TAMPA, Fla. -- All Florida State running back Dalvin Cook needed to get back in the Heisman race was another game against the South Florida Bulls.

Cook rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 13 Florida State to a 55-35 win against South Florida on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

Cook, who had just 228 yards and two touchdowns through the first three games of the season, looked like the Heisman Trophy contender he was expected to be before the start of the season.

His previous career best was 266 yards against South Florida last year.

"A lot of people get caught up in the stats but we go out there and play the same football every week," Cook said. "We try to run the ball and we try to pass the ball and today we did a better job of it."

FSU (3-1) racked up 478 rushing yards and 647 total yards against the Bulls.

"We did some good things (in the running game), the running backs made some nice plays, the line blocked well at times, but we've got to get better," Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "We left a lot of plays out there on the field."

The game started off with fireworks on the first play as quarterback Quinton Flowers connected with Rodney Adams on a 84-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulls a 7-0 lead.

The Seminoles came right back on their first play from scrimmage as Cook accepted a handoff and went 75 yards to tie the game.

"It was very important to answer back," Cook said. "USF came out with a very aggressive game plan and we had to respond with points. The offensive line did a good job of giving me space and I was one-on-one with the safety and I had to beat him."

South Florida (3-1) scored another touchdown to take a 14-7 lead with 11:49 left in the first quarter, but Cook responded with his second touchdown to forge a tie midway through the quarter.

Florida State's defense stiffened while its offense kept rolling as fullback Freddie Stevenson found the end zone in the first quarter. Quarterback Deondre Francois connected with Jesus Wilson for a 13-yard score to give the Seminoles a 28-14 at the end of the first period.

FSU continued to pour it off in the second half as Stevenson scored his second touchdown and the Seminoles took a 38-14 into halftime.

"I looked at this game as an opportunity for our football team to get a little more respect nationally," Bulls head coach Willie Taggart said. "You're on national TV, and you've got a chance to go out and play and show everyone and earn the respect that you're trying to get, and we didn't take advantage of that. There are some adjustments we should have made and could have made to help our guys out."

South Florida running back D'Ernest Johnson had three rushing touchdowns in the second half and finished with 82 yards on eight carries.

Flowers rushed for 159 yards but was just 5-of-14 passing for 160 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

"At the end of the day, you can't do nothing about (the loss)," Flowers said. "You just have to go out next week and show everybody else in our conference what we're about."

Seminoles running back Jacques Patrick had 119 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. Francois was 11-of-19 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a 35-yard option keeper in the fourth quarter.

"This is something we're capable of doing each week and something we have to continue to practice to accomplish," Francois said. "We were able to get Dalvin going today and get physical with this team. Now we have to do it again."

NOTES: Florida State starting DE Josh Sweat was inactive Saturday after he had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee earlier in the week. Sweat will likely miss next week's game against North Carolina. ... Seminoles DT Fred Jones started in place of Derrick Nnadi, who is dealing with a lower-body injury. ... After scoring on its first two drive, South Florida was held without a first down for six consecutive possessions with five "three-and-outs" and one turnover. "There were plays there," Taggart said. "Open guys down the field and we just didn't execute."...Bulls running back Marlon Mack only had one carry in the second half before leaving the game and not returning.