Noles Try To Halt 7-6 Pattern

The Florida State Seminoles suffered another setback last week. After a 27-17 home loss to Boston College, the Seminoles (7-3, 4-3) lost control of a clear route to the ACC Championship Game in Tampa.

It's still possible, but a few things must happen, most importantly a victory at Maryland on Saturday night.

FSU coach Bobby Bowden said he still thinks this season can represent improvement. "I think we're going in the right direction," he said.

But the Seminoles need to beat Maryland - or else it will seem like the program is stuck in the same old pattern.

Seven wins.

Can FSU get past that barrier?

Coming off back-to-back 7-6 seasons, the Seminoles had a favorable schedule (opening with consecutive Division I-AA opponents). Now it looks like another scramble to surpass seven victories.

There's a game at Maryland, in which the Terrapins can capture the ACC Atlantic Division and a Tampa trip by simply winning out (including a Nov. 29 trip to Boston College).

There's a Nov. 29 home game against Florida, possibly the nation's hottest team. The Seminoles are trying to avoid their fifth consecutive loss to the Gators.

Then, failing a trip to Tampa, there's a bowl game.

Lose them all - not an outlandish possibility by any means - and the Seminoles are back at 7-6 again (with a season-ending four-game losing streak to boot).

"I would sure like to get past the seven-win mark," Bowden said Wednesday on the ACC teleconference. "But there's no comfort zone as long as you have a game to play. If I had eight wins, I'd want nine.

"I'm going to look on the bright side of it - the 32nd consecutive year without a losing season."

But if it comes to that, the Seminoles would be left with a deflated feeling.

COACH IN WAITING: Add Texas to the list of football programs that has designated a successor for its longtime head coach. When Mack Brown steps aside, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will take over the Longhorns.

Last season, FSU announced offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher will eventually succeed Bowden.

"It has worked out good here," Bowden said. "It's comforting to me. I don't have any plans of getting out right now, but I can when I want to. Everything is set. I think we'll probably see more of that. I know we've had a lot of schools calling here, asking us how it works."

ON THE OTHER SIDE: The ACC's Coastal Division has a huge game tonight when Miami (7-3, 4-2) travels to Georgia Tech (7-3, 4-3). If Miami loses, that means the Coastal Division could have five teams (of six) tied with three conference defeats entering the final week.

Georgia Tech, though, would be finished with ACC play, having only a Nov. 29 game against Georgia remaining.

"If we find a way to beat a good Miami team, we're going to be Coastal Division champions," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "We could eventually be co-champ, tri-champ or twi-champ."

In the Atlantic Division, FSU is among four (of six) teams in contention for the trip to Tampa.