The Sports Xchange
Dec 31, 2016

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Deondre Francois hit Nykwan Murray with the go-ahead 12-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds left as the No. 10 Florida State Seminoles beat the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines 33-32 on Friday night in the Orange Bowl Classic at Hard Rock Stadium.

Murray's touchdown gave FSU a 33-30 lead. The extra-point try was blocked, and Michigan's Drake Harris returned it for a two-point conversion, accounting for the final margin.

FSU running back Dalvin Cook, named the game's MVP, ran 20 times for 145 yards and a touchdown.

After Michigan had closed its 20-6 deficit to 20-15, Cook took a draw play on third-and-22 and exploded down the left side for 71 yards to the Michigan 16. That play turned the momentum back in FSU's favor.

Michigan, though, battled back and took a 30-27 lead on a 30-yard touchdown run by Chris Evans with 2:05 left in the fourth quarter.

FSU came back with the help of a 66-yard kickoff return by Keith Gavin. That set up Francois' winning TD pass.

With the win, Florida State (10-3) improved to 6-0 in its past six trips to Miami Gardens. That includes four wins over the Miami Hurricanes and a victory over Northern Illinois in the 2013 Orange Bowl.

The Seminoles, who are 27-16-2 in bowl games, also clinched their fifth straight season with at least 10 wins.

Michigan (10-3) suffered a loss even before the opening kick when it was revealed that Jabrill Peppers, its All-America linebacker, would miss the game due to a reported hamstring injury suffered in practice.

In addition, Michigan tight end Jake Butt -- projected as a possible late first-round draft pick -- suffered a knee injury in the first half and did not return.

The Peppers injury spoiled what was supposed to be his personal battle against Cook. Both are considered early first-round picks in the 2017 NFL draft.

Without Peppers, Michigan appeared to get to FSU quarterback Deondre Francois in the first quarter when defensive end Taco Charlton came rambling around left end. Francois took a big hit and left the game for a few plays but soon returned to help sink Michigan.

Francois scored on a three-yard run and also had a touchdown throw of 92 yards to Nykwan Murray, which set the record for the longest in Orange Bowl history. The previous record was 79 yards.

Florida State opened the scoring on Dalvin Cook's 2-yard touchdown run with 12:47 left in the first period.

Nyqwan Murray made the game's first major mistake when he fielded a Michigan punt near his goal line. He fumbled and Michigan's Dymonte Thomas recovered at the 1-yard line.

But the Wolverines settled for a Kenny Allen field goal after a De'Veon Smith run lost 3 yards and Wilton Speight fired two incomplete passes.

Florida State extended its lead to 17-7 with Ricky Aguayo's 42-yard field goal and Murray's touchdown catch. Murray, who ran a fly pattern down the left side of the field, caught the ball around midfield and zig-zagged his way to the end zone, evading two would-be tacklers.

Michigan had another big opportunity in the second quarter, getting a first-and-goal at the Florida State 6-yard line. This time, Chris Evans lost 4 yards on a run, and Speight again fired incomplete on second and third downs, forcing another Allen field goal.

Florida State closed the half with a 38-yard Aguayo field goal, taking a 20-6 lead.

NOTES: Michigan was favored by seven points. ... Michigan has several players who are projected to go in the first three rounds of the 2017 NFL draft, including LB/S Jabrill Peppers, TE Jake Butt, DE Taco Charlton, DE Chris Wormley and CB Jourdan Lewis. Florida State's top draft prospects are RB Dalvin Cook, DE DeMarcus Walker, OT Roderick Johnson and FB Freddie Stevenson. ... Michigan freshman DE Rashan Gary, who attended the same New Jersey high school as Peppers, was ranked the No. 1 player in the nation's Class of 2016. It's the first time Michigan has had a No. 1 national recruit. ... Florida State played with a depleted secondary. S Derwin James and CB Nate Andrews have been out for weeks, but S Ermon Lane, who was set to replace James, suffered a foot injury in practice and missed the game.