Monday, December 6Sugar Bowl coaches a study in contrastAssociated Press NEW ORLEANS -- Start naming the top college football coaches
in the country and it doesn't take long to get to Bobby Bowden.
He's won more than 300 games and a national title in his 46 years
of calling plays.
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| Bobby Bowden is chasing his second national title. |
Now Bowden is hoping to beat Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl to give him another championship, as well as something he's never had
-- a perfect season.
Bowden's previous shots at undefeated records got away from him in bowl games -- the 1979 Orange Bowl against Oklahoma and the 1996 Sugar Bowl against Florida.
In the meantime, his sons Terry and Tommy have coached teams to perfect records at Auburn and Tulane, respectively.
"If we win the Sugar Bowl I'm sure Terry and Tommy will come up with something like: 'Welcome to the club'," Bowden said.
No. 1 Florida State (11-0), which won the national championship
in 1993, is playing for the title for the second consecutive season
and the third time in four years.
But getting into the club with his sons means getting past No. 2
Virginia Tech, also 11-0 on Jan. 4. Of course, the Hokies have
their own agenda against the Seminoles.
"It's two teams that have really played well, played hard all
year long," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "That's one
thing I'd say for both of us, we've got players that play hard. I
think it's going to be a great football game."
Virginia Tech is in line for the title for the first time ever
and Beamer said he believes his team is moving away from its
upstart status, something he forecast way back in 1986 when he took
over the program. And it's something that he said even his
staunchest supporters may still have trouble believing.
"I don't know that very many people that supported Virginia
Tech in the greatest fashion would have ever told you that they
thought we'd have a chance to play for the national championship,"
Beamer said. "We're well aware of the challenge that is ahead of
us in Florida State, but I would think this has got to be one of
the great, great days in Tech history."
Bowden has no trouble believing how good Virginia Tech is. Way
back in October he said only the Hokies were playing like a No. 1
team. Since then he's seen no letup.
"I doubt if I could give him any advice he doesn't already
know," Bowden said. "If he asked me for advice, I'd say, `Frank,
don't change a thing that you've been doing. Because what you've
been doing is right."
It's advice Beamer will take, even though the national title is
riding on the game. After all, he points out, as many victories as
Bowden has, he must know what he's talking about.
"The worst thing you could do is start saying, 'OK, this is for
all the marbles now we need to change this a little bit and that a
little bit,"' Beamer said. "What we've done has got us here and I
think its what's going to get us through this last ball game."
If Bowden gets his perfect season and second title it won't cap
his career, however. He just signed a new five-year contract and
said he has no thoughts of quitting at the top.
"If I had two, I'd want three," Bowden said. "I'm not
interested in going out at the right time. I'm interested in not
going out. I have no desire to retire."
