Tracking Dalvin Cook’s pursuit of FSU football history

Although it seems like a while since it’s happened, Florida State blowouts in Tallahassee are nothing new to the Seminole faithful. However, the vast majority of fans remaining late into such a lopsided contest, as was the case on Friday night during FSU’s 45-7 trouncing of Boston College, is another matter altogether. Why did the better part of 73,000+ fans remain in their seats. To witness history.

Specifically, to see Seminole running back Dalvin Cook break Warrick Dunn’s all-time rushing record at FSU. They cheered whenever Cook was shown on the big screen, but their emotion was not enough to trump ‘Nole Head Coach Jimbo Fisher’s logic. I won’t disagree with it either, as Fisher explained that he’d not be able to forgive himself had Cook been hurt late in the win in an attempt to get him the record in front of the home crowd.

Although it must have been tempting, especially considering how close Cook became. With 3,937 career rushing yards, he trails Dunn’s total of 3,955 by just 18. Normally, this is the part where I tell you about how many more games it should take Cook to eclipse Dunn, but we can dispense with such math at this point. It’s happening on Saturday, at Syracuse.

One mark that Cook may not catch, however, is his own record, set last year, for single-season rushing yards at FSU. Cook rushed for 1,691 yards in 2015, and is currently at 1,242. Given his average of 124.2 yards per game this season, he’ll need a little more than the three games that remain for the ‘Noles, including the bowl game.

It’s even less likely that Cook matches the 19 rushing scores he registered last year, which trail only Greg Allen’s 20 in 1982 as far as single-season rushing TDs at Florida State are concerned. Cook has 13 after adding another against the Eagles. However, Allen’s career mark of 44 is very much in reach for Cook, who is in second place by himself with 40.

Cook’s 108 rushing yards gave him his 19th triple-digit rushing game, second in FSU history. He’ll need to top the century mark in all three remaining games to tie Dunn’s record of 22.