Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has spent more than two decades around the Florida State rivalry, and when he was asked to name the toughest players he has ever gone up against, he didn’t need long to answer.
Two names jumped out immediately: former Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.
“I can just tell you right off the top, my top two,” Swinney said. “There are two people in my time at Clemson that every time they touched the ball, I would just hold my breath: Lamar Jackson and Dalvin Cook. Them two dudes, they would take your breath away.”
Cook’s production at Florida State made that kind of reaction easy to understand. From 2014-16, he piled up 4,464 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns, stringing together three straight 1,000-yard seasons and becoming the first player in FSU history to do it.
Against Clemson, Cook was especially dangerous. In three career meetings, he ran for 312 yards and four touchdowns, including a 194-yard game in 2015.
Swinney also pointed to another former Florida State standout from earlier in his Clemson career: Antonio Cromartie.
He was on the Tigers’ staff as wide receivers coach during Cromartie’s time in Tallahassee, and he remembered the defensive back in vivid terms.
“Cromartie. Cromartie was a creature.
I mean, it's unbelievable because I was coaching the wideouts when Cromartie was there. Holy Moley.
I've never seen a corner like that. He was so big, so he was pretty special.
”
Cromartie played at Florida State from 2003-05 and became one of the nation’s top defensive backs before a torn ACL ended his 2005 season. Even with that injury, the San Diego Chargers took him No. 19 overall in the 2006 NFL Draft.
He went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, earn four Pro Bowl nods and pick up First-Team All-Pro honors in 2007.
Swinney has coached in one of college football’s most familiar rivalries for more than 20 years, and after all that time facing future pros, Cook and Cromartie are still the two Florida State players who stood out most.
In Other News...
Florida State Just Landed The Kind Of Protection Norvell Desperately Needed
Florida State added a major piece to its offensive line picture by landing Xavier Chaplin out of the transfer portal, a veteran tackle with experience at both Virginia Tech and Auburn. With one year of eligibility left, Chaplin brings the kind of proven presence the Seminoles have been looking for up front, and his rsum includes a long run of starts and national recognition that suggests he can step in without much guesswork.
For Mike Norvell, the timing matters as much as the player. Florida State is trying to settle things around new quarterback Ashtyn Daniels, and the line in front of him has to be sturdier than it was a year ago. Chaplin is expected to help with that immediately, giving the Seminoles a more reliable edge while the rest of the offense sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Anquan Boldin Just Set The Standard Florida State Needed For 2026
Before Florida States 2026 preseason practice, Anquan Boldin walked back into the program as more than a former star. The Seminoles legend spoke to the team about the habits that carried him through a long career, stressing hard work, preparation and the need to keep pushing when things get uncomfortable. Mike Norvell and several players came away saying the message landed, because it matched the standard Florida State wants to live by as camp opens.
Boldins timing mattered, too, with a demanding 2026 schedule waiting on the other side of preseason work and little room for a slow start. For a team trying to build toughness and consistency, hearing from one of the programs most respected alumni gave the moment extra weight. The challenge now is turning that brief jolt of inspiration into something that shows up when the games start and the pressure gets real. [Read more 🡒]