No Relief for Bowden in Stinging Loss

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Sweet Ol' Bobby.

Bobby Bowden, who turns 80 years old in less than a month, once uttered that fans call him "Sweet Ol' Bobby" when he's winning. When he's losing? They just abbreviate it to "Ol' Bobby." Well, Ol' Bobby has to live with another frustrating loss and criticism for the next 12 days.

In an ACC shootout that featured dynamic offense and dismal defense -- and ended early Sunday morning due to a 78-minute weather delay -- No. 22 Georgia Tech beat FSU 49-44.

Despite churning out 539 yards of total offense -- 403 yards and five touchdowns in the first half -- the reeling Seminoles dropped their third consecutive game and surely kept frowns on the faces of divided boosters, school administrators, trustees and students over Bowden's status.

Bowden and the Seminoles, who have lost five of their last six home games, entered Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday night locked arm-in-arm in a sign of solidarity. It was an emotional entrance that drew many in the stands to their feet.

"There's been too much about me and the kids kind of made an issue about it Friday night," Bowden said. "There was too much 'to do' about my welfare. I think the critics will keep criticizing. The good folks won't."

While some dissident students on Facebook called for a "Black Out Doak for Change," encouraging fans to wear black to the game to emphasize their sentiments that it's time for Bowden to leave the very field named after him, those in black were few and far between in the crowd of 76,292.

Everyone, in any color, was drained by the time the clock struck 12:45 AM.

In the end, FSU couldn't contain the Yellow Jackets' triple-option, which totaled 532 yards (401 rushing), six rushing touchdowns and methodically wore down the Seminoles in the second half. After FSU pulled within five points at the 4:14 mark in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech recovered a Seminole onside kick and ran out the clock.
The Yellow Jackets outscored FSU 21-9 in the final 30 minutes after they trailed 35-28 at the half.

The teams combined for 1,071 yards of total offense, 93 points and 51 first downs. Looking for big plays? Pull up a seat.

The Yellow Jackets had scores of 69 yards (rushing) and 73 yards (passing). Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt led all rushers with 140 yards on 27 attempts. He scored three rushing touchdowns. Nesbitt added 131 passing yards and a touchdown on 4-of-8 pass attempts. Joining the rush party was Jonathan Dwyer, who had 102 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. Anthony Allen added 81 yards on just four rushes.

Across the way, FSU quarterback Christian Ponder passed for a career-high 359 yards and five touchdowns. He completed 18-of-21 passes in the first half for 267 yards and four touchdowns. Jermaine Thomas contributed 105 rushing yards and a touchdown. Taiwan Easterling had 104 receiving yards on five receptions.

Mother Nature had the best defense, forcing both teams into the locker room for more than an hour midway in the first quarter under the threat of lightning and severe weather. When they returned, ho-hum, it was off to the races -- a combined nine possessions resulted in nine touchdowns.

Time to exhale for FSU fans, though, and face the somber reality in these parts.

It was another disappointing defeat for the iconic Bowden, who has suffered just one losing season in 33 years at FSU but has come under fire for mediocrity for much of this decade. FSU tumbled to 2-4 overall and, at 0-3 in the ACC, is one of three in the 12-team league without a conference victory.

The Seminoles, who had never lost to the Yellow Jackets in six previous home games, will look to regroup for their road date at North Carolina (4-2, 0-2) on ESPN Oct. 22.

"We simply could not stop them," Bowden said. "We had to score every possession, they did it and we didn't."

It was the most points the Seminoles have allowed at home since a 49-27 loss to No. 1 Miami in 2001. It was also the most rushing yards since Bo Jackson and the Auburn Tigers piled up 413 in 1985.

Of course, Bowden's future is expected to continue to dominate discussions.

This past week, Board of Trustees chairman Jim Smith called for Bowden to retire at season's end following a loss at Boston College. The FSU administration also said last week that Bowden's coaching future will be decided at the end of the season.

The hometown newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat, said it was time for Bowden to step down. State newspapers such as the Pensacola News-Journal and the Palm-Beach Post published editorials that called for the veteran coach to retire at the conclusion of this season.

Bowden, meanwhile, has rejected the retirement overtures and repeated this week he will evaluate his performance when the time comes.

The firestorm of public opinion involving Bowden has been passionate.

One side believes mediocrity is acceptable. That's what some students and young boosters at FSU are saying about the Seminoles' football program for its insistence to allow Bowden to continue to coach. No mas; they are mad at Bowden, ranked second in career victories among major college coaches, and want him to skedaddle under any circumstance but have resigned themselves it won't happen any time soon.

Older alumni are probably more focused on the image and heritage of of the university, pointing out that Bowden is an integral part of that history. They want Bowden to leave, too -- probably sooner than later -- but they don't want him to leave mad under any circumstance.

That's the kicker, wide right aside.

It's as if nearly everyone associated with FSU entered this weekend mad as Hades.

Some are mad that Jim Smith went public last Sunday and said he wanted Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Some are mad at FSU President T.K. Wetherell, a self-proclaimed ally of Bowden, for not nudging Bowden into retirement years ago and instead in 2007 designing a succession plan that calls for Bowden to retire after the 2010 season.

Some are mad at Athletics Director Randy Spetman, who has acknowledged most e-mails coming to his office have not been supportive of Bowden, simply because he hasn't done enough either as an administrator.


Some are mad at the Seminole boosters for not getting involved in the fracas. Some are mad at the entire coaching staff for being so dysfunctional despite its claims of harmony. Some are mad at the players for showings such as Saturday's effort that saw the team squander an outstanding offensive performance.

Some are mad the controversy is ruining fund raising and have indicated they will keep their checkbooks closed until a coaching change is made. Some are mad this mess is ruining recruiting and shoving FSU even farther behind state rivals Florida, Miami and, oh my gosh, South Florida, which stunned the Seminoles earlier this season behind a hometown quarterback that the Seminoles didn't actively recruit.

Let's also keep in mind that Bowden has supporters in his corner, too. They are mad the venerable coach is being mistreated and believe he has earned the right to step away on his own terms.

Regardless of feelings and what's being debated publicly, Bowden's currently reviewing two options concerning his future: Resign at season's end with a lucrative buyout or return for a final season in 2010 and give offensive coordinator/head-coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher full control of the program.

Fisher's present contract calls for the school to pay him $5 million if he is not the head coach by January 2011. Bowden makes $2.5 million annually, a tad more than half of the staff's $4.88 million cumulative salary.

Bowden, whose only losing season at FSU was his first in 1976, when he was paid round $45,000 annually, is in obvious danger of finishing below .500.

Would that be enough for Bowden to make the decision on his own to step away? He has always promised that he couldn't stomach mediocrity and losing. But is there more than meets the eye? Is that about pride? Money? Old-age stubbornness?

FSU has two remaining home games -- Oct. 31 against North Carolina State and Nov. 21 against Maryland -- and closes its regular season at Florida on Nov. 28. When asked what he would consider a successful season, Bowden replied, "To me ... win the rest of my games. It won't satisfy everybody but that's the best I can do right now. You know. The way we're playing, you got a long way to go."

What do you think it's going to be by Thanksgiving?

Sweet Ol' Bobby.

Or Ol' Bobby.