Duke realizes magnitude of FSU
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell is not offended the No. 20 Blue Devils are 29-point underdogs to Jameis Winston and top-ranked Florida State for tonight’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
“Florida State has been blowing everybody out,” he said.
The Seminoles ( 12- 0, 8- 0) have beaten opponents on average 54-11 this season behind Winston, who set ACC freshman records by throwing for 3,490 yards and 35 touchdowns. They have defeated all but one of their opponents by at least 27 points.
Now all that stands in the way of the Seminoles reaching the BCS national championship game is an inexperienced Duke team (10-2, 6-2) appearing in its first ACC title game.
“I’ve had the good fortune through the years to play some No. 1 teams in this profession. Some of them looked like No. 1 teams; some of them didn’t,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “Florida State certainly is.”
On Thursday, prosecutors said they would not bring sexual assault charges against Winston, the leading Heisman Trophy candidate. A woman had alleged that Winston sexually assaulted her at an off-campus apartment last December. He will play tonight.
Despite the commotion surrounding the team the last several weeks, FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said Winston has never wavered on the field.
“When it’s time to play football, when it’s time to go to school, he compartmentalizes and handles his responsibilities. … It’s a true trademark to him because he did not let his individual situation affect his team, and to me that’s what a man does,” Fisher said.
Winston expressed relief in a statement released Thursday: “It’s been difficult to stay silent through this process, but I never lost faith in the truth and in who I am.”
Winston was not made available Friday for interviews.
The Blue Devils emerged from the weaker side of the ACC. They’re 0-12 all- time facing No. 1- ranked teams and 0-18 against the Seminoles. And they’re facing a Florida State team that annihilated three then- ranked opponents by a combined score of 155-28.