MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Just when you thought the debate over whether stars should play in bowl games had cooled off, Jabrill Peppers suffered a hamstring injury in practice a day before the Orange Bowl and missed the game. Then, just one quarter into that game, the Wolverines found themselves down another top player as tight end Jake Butt suffered a knee injury and did not return.
But for all the talk of the risks, namely injury, associated with potential first-round picks playing in bowl games -- Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh believes Butt suffered an unfortunate MCL or ACL injury -- there has been nary a mention of the upside.
Dalvin Cook was the paradigm of that Friday night in South Florida.
Cook was always going to play in this game. It was a homecoming for him, one last chance to play in front of his family and a faithful Florida State fan base that has long known what many covering college football have been late to recognize: Cook may well be the sport's best running back.
But while D'Onta Foreman broke records at Texas, San Diego State's Donnel Pumphrey smashed FBS marks, Leonard Fournette failed to live up to his 2015 dominance and missed games for LSU, and Christian McCaffrey impressed with his all-purpose ability, Cook continued flashing and grinding for FSU with much less fanfare.
He nearly eclipsed 4,500 career rushing yards on Friday while rumbling for his 19th rushing touchdown for the second year in a row. That doesn't even account for his 900+ career receiving yards, 45 of which came on an incredible deep pass down the sideline early in the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium.
Cook supplied 40 rushing yards on the first series of the game, a touchdown drive for FSU. His 45-yard catch led to a field goal a few minutes later. He didn't account for much on the Seminoles' next two scoring drives as the Wolverines did a great job bottling him up, but when the game got close late, Cook reappeared -- twice.
With Michigan's coverage improving and quarterback Deondre Francois getting absolutely blown up by the UM defensive front seven, FSU's 11-point lead was suddenly down following an ill-advised throw by Francois near his goal line; linebacker Mike McCray picked it off with ease and brought it 14 yards to the house for a touchdown to cut his team's deficit to five.
Michigan looked poised to get the ball back and have an opportunity to take the lead early in the fourth quarter after Francois was sacked again, this time for a loss of 13, setting up a third-and-22 from the FSU 13.
With the Wolverines covering the pass, Jimbo Fisher decided to give the ball to his best playmaker, hoping Cook could at least give the Seminoles' punter some additional space. Cook had other ideas.
Breaking a couple tackles on his way to the far side of the field, Cook suddenly saw open grass in front of him. He hauled ass to the sideline and took it as far upfield as he could, finally stopping 71 yards later with the raucous Florida State-leaning crowd back on its feet and Michigan fans firmly planted in their seats.
There was a furious Michigan comeback to take its first lead of the game. The Wolverines scored back-to-back touchdowns and converted a two-point try to go up three with 2:17 remaining.
And while it was not Cook who took back stutter-step 65-yard kickoff return that gave Florida State renewed life in the final two minutes -- that was wideout Keith Gavin -- it was Cook's 21-yard reception on the first play of the ensuing series that put FSU in the red zone and made at least a tie in regulation a foregone conclusion.
As you well know by now, the Seminoles scored a touchdown a couple plays later and held on for the victory. Cook was named the game's most valuable player with 207 total yards (145 rushing) and his lone score in the 33-32 victory.
"It was the best game of my life, man!" Cook exclaimed on the field while hoisting the trophy. "... It took everything we had."
A bevy of NFL scouts were in attendance Friday night. Personnel directors across the league were surely watching at home on their couches. If the three years of electricity had not piqued their interest, perhaps this game -- and any of Cook's individual plays or the sum of them -- let them know Dalvin Cook is for real.
Perhaps the team that has been salivating over drafting Cook in the middle of the first round has now come to the realization that they're going to need to trade into the top 10 to nab a back with his dynamic ability and unmatched athleticism.
Perhaps Cook, who never considered sitting out his final game, did himself a service that Fournette and McCaffrey -- both of whom dealt with legitimate nagging injuries this season -- did not due to concern over their health and what it would mean for their future.
Cook balled out in front of his family. He once again led Florida State in an incredible victory with the entire nation watching. And for doing so, he got at least one accolade he so richly deserved and likely made himself some money in the process.
On the same night Butt's injury gave us every reason to accept star players skipping their non-College Football Playoff bowl games, Cook's performance proved the possibly tremendous value of playing in them.