Florida’s rush defense is one of the best in the country, but going into its rivalry game against Florida State, and against one of the best running backs in the country, the Gators’ defensive line will be limping into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Six guys who are contributors on UF’s defensive line, including Alex McCalister and Jon Bullard, will either miss the game or be limited when the Seminoles’ workhorse, Dalvin Cook, comes into Gainesville.
Cook has been one of the best running backs in the country, striking fear into opposing defenses with his pure talent.
"The guy’s a great guy. He’s a fire breather, he’s a glass eater," Florida coach Jim McElwain said.
"He’s a difference maker, so some guys in this college football they have ‘it.’ That every time they touch ‘it’ they can make ‘it’ happen and hit a homerun. And you know I hope we’ll be able to tackle the guy."
Cook has been fantastic this season for Florida State.
In FSU’s ninth game against North Carolina State, Cook broke Warrick Dunn’s school record of 1,242 yards in a single season.
Cook sits at 1,475 yards and 16 touchdowns through 10 games this year and ranks in the top-10 in rushing yards (sixth), yards per carry (fifth, 7.97), touchdowns (T-seventh, 16) and yards per game (third, 147.5).
Cook is also a threat out of the backfield catching the ball, as he has 19 receptions for 207 yards and one touchdown.
He also has seven games this year where he’s rushed for more than 100 yards, with two of those contests being for more than 200 yards.
To put it simply, Cook has the ability to carry FSU's offense at times.
"He can hit the home run, he’s quick in the hole, he’s very fast," cornerback Jalen Tabor said.
"You get him in one-on-one situations and he can make you miss. He’ll catch out of the backfield. He has the whole package. He can pass protect."
Cook’s success also comes at the expense of the Gators.
The Miami native was once committed to Florida under former coach Will Muschamp, but he eventually flipped his commitment to Jimbo Fisher and Florida State.
"That guy is special now. He’s a real guy," McElwain said.
"Somebody told me he was committed here or something. Wonder how he ended up there."
The Gators already faced a top-tier running back this season: LSU's Leonard Fournette.
Entering the game on Oct. 17, Fournette was the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, and he didn’t disappoint against Florida.
Fournette gashed the Gators’ defense to the tune of 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers’ 35-28 win.
His 180 yards is the most Florida’s defense has given to a single player this season.
While Fournette is more of a bruising runner, Cook brings some of those elements and then some.
He’s a blur in the open field and once he makes a couple of guys miss, the Seminoles are normally looking at six points on the scoreboard.
"He’s a different runner than maybe the guy up at LSU," McElwain said.
"What do I mean by that, he’s probably got a little one-cut, one-step quickness and go. And yet he runs with power. He runs behind his pads.
"And I know that they use him and they get him the ball like they should. The guy is a difference maker."
While Florida faced Fournette earlier in the season and have a matchup against Alabama’s Derrick Henry potentially looming in the Southeastern Conference Championship on Dec. 5, Tabor said Cook is at a higher echelon than those two.
The Gators will have their work cut out for them on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
"I feel like he’s the best running back in the country," Tabor said.
"You’ve got Chubb, Fournette, but if you break it down, I feel like Dalvin Cook is the best running back in the country. Derrick Henry, everybody, Dalvin Cook is the best running back we’ll play all season."
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FSU running back Dalvin Cook celebrates a touchdown run in the first half of Florida State's 52-13 win against Chattanooga on Nov. 21, 2015, in Tallahassee
