Second-half surge sends Florida State past Louisville

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For a half Saturday, No. 11 Florida State seemed to be in a bit of a funk.

Then the Seminoles remembered they had Dalvin Cook.

Cook, the Seminoles’ prized Heisman contender who was held to 28 rushing yards in the first half on seven carries, exploded in the second half to lead No. 11 Florida State past Louisville, 41-21, on Saturday.

“Dalvin’s just … he’s Dalvin; I don’t know what to say,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said of Cook, who finished with 163 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns to go with 60 yards receiving. “I just sit there sometimes with my mouth open and watch him.”

Florida State (6-0, 4-0 in the ACC) extended its Atlantic Coast Conference winning streak to 28 games. That’s one shy of the ACC record of 29, which the Seminoles set from 1992-94.

Florida State’s defense also deserves a game ball after holding Louisville freshman QB Lamar Jackson, the nation’s third-leading freshman rusher coming into the game, to 32 yards on 19 carries.

Jackson did most of his damage through the air, finishing with 307 yards passing and three touchdowns — both career highs — with all three scoring throws going to wideout James Quick,

But while the final score Saturday looked lopsided, Louisville’s defense shined early and the Cardinals led Florida State, 7-6, at halftime.

The second half, however, was a different story.

“We didn’t play our best ball in the first half,” said Seminoles’ leading wideout Kermit Whitfield, who finished with a career-high nine catches for 172 yards and a score.

“Second half, that’s when we came out and started playing FSU football.”

Florida State’s charge began less than two minutes into the third quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run by Cook, then continued one drive later with a 70-yard scoring pass from quarterback Everett Golson to Whitfield.

And when Seminoles defensive back Derwin James strip-sacked Jackson on the Cardinals’ second possession of the second half, Cook cashed it in with a 14-yard run to the end zone for his second score of the game.

The rout was officially on.

“(The offensive line), they don’t get enough credit and the receivers, they don’t get enough credit for the blocking they do (for me downfield),” said Cook, who has 855 yards and 11 total touchdowns in six games. “They’re the highlight of everything I’m doing right now.”

Golson, who completed 13-of-20 passes with two sacks in the first half, continued his pattern this season of really shining in the second half. He finished the game 26-of-38 with three touchdown passes.

The 70-yarder to Whitfield was the longest of his short Florida State career, while his second touchdown pass went to Travis Rudolph from 13 yards with 12:44 left in the game to put the Seminoles up, 34-14, and all but end it.