There were fireworks (literally and figuratively) in Charlottesville, Virginia on Friday, Sept. 26, with Virginia upsetting No. 8 Florida State 46-38 in double overtime to earn the program’s biggest victory in years.
The final minutes of the game came with some sour feelings for the Seminoles — and not just because they suffered their first loss of the season.
After the Cavaliers scored a touchdown on the first possession of the second overtime, with quarterback Chandler Morris scrambling for a 4-yard touchdown run over the pylon and into the end zone, coach Tony Elliott sent out his field-goal unit for the extra point, with the ESPN broadcast noting he held up one finger after Morris’ touchdown run to indicate they were going to kick.
There was just one problem: Starting in the second overtime of a college football game, teams have to go for a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown.
Despite Virginia initially putting their special-teams unit on the field, the play clock was reset, allowing the Cavaliers to avoid being called for a delay-of-game penalty. Had that occurred, their two-point try would have come from the 7-yard line.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell was irate over the snafu, wondering why the play clock was reset and pleading his case to the officials.
Virginia successfully converted its two-point try, with Morris finding Trell Harris in the back of the end zone.
Some fans and media members who were following along with the game expressed their frustrations and befuddlement on social media:
No way in hell should Virginia have not gotten a delay of game penalty for sending out their field goal team on the mandatory 2 point conversion in the 2nd Overtime. Clock should have been running and every Florida State fan has the right to be FURIOUS about it.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 27, 2025
Congrats to UVa. Made some huge plays. One of most improved rosters in ACC.
Don’t know if it changes the outcome but giifting UVa essentially a free timeout in OT was egregious incompetence. I would expect an official acknowledgment by the ACC offices but damage is done.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) September 27, 2025
Mike Norvell had every right to be upset there. If UVA made a mistake and sent the kicking team on the field when you have to go for 2, how is that not a delay of game? Why did the refs reset the play clock??
— Van Allen Plexico (@VanAllenPlexico) September 27, 2025
They really just reset the entire play clock for Virginia because they made a mistake and brought out the extra point crew. This conference is honestly such a joke
— Link Jarrett’s Burner 🍢 (@bgoodrich210) September 27, 2025
Virginia still had a timeout remaining, which it could have used to avoid a delay-of-game penalty. It’s also possible that a Cavaliers offense that had its way for much of the night against Florida State, racking up 440 yards of total offense, would have successfully converted five yards farther back from the goal line.
While it was an error by the officials, it didn’t necessarily cost the Seminoles the game. On the ensuing possession, Florida State receiver Duce caught what appeared to be the touchdown that would give the Seminoles a chance to tie the game with a two-point attempt of their own, but replay overturned the call after Robinson bobbled it through the end zone.
Viewers got a chance to see and listen to the ACC Operations Center when an apparent touchdown catch by Florida State’s Duce Robinson was overturned and ruled incomplete.
“We just can’t thank the ACC enough, for allowing us to listen to that conversation,” Bob Wischusen pic.twitter.com/ssx325MNvc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 27, 2025
In the end, the Seminoles didn’t advance past the Virginia 25-yard line, with a Tommy Castellanos heave into the end zone on fourth-and-12 getting intercepted to end the game and send a sea of Cavaliers fans rushing onto the field.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia avoids penalty due to officiating mistake in win vs Florida State
