TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Another blown field goal try decided a Florida State-Miami game. Nothing new there.

The difference Monday night was the Seminoles were the team celebrating when Miami messed up, instead of the other way around.

The Hurricanes botched a short, potential game-tying field-goal attempt in the final minutes to hand Florida State a 10-7 victory that snapped Miami's six-game winning streak against their bitter rivals.

In a series that has seen Bobby Bowden and the Seminoles lament more costly missed field goals than they care to count, Florida State wasn't about to feel guilty about catching a break.

"We finally stole one from them like they've been stealing them from us," Bowden said. "It's about time."

Jon Peattie lined up for the pivotal 28-yarder with about 2:30 left, but holder Brian Monroe dropped a low snap that bounced off his hands and rolled back into the pile, never giving Peattie a chance.

"It was like, `Did that really just happen? That's supposed to happen to us,'" Florida State running back Lorenzo Booker said, laughing at the irony.

Failed field goals by Florida State have played a major role in six Miami victories since 1987, some costing FSU national title shots. Four times, Seminoles kickers went wide right, once wide left and last year they had one blocked.

"It made up for a lot of them, but not all of them," said Bowden, who improved to 12-19 against Miami with FSU.

After Miami's gaffe Monday night, all Florida State had to do was run out the clock to secure its first victory over the Hurricanes since 1999.

"When the law of averages goes against us, I don't like the law," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "I think it was just poor execution on our parts. Maybe it was just Florida State's time."

Florida State overcame its own inept offense (170 total yards) with a defense that registered nine sacks by seven players, two by Kamerion Wimbley.

"Defensively, we were determined not to put it in the hands of the offense and the kicking game," said linebacker Ernie Sims, who had one of Florida State's two interceptions.

Both Florida State's Drew Weatherford and Miami's Kyle Wright were making their first collegiate starts at quarterback and, at times, neither looked ready to lead a team to victory in one of college football's fiercest rivalries.

Weatherford was awful, going 7-for-24 for 67 yards with an interception. He was pulled early in the fourth, but fellow redshirt freshman Xavier Lee had no luck moving the 'Noles, either.

"The only thing I didn't like was that our freshman quarterbacks couldn't hit a receiver," Bowden said.

Wright wasn't much better until the final Miami drive, when he completed six passes and converted three third downs to put the Hurricanes in position to beat the Seminoles for the seventh straight time.

Wright hooked up with tight end Greg Olsen four times in the 19-play drive that started on the Miami 3 and got the Hurricanes to the Florida State 3.

"I knew we were about to win," Wright said.

But the Seminoles pushed Miami back with a sack and another tackle behind the line to force the Hurricanes to go for three to tie.

Wright finished 16-for-28 for 232 yards and a touchdown pass. Olsen caught eight passes for 137 yards.

"I don't mean to say anything bad about Florida State," Wright said. "But I don't think the better team won."

Wright shook off two early interceptions and a few dropped passes to guide an 81-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. The sophomore's first career TD pass was a 34-yarder to Ryan Moore to make it 10-7.

The Seminoles had the lead at the half, but the signs weren't good for Florida State.

Weatherford had completed just three passes for 14 yards while Wright seemed to be capable of making plays when he got help from his line and receivers.

"I mean, we did enough to win and that's all that matters," Weatherford said.

It looked even more ominous for Florida State when Lawrence Timmons blocked a Miami punt that left the Seminoles with first-and-goal at the 1. After three runs lost 3 yards and a false start pushed FSU back another 5, first-year starter Gary Cismesia hooked a 23-yard field goal left.

The Seminoles had grabbed a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 1-yard TD run by James Coleman - set up by an interception - and Cismesia's 37-yard field goal.

Meanwhile, Peattie missed badly from 47 and 39 in the quarter.

"He missed three?" Bowden asked. "Woo, that sounds like Florida State."