Looking back at some of Bobby's Best Wins

By Jim Joanos

That statute of Bobby Bowden in front of Florida State University’s Moore Athletic Center (also known as the Communications Building) is impressive. Sculptor Sandy Proctor did a fine job. The same artist has also sculpted a bust of Coach Bowden, copies of which are being presented to contributors of major donations to the Bobby Bowden Legacy Endowment Campaign.

The Campaign is a fund drive aimed at endowing athletic scholarships at FSU. For each Bobby Bowden football game that has been won and will be won, a Bowden bust is available in exchange for a cash gift of at least $5,000. Each bust has the number of a specific Bowden victory etched on it commemorating that specific game.

Last fall, on the night of the statute’s dedication, 15 of the busts were auctioned off in exchange for some major donations. The numbers on the 15 busts represented what a committee had determined were fifteen of Coach Bowden’s most important wins.

The 15 wins included Bobby’s first collegiate win ever as a head coach when in 1959 he was at what is now Samford University in Alabama, and the game in the future that will be his last win. The recipient of the last win bust got one that is presently without a number as the number of the last win will not be known until the coach retires. The number of the last Bowden victory will be etched upon the bust when Bobby retires.

The remaining 13 busts represented special victories already achieved during Bobby’s tenure as FSU’s head coach. The committee's list included some special games that many fans will remember.

Win No. 87
FSU 37, Florida 9; Dec. 3, 1977
Beating Florida in Gainesville in Bowden's second year as FSU's head coach was simply spectacular. It was FSU's first victory over the Gators in 10 years. FSU was led by the famous quarterback tandem of Wally Woodham and Jimmy Jordan. The picture of Roger Overby holding up the football after his third touchdown catch of the day is among the most famous images in FSU football history.

Win No. 111
FSU 18, Nebraska 14; Oct. 4, 1980
This was FSU’s first-ever win over the University of Nebraska. FSU linebacker Paul Piurowski saved the victory for FSU in the closing moments by forcing a Nebraska fumble.

Win No. 112
FSU 36, Pittsburgh 22; Oct. 11, 1980
FSU defeated the University of Pittsburgh when the legendary quarterback, Dan Marino, was Pitt’s quarterback. FSU’s Bill Capeece kicked 5 field goals in this game in Tallahassee.

Win No. 120
FSU 36, Ohio State 27; Oct. 3, 1981
This was the first of several wins on the road by FSU in the month of October, 1981. That five-game stretch against Nebraska, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Louisiana State was called FSU’s "Octoberfest." Kelly Lowrey and Rick Stockstill starred at quarterback.

Win No. 121
FSU 19, Notre Dame 13; Oct. 10, 1981
FSU won its first-ever game over Notre Dame – and in South Bend, no less. Michael Whiting scored the winning touchdown.

Win No. 171
FSU 34, Auburn 6; Nov. 7, 1987
This victory is regarded by many as the beginning point of a 14-year period known as the FSU "Dynasty Years." Danny McManus threw three touchdown passes for FSU.

Win No. 176
FSU 24, Clemson 21; Sept. 17, 1988
FSU won this game as a result of one of the most famous plays of all time, the "Punt Rooskie," a fake punt which turned into a long run by Leroy Butler. It set up a winning field goal. Earlier Deion Sanders ran a punt back for a touchdown after signaling to the fans that he would do just that.

Win No. 209
FSU 51 Michigan 31; Sept. 28, 1991
FSU gave the University of Michigan its worst home loss in the school’s history.

Win No. 238
FSU 33, Florida 21; Nov. 27, 1993
Charlie Ward and Warrick Dunn collaborated on a big play to help FSU win the game and an opportunity to play for the national championship.

Win No. 239
FSU 18, Nebraska 16; Jan. 1, 1994
Florida State won its first National Championship with the victory at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Win No. 270
FSU 24, Florida 21; Nov. 30, 1996
At Doak Campbell Stadium, FSU defeated the team ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.

Win No. 304
FSU 46, Virginia Tech 29; Jan. 4, 2000
In an exciting game against Michael Vick and the Hokies, Chris Weinke, Peter Warrick and the Seminoles won their second National Championship at New Orleans’ Sugar Bowl.

Win No. 339
FSU 48, Wake Forest 24; Oct. 25, 2003
This victory was included because it put Coach Bowden ahead of Penn State’s Joe Paterno as the coach in major college football with the most ever wins.

I do not take issue with the committee's list, although if I were doing the picking, some of my top 15 selections would have varied from theirs. In any event, all of the 15 they selected were special wins. However, I would like to suggest an additional 10 more victories that were especially enjoyable to me. I list them chronologically as they occurred.

Win No. 77
FSU 21, North Texas State 20; Nov. 13, 1976
This game, often referred to as the "Snow Bowl," occurred in Denton, Texas, on a snow-covered football field during Bowden's first year as head coach at FSU. It featured long passes and trick plays along with numerous fumbles. FSU got the go-ahead points late in the game when following a touchdown, Bowden decided to go for two points and the win instead of an extra point and a tie. The surprise pass from halfback Larry Key to receiver Kurt Unglaub worked and FSU came away with the victory. The game stands out because it was then that the fun later associated with Bobby Bowden football first appeared. The fun was very welcome to the FSU fans who had suffered miserable seasons for the preceding three years. All of a sudden, the Seminoles were having fun slipping and sliding and winning in the snow like a bunch of little kids enjoying the first snow of the year. For most of the FSU players it was the first time that they ever played football in the snow. Some had never even seen deep snow before.

Win No. 88
FSU 40, Texas Tech 17; Dec. 23, 1977 (Tangerine Bowl)
Of all of the FSU victories of all time, this is my favorite. FSU, after two years under Bowden's leadership had gone from the bottom of the barrel to a position of respect in college football. The victory was the final touch in a 10-2 season and was the first bowl victory for FSU since Bill Peterson's win against Oklahoma following the 1964 season. The most fun of all was observing the happiness enjoyed by the FSU fans in Orlando for the game. The partying started two days before the game at the Church Street Station and continued long after the final whistle of the game. During the game, even the grandstands swayed as FSU fans moved in rhythm and jangled car keys as Larry Key made one big run after another.

Win No. 140
FSU 28, North Carolina 3; Dec. 30, 1983 (Peach Bowl)
Played in Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium, this was one of the coldest games in FSU football history. In dressing to go to the game, I simply put on everything that I had in my suitcase. It did not help much as my feet were so numb that I could not walk on them. New quarterback starter Eric Thomas and wide receiver Weegie Thompson, who had been converted from the quarterback position, led FSU to a one-sided victory in what was supposed to have been a close game. The unfortunate thing was that it was so cold that most of the players did not leave the team hotel that night to celebrate in "Hotlanta" as it was too cold to go out. The game can also be remembered for a note of sadness. Ardent FSU fan, Sol Carroll, known then as "FSU’s Number One Fan," suffered a heart attack on a fan bus headed to Atlanta for the game and died.

Win No. 185
FSU 13, Auburn 7; Jan. 2, 1989 (Sugar Bowl)
This was FSU’s first ever Sugar Bowl game and it was against one of the traditionally strong football teams of the south, Auburn. For those of us who had grown up as FSU fans, it was "plowing new ground." After the victory, there was no denying that FSU had become a super southern football power. The victory enabled the Seminoles to finish No. 3 in the country and, for the second year in a row, post an 11-1 record.

When FSU fans arrived in New Orleans they were greeted by Auburn fans wearing buttons with derogatory remarks aimed at FSU’s All American cornerback Deion Sanders. They said things like, "S---on Deion." It was very fitting that Sanders made the biggest play of the game.

Running back Sammie Smith led FSU’s offense and gained 115 yards against the Tigers. For that he was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. However, it was FSU’s defense that held the Auburn offense to only one touchdown, and it was Sanders’ interception of an Auburn pass from the 15-yard line into the FSU end zone on the last play of the game after Auburn had sustained a last possession drive that preserved FSU’s six point lead.

The party in the French Quarter following the game was also "world class." It was the first of several such New Orleans victory parties that Seminole fans would enjoy.

Win No. 205
FSU 24, Penn State 17; Dec. 28, 1990 (Blockbuster Bowl)
This was the first Blockbuster Bowl game and was held in Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium. The game got a lot of press and had a lot of financial support enabling substantial payoffs so that it attracted two of the top teams in the land. The game matched up the coaches who at the time were the winningest active coaches in Division 1A football -- Joe Paterno of Penn State and Bobby Bowden of FSU. Looking back, the game has become more meaningful as the two have become the all-time winningest coaches of Division 1A football.

Among the FSU stars of the victory were quarterback Casey Weldon who completed 22 of 36 passes for 248 yards, running back Amp Lee who was the MVP of the game, cornerback Terrell Buckley who had one of his razzle dazzle punt returns, and defensive back John Davis who made an interception deep in FSU territory late in the game. The victory enabled FSU to finish 10-2 and fourth in the final Associated Press poll.

Win No. 206
FSU 44, Brigham Young 28; Aug. 28, 1991 (Disneyland Pigskin Classic)
This game provided FSU fans with a special treat, a trip to Anaheim, Ca., to watch the Seminoles who were ranked the preseason No. 1 team in the country. Brigham Young featured quarterback Ty Detmer, who had won the Heisman Trophy the previous year.

What the fans saw was a lot of offense. FSU, led by quarterback Casey Weldon, who was named the MVP for the game, and running back Edgar Bennett, easily outscored Brigham Young to win the game.

Win No. 216
FSU 10, Texas A&M 2; Jan. 1, 1992 (Cotton Bowl)
After leading the college football world for most of the 1991 season, Florida State lost its last two games of the regular season in close fought contests to its neighborhood rivals Miami and Florida. The bowl game, however, and the victory over Texas A&M is the only time that FSU has ever appeared in the Cotton Bowl Classic. It provided the Seminoles with a measure of redemption and allowed them to end at No. 4 in the country following an 11-2 season. The game played on cold wet turf was something to watch. A&M had eight turnovers, FSU had five. There were also lots of slipping and sliding. FSU’s defense held the Aggies scoreless. Their only points came by way of a safety early in the game. Running back Sean Jackson of FSU was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 119 yards and caught 3 passes for another 20 yards. FSU’s points came on a touchdown run of four yards by Casey Weldon early and a 27-yard field goal late in the game by Gerry Thomas.

Win No. 222
FSU 29, Georgia Tech 24; Oct. 17, 1992
I regard this game as "Charlie Ward’s Coming Out Party." FSU had never beaten Georgia Tech before. In eight tries, FSU had lost seven and tied one. It was FSU’s first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the fourth quarter, FSU trailed the Yellow Jackets 18-7. The FSU offense then became rather innovative. They put quarterback Charlie Ward in the shotgun and went into the no-huddle offense. Immediately FSU found success and moved the ball downfield. After a one-yard touchdown run by William Floyd and the extra point by Dan Mowrey, FSU had cut the score to 21 to 14 with 11:36 remaining in the game. But Tech struck back and scored on a 35-yard field goal to move their lead to 24-14. The worst part was that there was only 5:20 left on the clock. Lots of FSU fans left the stadium at this point to beat the traffic out. However, those of us who stayed were rewarded with a major gift.

Ward was thereafter in total control of the game. He led the way to a touchdown, completing pass after pass and scrambled it in himself from five yards out. A try for two points after the touchdown failed leaving the score at 24-20. However, FSU kicker Dan Mowrey’s onside kick worked well as FSU’s Corey Sawyer fell on the bouncing ball. FSU moved down the field to Tech’s 17, where it became fourth and five. On fourth down, Ward threw to Kez McCorvey in the flat and he avoided a would-be tackler and went in for the touchdown to put FSU ahead for good.

This game was special not only for the great comeback victory, one of the greatest in FSU history, it was very meaningful as Ward, through the use of the Shotgun and No-Huddle offense, would go on to finish out the 1992 season very successfully and to lead the Seminoles the following 1993 season to a national championship. He also would win the Heisman Award in 1993. That game in Atlanta had a lot to do with FSU’s future success.

Win No. 249
FSU 23, Florida 17; Jan. 2, 1995 (Sugar Bowl)
This game was known as the "Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter." In the last game of the 1994 regular season, in the contest now referred to as "The Choke at Doak," FSU had scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter to come from behind and tie the University of Florida, 31–31. As fate would have it, the two rivals were chosen to play the tie off in the Sugar Bowl.

It was strange being in New Orleans with all of those Gator fans. The pre-game relations were a bit more tense than is usually the case between fans of the two teams playing in post season. The game turned out to be just as tense. FSU’s defense played a big part in the victory making five quarterback sacks and holding Florida on the ground to 59 yards, although the outstanding Florida passing attack accounted for over 400 yards. The teams traded field goals in the first quarter, and then FSU took the lead on a 73-yard touchdown pass from running back Warrick Dunn to ’OMar Ellison in the second quarter. FSU never gave up the lead after that.

FSU scored another touchdown on a pass from quarterback Danny Kanell to Kez McCorvey. Dan Mowrey was FSU’s leading scorer with 11 points (3 field goals, 2 points after). FSU linebacker Derrick Brooks shared in the heroics of the game by intercepting a Florida pass in the last minute of the game to insure the victory.

Win No. 292
FSU 23, Florida 12; Nov. 21, 1998
I call this one the "Rooster Game." For the first nine games of the season, quarterback Chris Weinke, the future Heisman winner, had led the Seminoles. Despite an unexpected loss to North Carolina State in the second game of the season, the Seminoles had regrouped and late in the season were back in the chase for the national championship.

Then in the tenth game of the season against Virginia, tragedy struck. In the second quarter, Weinke went down with a season-ending injury. This required FSU to bring in sercond-team quarterback Marcus Outzen to finish the game and the season. Outzen’s nickname was "Rooster." Following a conservative game plan, FSU finished the game with a big victory, and beat Wake Forest the next game as well. However, in the final game against Florida, it was obvious that the "Rooster" would have to do more than "just not lose the game."

He rose to the occasion, completing 13 of 22 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. FSU receiver Peter Warrick also had a good night catching eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. He also threw for another touchdown. Thanks to the Rooster filling the gap, FSU went on to Fiesta Bowl and played for the national championship. They did not win it, but did finish at No. 3 in the country.

There are lots more. In all, in this article only 25 of Coach Bowden’s victories have been mentioned. He has had 326 more.

I suspect that you remember some that were to you just as exciting as these. If you have an especially interesting story, let me know. E-mail me at jjoanos020@comcast.net.