‘It’s my ball’: Miami’s Bryce Fitzgerald recaps interception to cap win over FSU

Whenever a football is thrown in Bryce Fitzgerald’s direction, the Miami Hurricanes defensive back has one pressing thought.

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“It’s my ball,” Fitzgerald said, “or no ball.”

On Saturday night, in the biggest moment against the Hurricanes’ biggest rival, it was Fitzgerald’s ball.

The sophomore hauled in the game-sealing interception in a crowded right corner of the end zone on a fourth-down Hail Mary attempt to cap the No. 3 Hurricanes thrilling 43-35, come-from-behind double overtime win over the Florida State Seminoles at Hard Rock Stadium to keep Miami undefeated at 6-0 and 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The interception came on a throw intended for FSU’s Duce Robinson, the Seminoles’ 6-6, 230-pound star receiver who had five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns on the game.

“My basketball instincts,” the 6-1, 185-pound Fitzgerald said of his ability to compete with larger receivers. “I treat it like I’m getting a rebound off the rim. In basketball, I always got it off the rim, so that’s what I did.”

He also did it while playing banged up. Fitzgerald went to the locker after Miami’s first drive with what he called a stinger in his shoulder, which looked a lot worse in real time. He came back in second quarter, re-aggravated the injury but came back once again to finish the game.

“We thought he was hurt pretty bad early in the game,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said. “He went in there and they checked him out, and he didn’t want to be held back. Came back out and was he was all over the field. He made that’s not the only play he made. He gets in the right checks, has a lot of stuff back there that’s sometimes unseen, but almost came up with another big play as well. He found a way to get that ball, and that was one hell of a contested catch by him. Lots of love for Bryce Fitzgerald.”

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As for why Fitzgerald returned to the game despite getting hurt?

“Coach Cristobal always says if you’re injured, you can’t go, but if you’re hurt, you’re gonna go,” Fitzgerald said. “I told him I was good to go. Coach trusted me to go back in the game, so I went in and gave it my all.”

And it mattered in the biggest moment even if the team had to hold its collective breath while the play went to replay review.

“We’re all just waiting,” running back Javian Mallory said. “I see the team running around, but there’s a whole bunch going through my mind right there. After the final call was made, all the emotions [came out], I was happy. We celebrated.”

Fitzgerald showcased his ballhawking prowess as a freshman when he led Miami and finished tied for second nationally with six interceptions last season. He was primarily used as a safety and nickel corner then.

This year, he’s had to play a lot at outside cornerback following early-season injuries to OJ Frederique Jr. and Ethan O’Connor. He handled that role admirably over the past four games before getting the opportunity to play his natural positions again on Saturday.

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And in the end, in the biggest moment, it paid off.

“Tough,” wide receiver Malachi Toney said. “He willed us to victory.”

This story was originally published October 18, 2026 at 12:29 AM.