ISLE OF PALMS, S.C -- Florida State coach Bobby Bowden made the case that last season's national runner-up is as vulnerable as ever. Not everyone at the ACC media function Monday was convinced.

"I'm not falling for that," said son Tommy Bowden, Clemson's third-year coach.

	ACC Preseason Picks
	1. Florida State (64) -- 624 2. Georgia Tech (5) -- 554 3. Clemson (1) -- 492 4. N.C. State -- 402 5. Virginia -- 315 6. North Carolina -- 299 7. Maryland -- 248 8. Wake Forest -- 123 9. Duke -- 93 * First-place votes in parentheses

Neither did ACC sports journalists, who made Florida State the overwhelming favorite to win its 10th consecutive league title. The Seminoles received 64 of 70 first-place votes for a total of 624 points -- not quite the unanimous pick they were before last season, but still the runaway choice.

Georgia Tech, which tied for second with Clemson in 2000, was picked second with 554 points and five first-place votes. The Tigers (492 points) were chosen third and collected the only other first-place vote.

N.C. State (402) was picked fourth, followed by the four ACC teams who have new coaches: Virginia (315), North Carolina (299), Maryland (248) and Wake Forest (123). Duke, which hasn't won a game yet in the 21st Century, was the clear last-place choice with 93 points.

"We've got a bigger challenge this year than we've had in quite a while," Bobby Bowden said. "When you go in with an inexperienced quarterback, you've got to worry about mistakes."

The Seminoles are replacing Heisman Trophy quarterback Chris Weinke with freshman Chris Rix. Bowden hopes to run the ball more and promises "you'll see some trickery come back this year."

N.C. State coach Chuck Amato, a former longtime Florida State assistant, said he advised Bowden not to fret over the quarterback situation.

"It doesn't matter," Amato told him. "Nobody can score on you."

The Seminoles outscored ACC opponents 395-86 in 2000 while coasting to their third consecutive undefeated league season. They are 70-2 in ACC games, losing to Virginia in 1995 and N.C. State in 1998.

In the last two seasons, only Clemson (1999) and Georgia Tech (1999-2000) have come within a touchdown of Florida State. The Yellow Jackets could have an advantage by playing Rix early on Sept. 15, although Georgia Tech coach George O'Leary doesn't believe that's where the gap with Florida State must be closed.

"I think we've closed it in some skill positions. I still think we're trying to close it out on the lines," he said. "Controlling the lines is what makes the difference."

If Florida State remains a certainty, the rest of the conference plays out like a mystery. The defenses are question marks for the Seminoles' top two contenders, Georgia Tech and Clemson.

	Bobby Bowden came up a loser at the Orange Bowl, but the ACC media says he's the man to beat this year.

"We simply don't have the numbers," Tommy Bowden said. "I like the first 11 we put out there (on defense). But injuries are a comprehensive part of the game, and who's behind them?"

Then consider this: Only Bobby Bowden and O'Leary can say they were ACC head coaches when Florida State last suffered an ACC defeat three years ago.

Seven coaches will have debuted during the last three seasons, including four in 2001. Virginia and North Carolina welcome tough-minded NFL coaches in Al Groh and John Bunting, respectively; Maryland hired Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen, and Wake Forest brought in Ohio coach Jim Grobe.

"It's going to be kind of interesting to see two defensive guys from the NFL and the kind of impact they're going to have on their offenses in college football," Tommy Bowden said. "... I don't play either one real early, so they'll have to show their hand first."

No one doubts the deck Florida State is playing with. Tommy Bowden said his ability to keep Tigers signees Roscoe Crosby and Airese Currie away from Florida State demonstrated the gap is closing.

"For the first time I've been at Clemson, Florida State didn't come into South Carolina and get who they wanted," Tommy Bowden said. "They had been doing that."

The Seminoles have four players from South Carolina on their roster, including free safety Chris Hope, an All-America candidate, and starting linebacker Michael Boulware.

"I'm mad at Tommy. He came and got my area," Bobby Bowden said, perhaps only half-jokingly.

Six sports journalists might have bought into Bobby's pitch and not voted Florida State atop the ACC. Amato laughed at the suggestion the Seminoles are vulnerable.

"Are you kidding me?" he said. "They're so fast, you'll still catch a cold on the sidelines when they streak past you."

Contact Jon Solomon of the Anderson Independent-Mail in Anderson, S.C., at http://www.andersonsc.com.