10/19/2026 02:16:00
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10/19 14:14 CDT Florida State coach Mike Norvell rips ACC officials, says
holding call in OT was 'an absolute joke'
Florida State coach Mike Norvell rips ACC officials, says holding call in OT
was 'an absolute joke'
By BOB FERRANTE
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) --- Florida State coach Mike Norvell expressed
frustration Monday with the Atlantic Coast Conference officiating crew that
oversaw his team's 43-35 loss at Miami in double overtime, calling a late
holding penalty "an absolute joke."
Norvell also questioned the interception that ended the game.
Norvell said he spoke with ACC Supervisor of Football Officials Gary Patterson
but has not heard "his final review" of the game.
On the first of two "Hail Mary" attempts in the waning seconds, FSU's Ashton
Daniels completed a pass to Micahi Danzy in the end zone, but the completion
was waved off because left tackle Xavier Chaplin was flagged for holding.
"The holding call, it was an absolute joke," Norvell said. "I have not heard
(Patterson's) final review from it. I've got a lot of respect for the job
everybody has. Same thing happened a few plays earlier that was not called. But
in that moment, that play, it's just a shame. It really is.
"We had to go convert the 2-point play. But for those kids to not be able to
finish the game on the field, in that moment, it's really disappointing. There
are a lot of judgement calls in all things but that was bad. I haven't gotten
the final response from them, but if it's anything less than what I said, it
tells me everything I need to know."
Norvell also criticized what he perceived as a lack of a discussion on the
"simultaneous possession" on the second desperation throw to the end zone, the
one that Florida State's Duce Robinson got both hands on but was ruled an
interception by Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald.
"The Hail Mary thing at the end, the only disappointing thing (is) I know it
went to review," Norvell said. "From what I've been told, simultaneous
possession never even came up in the conversation of review. ... As I said
immediately after the game, if you got two guys going up for a catch, and they
both come to the ground, simultaneous possession, that has to be a part of the
discussion."
Norvell went on to say he was proud of the Seminoles' resolve in those moments,
although Miami held on for the win. He also praised the Hurricanes, who were
ranked No. 3 and moved up to No. 1 on Sunday, and said "that was a great
college football game."
Norvell also was candid about Florida State's 3-4 record. The Seminoles have
lost to a pair of top-10 teams on the road, Miami and Alabama, and to SMU in a
home game on Labor Day.
Florida State has a bye this week before hosting Clemson on Oct. 31. Norvell is
41-38 in his seventh season at FSU.
"We're not in the business of being close," Norvell said. "We're not in the
moral victories of it ... I told them (Sunday), told the staff, ?I'm a proud
coach for how a team played.'"
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