Cook breaks record in Florida State’s 31-13 win over Gators

Defending national champion and top-ranked Alabama is a lock for its third straight berth if the Crimson Tide can beat No. 15 Florida in the SEC championship game Saturday in Atlanta, and may not even need to win.

Walker insured that with his two huge plays at the end of the game.

Give it another FSU drive and they’d make it 24-6 after a 23 yard rushing touchdown on third down from RB Freddy Stevenson. In just three seasons, Cook has obliterated the pace of any Florida State tailback in history, entering the game fourth in rushing touchdowns in ACC history with a year of eligibility still to go. Cook has rushed for 460 yards and three touchdowns on 76 carries (6.05 YPC) in his three appearances against Florida. “… I’m disappointed, but you know what, that’s why you go play the game”. On the Gators second drive after halftime, the Gators got a 41-yard field goal from Pineiro to pull with four points of the Seminoles. “Productive freshman quarterback Deondre Francois and dazzling junior running back Dalvin Cook will test a Gators” defense that has allowed 14 or fewer points in eight of 10 games.

The Florida State defense held Florida to 207 total yards of offense, and Gators quarterback Austin Appleby struggled to a season-low 149 yards passing. Scored more points. Path to a possible upset against No. 25 Florida State, right?

Florida State (5-1) capitalized, doubling down on Illinois’ inability to string stops together, for a 72-61 victory in the third-place game of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday afternoon at Barclays Center.

Fisher said it’s an intense two weeks when a rivalry game such as FSU-Florida is followed by a conference championship that will determine whether a team goes to a major bowl and perhaps compete in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately for the garnet and gold faithful, they were unable to punch it in and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Rickey Aguayo.

Florida took over, but two plays later, Appleby was strip-sacked by Sweat and Walker recovered. Cook dominated in-state opponents during his time with the Seminoles. Florida State put the nail in the coffin when Francois scored four plays later with a 8-yard touchdown run to put the ‘Noles up 31-13 with just over a minute to play and the eventual final score.

Walker’s defense didn’t allow a Gators offensive touchdown over the last 10 quarters.

He wanted them to start preparation “realizing that there’s a whole bunch of people that wish they were playing on this championship weekend”.

Tied 44-all with less than 10 minutes to play, the Seminoles outscored the Illini 7-0 in a 56 second span.

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher, left, talks with Ann Scott and Florida Gov. Rick Scott before the team’s NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016, in Tallahassee, Fla. LSU and Auburn are the other two. With the exception of 2001, when Florida moved its Tennessee game to the week after Florida State because of 9/11, it has remained the final game of the regular season.

After all, Ohio State made it into the top four despite suffering one loss, and MI and Clemson both remained in the top four after suffering their first defeats of the season.

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