ABOVE VIDEO:Jimbo Fisher speaks to the media after practice. (Florida State Seminoles Video)
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA (Seminoles.com) – No. 16 Florida State puts the finishing touches on the home portion of its regular season schedule this Saturday when the Seminoles host Chattanooga at 3 p.m. inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
The game will be televised on the Regional Sports Network – check your local listings for the channel provider in your area.
The Seminoles will pay tribute to the 19 members of this year’s senior class, including 12 scholarship seniors, with a pregame ceremony on Bobby Bowden Field.
Among the players that will be recognized are transfer student Everett Golson (1,711 passing yards, 11 TDs), fifth-year seniors Lamarcus Brutus (48 tackles, 2 INT), Tyler Hunter (22 tackles, 1 INT), Nile Lawrence-Stample (27 tackles, 3.5 TFL), Derrick Mitchell Jr. (six tackles), Giorgio Newberry (19 tackles, 4 PBUs) and Terrance Smith (37 tackles, 3.5 TFL) and fourth-year seniors Cason Beatty (43.9 yds/punt, 14 50+yds) and Reggie Northrup (73 tackles, 5 QBH).
FSU’s senior class has a 47-5 record (.904), while the Noles’ fifth-year seniors have posted a 56-9 mark (.862) since coming to FSU in 2011.
A win on Saturday over the Mocs will give this year’s senior class their third straight undefeated record at home and an overall home record of 32-3 since 2011.
The Noles also carry the nation’s longest active home winning streak into Saturday’s game – a mark that stands at 20 consecutive victories inside Doak Campbell.
Jimbo Fisher
“Sending these seniors out on a great note (is very important),” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said.
“What they’ve accomplished in these last four years, winning almost 90, 91 percent of their games. It could be the 48th win this weekend, that’s a lot of W’s in a short time span. I think that goes along with only five losses.
“This class is one of the all-time greats. I mean, it has a chance to tie for most wins in a four-year span and it has three chances to win two games. Two breaks it, one ties it – the all-time most wins by a senior class in Florida State history. I’d say that’s pretty special.”
On Tuesday afternoon, sophomore tailback Dalvin Cook talked about the importance of coming out strong against Chattanooga and playing for the seniors who laid the ground work for the program’s success these last four to five years.
Dalvin Cook
“It’s very important to send them out on a good note for their last home game,” said Cook.
“When I got here, they (current fourth and fifth year seniors) really took me under their wings, and it’s very important that we send those guys out on a high note. We need to go out every day in practice and show that we’re willing to lay it on the line for the seniors this weekend.”
Chattanooga comes to Tallahassee after wrapping up its third consecutive Southern Conference title last weekend with a 31-23 victory over The Citadel to earn an automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. The Mocs are ranked No. 8 in the STATS FCS Poll and No. 9 n the FCS Coaches Poll.
Looking at Cook’s Yards Per Carry Average from a Historical Perspective
Sophomore running back Dalvin Cook is a leading All-American, Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award candidate thanks to an incredible season that has already seen him rush for an FSU-record 1,369 yards on just 170 carries.
His 8.1 yards per carry average ranks first in the nation among all Power 5 running backs, but it’s also one of the best marks in the last 35 years.
Cook’s yards per carry average is higher than any Heisman Trophy finalist running back has had since 1980. In fact only five Heisman finalist running backs since 1980 have averaged 7.0 yards per carry: Mike Rozier (7.81, 1983), Ki-Jana Carter (7.77, 1994), Larry Johnson (7.7, 2002), Barry Sanders (7.6, 1988) and Melvin Gordon (7.5, 2014). (Reggie Bush averaged 8.7 yards per carry in 2005, but his finish was vacated by the Heisman Trust).
Biletnikoff Named Walter Camp Man of the Year
Florida State Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff is the recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s 2015 ‘Man of the Year’ award. The Walter Camp ‘Man of the Year’ award honors an individual who has been closely associated with the game of football as a player, coach or close attendant to the game.
Biletnikoff earned the distinction of Florida State’s first consensus All-American following an outstanding senior campaign in 1964 in which he recorded 57 catches for 987 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the 1964 Gator Bowl, he registered four touchdowns and 192 receiving yards in FSU’s 36-19 victory over Oklahoma. Biletnikoff went on to become one of the greatest receivers in the history of the NFL playing all 14 seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
He was voted Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI and was named to six Pro Bowls. Biletnikoff is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame and was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1977.
No. 16 Florida State puts the finishing touches on the home portion of its regular season schedule this Saturday when the Seminoles host Chattanooga at 3 p.m. inside Doak Campbell Stadium. (Florida State Athletics Image)
