FORT LAUDERDALE -- Jimbo Fisher expressed excitement knowing his Orange Bowl battle with Michigan is just a day away. Florida State's head coach also used Thursday's final pre-bowl press conference as a chance to reflect on his team's season and what it's been like to coach Dalvin Cook.
Fisher and the No. 11 Seminoles (9-3) will play the No. 6 Wolverines (10-2) at 8 p.m. Friday in the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Going back to when bowl games were first announced, FSU-Michigan was considered by many to be the most appealing non-College Football Playoff game.
The seventh-year coach spoke with reporters for more 30 minutes in what was his last media obligation prior to Friday's game.
"To me, sometimes the greatest accomplishments come when some of your goals were taken away," Fisher said in his opening remarks. "You find out what's inside. You find out what's inside your character, who you are and often brings you much closer together as a team."
FSU began the year with national title aspirations, but those were derailed after a 3-2 start to the season. The Seminoles would win six of their next seven games with their lone loss being a 37-34 defeat to CFP semifinalist Clemson.
FSU finished November 4-0 with wins over North Carolina State, Boston College, Syracuse and Florida to end the regular season. The win against N.C. State was a result of the defense fending off the Wolfpack in the game's final two minutes.
Boston College and Syracuse were both blowouts, while Florida was more of a gradual effort in a 31-13 victory. Fisher said even though the team closed November in dominant form, he saw flashes of that team during FSU's 20-19 win at Miami on Oct. 8.
"That was a game, talk about going 3-2, going on the road, playing you're arch rival who is undefeated. Seems like every year we play Miami, they're undefeated," Fisher said. "Every year we play them, it's like that. It gets to be a dogfight and when we come out ... I think it goes back to going on the road and then you saw the perseverance [after giving] up a late score.
"Then we have a blocked PAT to win the game."
FSU's win over Miami was in part powered by Cook, who rushed 27 times for 150 yards, while his lone reception was a 59-yard touchdown.
It's widely expected that the Orange Bowl will be Cook's final game. Fisher said Cook, a Miami native, was one of the best players he's ever coached.
Cook ran 268 times for 1,620 yards and 18 touchdowns in a season that saw him shatter numerous school records. As the school's all-time leading rusher, Cook will have one more game to pad his career numbers of 667 yards, 4,319 yards and 45 touchdowns.
"I've always said this about him -- for a great player, a high-profile guy -- very unassuming in that, 'What's my role?'" Fisher said. "He wanted to play early, but there wasn't no demands. There wasn't no coming up to your office, 'Coach, I'm not getting enough carries, I'm not playing early.'
"It was, "All right, let me go to practice and do whatever my role is.'"
Fisher spoke for a few more minutes until taking a photo with the Orange Bowl trophy and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh then took his turn at the podium.
*ALSO SEE: Updates and recap of the Jimbo Fisher, Jim Harbaugh press conferences
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