‘Everything was against us’: Canes dig deep in comeback

Already once this season, the Miami Hurricanes had been in this same precarious position, struggling in the big-game spotlight while their opponent jumped out to a commanding lead.

This time, though, was different in so many ways.

For one, the Hurricanes weren’t lined up against an out-of-conference opponent far from home. They were playing at Hard Rock Stadium against Florida State, their biggest rival, a team who’d beaten them six straight times on their home field.

And so, after Florida State delivered punch after punch through most of the first three quarters, the Hurricanes found a way to fight back, showing the kind of toughness Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said wasn’t there in the Hurricanes’ season-opening loss to LSU last month.

There was Sheldrick Redwine forcing a fumble that was picked up by teammate Gerald Willis. Then a touchdown pass from N’Kosi Perry to Lawrence Cager. After that, an interception by Michael Pinckney. And then a another touchdown pass from Perry, this one to Jeff Thomas.

Bit by bit, the Hurricanes clawed their way back from a 20-point deficit to secure what was ultimately, a 28-27 win over the Seminoles. With it, Miami started a new streak, notching its second straight victory over FSU. They also recorded what is their biggest comeback in the series, according to the Associated Press.

And the Hurricanes also showed that in this game, they weren’t going to be deflated by any one single play, as they were when LSU’s Nick Brossette scored on a 50-yard touchdown run in Arlington.

This comeback started after another potential momentum-killer, after FSU’s D.J. Matthews scored on a 74-yard punt return.

This time, the Hurricanes (5-1, 2-0 ACC) responded.

“Once that happened, I told the [defense] immediately … we aren’t going to make it [any] better if they get more points. So we’ve got to dominate and control what we can control,” said Hurricanes safety Jaquan Johnson, who returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games with a hamstring injury and notched 10 tackles. “Then I went over to the offense and I told them that we have to play with a lot of heart to win this game.

“I mean, everything was against us. Special teams play was bad. Offense wasn’t really moving the ball how we should. Defense wasn’t getting turnovers at the beginning of the game like we know how. And for us, it just flipped that in the second half and we became a totally different team. I mean, there’s four quarters of football. That’s why we love football.”

Johnson’s assessment was accurate. In the latter two halves of Saturday’s game, the Hurricanes looked like a different team than they were early.

Perry — a redshirt freshman who was making just his second career start and his first in the Miami-Florida State rivalry — seemed more comfortable and hit more of his targets, finishing the day with 204 yards and four touchdowns after going just 7 of 18 for 89 yards in the first half.

Miami’s defense, which allowed 155 yards in the first two quarters, limited the Seminoles to just 45 yards in the third and fourth. And then there were the two turnovers that helped key the change in momentum.

Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said it didn’t seem on the Miami sideline as if players were jumping around, trying to get each other going.

There was, instead, a calm belief things they could change the outcome.

“These guys, they really are great people. They’re great. They’re fighting like mad to do it exactly the way their coach asks and they’re special guys. There’s a special bond between the coaches and the players and that’s part of the reason why things didn’t fall apart,” Richt said.

“If we weren’t strong from a unity standpoint, we wouldn’t have made through what was happening. Everybody kept battling and trusting and encouraging. That’s the biggest word on the sideline, when you’re asking what was going on, it was more encouragement than anything else, which I was really proud of, coaches and players.”