The two calls that ended FSU's 2OT loss at Miami: a holding flag, an upheld interception and a familiar crew

Florida State's 43-35 double-overtime loss at No. 3 Miami came down to two officiating decisions on back-to-back snaps: a holding flag that wiped out a touchdown, then an end-zone interception that stood after review. Afterward, Mike Norvell disputed both, and noted that this was not the first time FSU had lost on a late call with this crew.

The holding call

Miami scored first in the second overtime and converted the two-point try for a 43-35 lead, so FSU needed a touchdown and a two-point conversion to force a third overtime. The possession went backward from the start, per ESPN's play-by-play: Omar Thornton sacked Ashton Daniels for a 6-yard loss, two passes fell incomplete, and a false start pushed FSU back to the Miami 36.

On fourth-and-21, Daniels threw deep left to Micahi Danzy, who caught it at the goal line for a 36-yard touchdown. A flag for holding on offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin (No. 77) nullified it. The 10-yard penalty moved FSU back to the Miami 46, leaving fourth-and-31, per ESPN.

Logan B. Robinson posted video of the play identifying Chaplin as the player flagged. In his view, it was an "absolutely atrocious call by the ACC," and he wrote that it was "going to be a massive controversy the next few days."

Even if the touchdown had counted, FSU would still have trailed 43-41 and needed a two-point conversion to tie.

The interception

On the next snap, Daniels threw for the end zone, and the pass was ruled intercepted by Miami's Bryce Fitzgerald for a touchback. ESPN's play-by-play lists the play as under automatic review, with the result "CALL UPHELD." Tomahawk Nation summed it up: "FSU's 36-yard completion is called back due to a holding penalty. The Seminoles' next pass is ruled an interception, and the call stands following review."

FSU saw it differently. Daniels said, "I personally thought it was a touchdown," per Warchant. Norvell said he thought the pass to Duce Robinson should have been a touchdown because of simultaneous possession, Warchant reported.

Norvell and the crew

Norvell also "didn't like the holding call on play before," Warchant reported, quoting him: "Go watch the film." He said this was the second straight year FSU had lost a game on a late call with this officiating crew, per Warchant.

Warchant added: "This was the same crew that handled the FSU-Stanford game last season." Neither Warchant nor ESPN's game page named the referee or crew chief.

What others said

The Tallahassee Democrat's Corey Clark, writing on X, called the Robinson non-catch and the hold on Danzy's touchdown "VERY dubious." He also wrote that "the ESPN rules analyst made zero sense on his opinion on the Duce non-catch," and that "we had no real conversation about the hold on Danzy's non-catch." Clark added a caveat: "Noles still would have had to get a 2-point conversion just to tie."

The ACC

As of midnight ET, NoleStandard had found no public statement or pool report from the ACC on either call. If the conference releases one, we'll report it.

What's next

FSU (3-4, 1-3 ACC) has an open date before hosting Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Doak Campbell Stadium, per seminoles.com.

More from tonight: the story of the wild ending, Norvell's postgame comments and our full recap.

Sources: ESPN play-by-play; Logan B. Robinson on X; Tomahawk Nation on X; Warchant on X; Warchant on X; Warchant on X; Corey Clark/Tallahassee Democrat on X; seminoles.com recap; seminoles.com FSU at Miami gallery