Florida State's Norvell calls overtime holding flag in Miami loss an 'absolute joke'

Florida State coach Mike Norvell was still angry about the officiating two days after his team's 43-35 double-overtime loss at No. 3 Miami. At his Monday news conference he called the holding penalty that wiped out a Seminoles touchdown in the second overtime an "absolute joke," ESPN reported.

The flag came at the worst possible moment. Florida State trailed by eight and faced fourth-and-21 when Micahi Danzy caught a 36-yard touchdown pass. According to Sports Illustrated's Florida State Seminoles On SI, the score came back on a hold called on offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin. The Seminoles then needed 31 yards on fourth down, and their next throw toward the end zone was intercepted. Miami's Bryce Fitzgerald got credit for the pick, and officials upheld it on review.

Norvell questioned that review too. He said he had been told that simultaneous possession never came up while officials looked at the final play. The Associated Press, via Fox Sports, reported that Norvell had spoken with Gary Patterson, the ACC's supervisor of football officials, but had not yet heard Patterson's final review. Norvell said he saw the same kind of contact go uncalled a few plays earlier. He added that even a touchdown would only have forced a third overtime, because his team still had to convert the two-point try. What bothered him was that his players never got to finish the game on the field. Heavy noted that the Seminoles had come back against the nation's third-ranked team before those last two plays decided it.

Norvell's complaint won't change the result. It does show how close Florida State came to the biggest win of a hard season. The loss drops the Seminoles to 3-4 and is their third defeat by one score or in overtime, after a 27-24 loss to SMU and the 43-35 decision in Miami. They have also given up 44 points at Louisville and 50 at Alabama, and they have now lost two straight.

What it means next

Florida State gets a week off before hosting Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 31, on ACC Network. Miami beat Clemson 41-13 in Death Valley earlier this month, so the Seminoles will face an opponent the Hurricanes handled easily. Florida State needs three wins in its last five games to reach bowl eligibility.

Miami is 6-0 and hosts Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 24, on ESPN. The Hurricanes have won five of their six games by at least 13 points, and the Florida State game was the first time anyone kept it within one score. The market expects a lopsided game. On this site's board, which tracks 11 venues, Miami is favored by 20.5 points. Novig prices Miami at +102 at that number, while Pinnacle has the shortest line at Miami -20 for -108.

On the moneyline, Miami is favored at -1233 on Novig. The best price on the Hurricanes is Polymarket's -1185. Pittsburgh is +1076 on Novig and +1100 at Hard Rock Bet, the longest price available. The total is 50.5 at most venues. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 2.8% to 5.2%, so the venues are close to each other on the side most people watch. They spread out more on the spread and total, where hold reaches 7.0%.