Florida State Seminoles vs South Florida Bulls Match Player Stats On Sep 24, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 24, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 13 Florida State to a 55-35 win against South Florida on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

Cook, who had just 228 yards and two touchdowns through the first three games of the season, looked like the Heisman Trophy contender he was expected to be before the start of the season.

His previous career best was 266 yards against South Florida last year.

The game started off with fireworks on the first play of the game as quarterback Quentin Flowers connected with Rodney Adams on a 84-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulls a 7-0 lead.

The Seminoles came right back on their first play from scrimmage as Cook accepted a handoff and went 75 yards to tie the game.

South Florida (3-1) scored another touchdown to take a 14-7 lead with 11:49 left in the first quarter, but Cook responded with his second touchdown to forge a tie midway through the quarter.

Florida State's defense stiffened while its offense kept rolling as fullback Freddie Stevenson found the end zone in the first quarter. Quarterback Deondre Francois connected with Jesus Wilson for a 13-yard score to give the Seminoles a 28-14 at the end of the first.

FSU continued to pour it off in the second half as Stevenson scored his second touchdown and the Seminoles took a 38-14 into halftime.

South Florida running back D'Earnest Johnson had three rushing touchdowns in the second half and finished with 82 yards on eight carries. Flowers rushed for 159 yards but was just 5-of-14 passing for 160 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Seminoles running back Jacques Patrick had 119 yards on 19 carries as FSU racked up 473 rushing yards in the game. Francois was 11-of-19 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a 35-yard option keeper in the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Florida State starting DE Josh Sweat was inactive Saturday after he had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee earlier in the week. Sweat will likely miss next week's game against North Carolina. ... Seminoles DT Fred Jones started in place of Derrick Nnadi, who is dealing with a lower-body injury. ... After scoring on its first two drive, South Florida was held without a first down for six consecutive possessions with five "three-and-outs" and one turnover.