FSU Football: Revisiting How Ole Miss Fared Against Elite Backs in 2015

If there’s one offensive player for Florida State that opposing teams have to account for, it’s junior running back Dalvin Cook.

As a sophomore last season, Cook obliterated the single-season FSU rushing record, going for nearly 1,700 yards on the ground. Cook also finished with 20 total touchdowns in 2015.

This year, Cook is seen as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender after finishing seventh last season. The first challenge for Cook and the Seminoles during the 2016 campaign will be Ole Miss.

11th-ranked Ole Miss faced three of the nation’s top 12 rushers a season ago and more than held its own. Here’s how those three backs fared against the Rebels last season:

Here’s how those three backs fared compared to what they did the rest of the season and whether each’s performance against Ole Miss was better or worse than his season average:

Though Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Arkansas’ Alex Collins were held below their season per game averages, each had solid days against Ole Miss while Leonard Fournette of LSU was largely kept in check.

While Collins was held below his per game average, he did average more yards per carry in a thrilling 53-52 overtime victory for the Razorbacks. Of these three games, Arkansas was the only one to beat the Rebels.

So what should we expect of Dalvin Cook on Monday night?

While we’ll have to wait until Labor Day to answer that question, it’s worth noting that Ole Miss is losing both of its starting defensive tackles in Woodrow Hamilton and Robert Nkemdiche, a first round pick, while FSU returns all five starters along the offensive line.

It’s expected that the Rebels will take a step back after ranking in the top 25 nationally against the run last season, but if Ole Miss is even comparable to last season when it comes to stopping the run, this contest could come down to quarterback play and protecting the ball.

In the two victories over Alabama and LSU mentioned last season, the Rebels forced eight total turnovers, including five interceptions. In the loss to Arkansas in 2015, the Rebels didn’t force a single turnover while Razorbacks’ quarterback Brandon Allen passed for 442 yards and six touchdowns.

That kind of production might be a bit much to ask from FSU redshirt quarterback Deondre Francois in his first career start, but how he plays and protects the ball overall could be the difference between winning and losing.

While Ole Miss was able to hold all three of the aforementioned backs below their season-averages last season, each of the three were productive in the passing game. Cook had a much better year when it came to catching the ball out of the backfield than both Collins and Henry last season. Cook had more five more catches than Fournette last season, but nine fewer receiving yards.

Although the Seminoles will look to establish Cook on the ground Monday night, getting him involved in the passing game could also go a long way in earning the victory. The same will be true for Ole Miss in how it contains him.

In 12 games last season, Cook was held below six yards per carry just three times. Two of those occasions resulted in losses.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson