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Bowden's Present: A Rout Of Clemson

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By COREY CLARK

The Tallahassee Democrat

Published: November 9, 2008

Updated: 11/09/2008 12:44 am

TALLAHASSEE - Just moments after Antone Smith iced Saturday's win against Clemson with a 41-yard touchdown run, the Florida State fans put the icing on the cake for their legendary head coach.

With 1:49 left and the Seminoles comfortably ahead 41-27, the Doak Campbell Stadium crowd began singing an impromptu version of "Happy Birthday" to Coach Bobby Bowden.

"That was good," said Bowden, whose FSU team improved to 7-2 with the 14-point victory. "I agree. It was a very happy birthday."

The 79-year-old watched his Seminoles (7-2, 4-2 ACC) get in a 10-0 first-half hole for the third time in four games. And for the third time in four games they came back to win.

"Character," FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said. "I love our guys. They have character and mental toughness."

Just like they did against North Carolina State and Virginia Tech, the Seminoles limped out of the gates on both offense and defense. Clemson's lightning bolt of a tailback, C.J. Spiller, took a screen pass for a 44-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.

On the second drive, the Tigers (4-5, 2-4) kicked a field goal, and with 7:43 left in the first quarter, FSU found itself trailing by two scores. Again.

The Seminoles erased it quickly. First, Graham Gano - who is making a weekly case that he is the best kicker in the United States - kicked a 52-yard field goal off the right upright and through for his 16th consecutive made attempt.

Then defensive end Neefy Moffett made the biggest play of his career when he intercepted a pass from Cullen Harper, who was being slammed into the ground by junior Everette Brown as he was throwing, and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown.

"It changed the entire game," fellow defensive lineman Budd Thacker said. "When he ran that thing back into the end zone we were all fired up. It got the team rolling."

The two teams exchanged scores after that - Gano kicked a 37-yarder and Harper hit Michael Palmer on a 9-yard touchdown pass to cap a drive that began inside the FSU 10 after Tony Carter muffed a punt.

From that point forward, though, the Seminoles pretty much controlled the game.

The FSU offense drove 70 yards in 10 plays to retake the lead on a Christian Ponder 1-yard TD run. Ponder's touchdown was set up by a 28-yard reverse run from walk-on receiver Louis Givens to the Clemson 1.

"That's really what I want to try to bring to the team is a spark," said Givens.

The Seminoles had a 20-17 lead at the half and a 27-17 lead after their first drive of the third quarter. Ponder hit Corey Surrency on a short screen pass in the middle of the field and the 6-foot-5 JuCo transfer sprinted into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.

After Clemson cut the lead to 27-20, Ponder launched a lob pass on first down from midfield down the middle of the field for Surrency, who leapt up and snared it for a 38-yard gain.

Three plays later, Smith was in the end zone on a 1-yard TD run and FSU had a 34-20 lead with 10:31 left in the game.

"It was a heck of a catch," said Ponder, who finished 16 of 27 passing for 153 yards.

Clemson cut it to seven on an 11-play, 97-yard drive, but freshman Taiwan Easterling recovered the ensuing onside kick. And one play later, Smith was sprinting into the end zone and Bowden was officially enjoying his 79th birthday.

The Florida State defense sacked Harper six times, knocked him on his back countless others, and allowed the Tigers to convert on just two of 15 third-down attempts.

"The thing was we just had to turn loose and quit playing cautious and go play Florida State football," FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said. "Sometimes it's not what you do with X's and O's, you adjust your chinstrap more than you change what you're doing."

Florida State rushed for 266 yards on 36 carries and finished with 419 yards.

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