those who tuned in, but it would appear that for the first time in a generation that Mickey Andrews' defense is not a "Mickey Andrews" Defense.'

Safeties Korey Mangum, Ochuko Jenije, Nick Moody, and Jamie Robinson, all struggled. All four managed to let the ball get past them through the air, or in the middle of the field several times; accounting for large chunks of Miami's 476 total yards on offense.

Travis Benjamin scorched the corners on several plays for big yardage in the 30's and 40's, while Greg Cooper even managed a 24 yard TD pass from Harris.

Chew on that.

Blown coverage hurt. A lot.

If FSU had played that Nickel package more on defense, they would have been able to match Miami speed for speed, and when they did, they were able to penetrate.

Just ask Jacory.

FSU has not lost a game since 1984 when scoring 34 points.

25 years.

That's a long time.

Almost as long, is the amount of time Jacory Harris had in the pocket to throw the football.

Throughout the night, FSU managed to record only one sack, by Dekoda Watson, who also recorded two tackles-for-loss.

On the defensive line for FSU at various points, late in the game, was walk-on Senior Craig Yarborough, True Freshmen Jaccobi McDaniel and Brandon Jenkins, and Sophomore Tackle Toshmon Stevens.

This is not exactly what I like to call deep.

The only time the line seemed to get any pressure on the QB is when they switched into that five-linebacker set, which admittedly, is a strange looking package to say the least.

But FSU's offense made up for those plays where the D-line and Secondary got burned. Right?

Not so fast.

Fact: FSU had a timeout left with :40 left on the clock.
Fact: Miami used the timeout to change out personnel that FSU was trying to rush in and throw Miami off.
Fact: The gamble failed.

By FSU going with a personnel change while the clock was running, they burned nearly 20 seconds off of the game clock, which greatly reduced their chances of mixing up the play calls, and allowing for a run package.

Miami's offense was always in control of the clock. Even when it seemed they weren't.

Now, there is no way to determine whether Miami's injury after injury was coincidental, but as the game progressed—they sure kept FSU playing a slow, time grinding, short-field passing game. Miami knew how to keep the pace slow for FSU's offense, while still maintaining an explosive and speedy defense.

FSU's management of the clock was not poor, by any means, dominating time of possession by a sizeable margin. But, with less than a minute to play in the game, the 'Canes defense effectively limited the number of plays FSU's offense could run, lanes they could pass in, and the targets they could throw to.

It's first down, and FSU has just accepted a Pass Interference call By Brandon Harris at the Miami five. You now only have to go two yards, and you have four plays to do it in. You can't stop the clock. What do you do?

On first down, the pass makes sense, no faulting Jimbo for that. FSU really only had one option. Jarmon Fortson was open, and Ponder off his back foot heaved one toward back of the end zone. Ball overthrown. Well that happens.

Now what should FSU do?
Pass?
Absolutely.

The pass still made sense. FSU had no timeouts, and they could still run a third play if second attempt fell incomplete. But throwing to Jarmon Fortson again—seemed a bit 'Jeff Bowden' predictable.

Brandon Harris is there, like syrup on a pancake, and sticks a hand in Fortson's face, (which could have easily been pass interference, but it made no difference,) incomplete pass.

Third down with five seconds left. There's less than no time left to make a play. At this point, you go for a run, a reverse, or in the very least, a bubble screen. Instead, Ponder rolled out and threw the ball low for the third time to none other than Jarmon Fortson.

Game over.

...or was the game even over?

After reviewing the play from the replay booth, and witnessing several replays on ESPN, it appeared that the pass to Fortson fell incomplete with one or two ticks left on the clock.

While this may fall on deaf ears, it is a bit odd that when the replay was being reviewed, the booth didn't make any determination of the clock. It is merely worth mentioning, at this point, that FSU may have a gripe on this most arbitrary of details.

By rule, the ball is dead once it hits the ground following an incomplete pass. The ball clearly hit the ground with a full second to a second and a half left to play.

Why the clock continued to wind for the remaining second to second and a half, isn't a major ordeal, because no team should ever rely on one second to win a game, but I'm sure FSU sure would have loved one more crack to put it in the end zone.

Heck, something tells me Bobby himself would be willing to suit up and punch it in the end zone, judging by the look on his face.

The one second argument may be my most mundane, and silly reason to argue. After all, it's just one play; one fourth down play—for one whole second.

But that one second could have provided more than it's billing in a game where Miami and FSU had truly outdone themselves, and reinvented the word "rivalry."

You be the judge.

A special 'hats off' to the men from Coral Gables.

Jacory Harris, Graig Cooper, and Travis Benjamin all played one amazing game on offense, and should not be overshadowed by the 'what if's' this article may have suggested to it's readers.

In the end, the game provided what no other storied matchup was ever capable of. It provided the kind of finish that either makes you want to weep for the fallen, or breathe a sigh of relief for redeemed.

Who knows, maybe FSU will get that one second back, with a chance to run it up the gut—this December, in Tampa.