Bobby Bowden: Difference between revisions

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(21 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden''' (born [[November 8]], [[1929]] in [[Birmingham]]) is the current head football coach for the Florida State University Seminoles. Since taking the position in [[1976]], Bowden has led FSU to BCS National Championships in [[1993]] and [[1999]], as well as twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships since FSU joined the conference in [[1991]].
:''This article is about the football coach. For the Calera furniture dealer, see [[Bobby Bowdon]].''
[[Image:Bobby Bowden.jpg|right|thumb|Bobby Bowden]]
'''Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden''' (born [[November 8]], [[1929]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[August 8]], [[2021]] in Tallahassee, Flordia) was the head football coach for the Florida State University Seminoles from [[1976]] to [[2010]]. He led FSU to two BCS National Championships in [[1993]] and [[1999]], and to twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships since joining the league in [[1991]].


With 369 career wins, Bowden is also currently ranked by the NCAA as the all-time winningest Division I coach by total victories. His 20-8-1 record in bowl games ranks second all-time. Only Joe Paterno (22) has more bowl wins.
With 388 career wins, Bowden is ranked behind Joe Paterno as the NCAA's second all-time winningest Division I coach. His 20-10-1 record in bowl games also ranks second all-time behind Paterno.


==Youth and family life==
==Early life==
Born in [[Birmingham]], Bowden spent a portion of his childhood in bed, sick. When he was 13 years old, Bowden was diagnosed with rheumatic fever. After a six month hospital stay, Bowden was confined to his bed at home for just over a year with nothing more than a radio and his imagination to pass the time. It was listening to [[World War II]] reports on the radio that began Bowden's interest in the war, an interest he still has to this day.  It was also around this time that his love for football increased, as he would listen to [[University of Alabama football]] games on Saturday mornings.
Bowden was the second child born to [[Sunset Bowden|Sunset Cleckler]] and [[Bob Pierce Bowden]], a banker at [[First National Bank of Birmingham]]. Their house was just beyond the east end zone of the [[Woodlawn High School]] football field. Young Bobby took to sports right away, playing fullback for his [[YMCA]] team at the age of 9 and watching Woodlawn practice from the roof of his house with his father. During the [[Great Depression]], Bobby's father was able to keep his job, but his grandfather, a builder, went broke and moved into Bobby's room with him.


Bowden was an outstanding football player at [[Woodlawn High School]], and went on to the [[University of Alabama]] as a quarterback, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play for the Crimson Tide before returning to Birmingham and marrying his high school sweetheart [[Ann Bowden|Ann Estock]] on [[April 1]], [[1949]] (today, the couple has six children and 21 grandchildren). Bobby transferred to [[Howard College]] (now [[Samford University]]), where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Bowden graduated from Howard in [[1949]].
In [[1934]] the Bowdens moved to [[East Lake]], about half a block from [[Howard College]]'s [[Berry Field]]. His father bought him a Howard uniform and helmet, which he wore to play catch. They also went to high school games at [[Legion Field]] together.


==Early coaching career==
One day in [[1943]], Bobby came home with knee pain and swelling. He was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and spend the next six months at the hospital, and another six confined to bed at home. He listened to constant reports from the [[World War II|warfront]] as well as [[Alabama Crimson Tide|Alabama football]] games on Saturdays. Bobby kept a scrapbook of his football idols, including [[Vaughn Mancha]] and Woodlawn graduate [[Harry Gilmer]].
Bowden served as an assistant football coach and head track and field coach at Howard  from [[1954]]-[[1955]]. He left his alma mater to serve as Athletic Director and head football, baseball and basketball coach at South Georgia College from [[1956]] to [[1958]]. Bowden then returned to Howard as head coach, where he compiled a 31-6 record between [[1959]] and [[1962]]. In 1962, Bowden went to Florida State University as an assistant coach under Bill Peterson and left in 1965 to go to West Virginia University as assistant coach.  When the head coach at West Virginia left before the 1970 season, Bowden replaced him.  Bowden then compiled a 42-26 record at West Virginia University before returning to FSU as head coach in 1976.


==Florida State==
He and his family, members of [[Ruhama Baptist Church]], prayed for his recovery, and he did regain enough strength to enroll at Woodlawn High in [[1945]]. His doctor cautioned against playing sports, however, so Bobby joined the marching band as a trombonist. He practiced enough to earn first chair in the school orchestra. He also played with the [[Lee Jordan Band]], which played parties and Saturday night dances at the [[Rose Club]].
At Florida State, Bowden inherited a team that had won just four games over the previous three seasons. In his 31 years as the head coach at Florida State, he has had only one losing season, his first in 1976; and has compliled a 296-82-4 record. He is the only coach in Division I-A football history to have enjoyed 14 straight seasons of 10 or more wins. His Florida State Seminoles finished an unprecedented 14 straight seasons in the top 5 of the Associated Press College Football Poll, and won the College Football National Championship in 1993 and 1999.  


==The National Bobby Bowden Award==
Frustrated by being unable to play sports, Bobby convinced his family to seek a second opinion. The new doctor told him his heart was strong enough, so Bowden immediately tried out for the high school team as a sophomore in [[1946]]. He broke his thumb during practice and Coach [[Kenny Morgan]] asked the family to sit him out for a semester to preserve his remaining eligibility. He came back to the team in [[1947]] and became a star halfback in the offensive backfield as well as in the defensive secondary. He was also a team leader, leading by example by working hard and keeping a positive attitude.
In [[2004]], The Fellowship of Christian Athletes presented the first of what is now a yearly award in Bowden's name, "The National Bobby Bowden Award", honoring one college football player for his achievements on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award is presented each year prior at the Bowl Championship Series' national title game.
 
Bowden went on to the [[University of Alabama]] as a quarterback, pursuing a lifelong dream to play for the Crimson Tide. He spent his first semester quarterbacking the freshman team, rushing back to Birmingham each weekend to visit his family and spend time with [[Ann Bowden|Ann Estock]], a girl he had begun dating as a junior. The couple eloped on [[April 1]], [[1949]], taking his father's new 1949 Ford to Rising Fawn, Georgia to exchange vows. They tried to keep it a secret, but word soon spread. Bowden transferred from Alabama, which had a rule against married players, back home to Howard College. He played halfback for [[Earl Gartman]]'s 1949 Bulldogs. The team went 4-5 in [[1949]], 2-8 in [[1950]] and 2-3-1 in [[1951]]. Bowden was moved to quarterback for his senior season, and was named a "Little All-American" for guiding the small school to a 5-4 season (including a 20-6 loss at Florida State's new Doak Campbell Stadium).
 
In college, Bowden majored in physical education while Ann went to work in a real estate office started by his father before enrolling at Howard herself. The couple's first children, Robyn and Steve, were born in July [[1951]] and September [[1952]], respectively. The children stayed at home with Bobby's parents while Bobby and Ann went to classes and participated in extracurricular activites. Bobby graduated in January [[1953]] and commuted to George Peabody College in Nashville to earn a masters in education, making him eligible to join the Howard faculty as an assistant coach at $3,600 a year. In July [[1954]] their third child, Tommy, was born and Bowden moved on to the head coaching job at South Georgia College in Douglas.
 
==Coaching career==
Bowden served as an assistant football coach and head track and field coach at Howard  from [[1954]]-[[1955]]. He left his alma mater to serve as athletic director and head football, baseball and basketball coach at South Georgia College from [[1956]] to [[1958]]. Bowden then returned to Howard as head coach, where he compiled a 31-6 record between [[1959]] and [[1962]]. In 1962, Bowden went to Florida State University as an assistant coach under Bill Peterson and left in 1965 to go to West Virginia University as assistant coach.  When the head coach at West Virginia left before the 1970 season, Bowden replaced him. Bowden then compiled a 42-26 record at West Virginia University before returning to FSU as head coach in 1976.


Past winners are
===Florida State===
:2003 - Jason Wright, Northwestern University, Cleveland Browns.
At Florida State, Bowden inherited a team that had won just four games over the previous three seasons. In his 31 years as the head coach at Florida State, he has had only one losing season, his first in 1976; and has compliled a 296-82-4 record. He is the only coach in Division I-A football history to have enjoyed 14 straight seasons of 10 or more wins. His Florida State Seminoles finished an unprecedented 14 straight seasons in the top 5 of the Associated Press College Football Poll, and won the College Football National Championship in 1993 and 1999.
:2004 - Billy Bajema, Oklahoma State University, Washington Redskins.
:2005 - D. J. Shockley, University of Georgia, Atlanta Falcons.
:2006 - Carl Pendleton, University of Oklahoma.


==Bobby Bowden Field==
Bowden, who had kept private his [[2007]] diagnosis with prostate cancer, announced his retirement from Florida State on [[December 1]], [[2009]]. He coached the Seminoles' to a bowl victory over his former West Virginia Mountaineers before leaving the program to "head coach in waiting" Jimbo Fisher. He retired to Panama City, Florida and later returned to Tallahassee's  Killearn Estates. Bowden was hospitalized with [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]] in October [[2020]]. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July [[2021]], and died at home on the morning of [[August 8]].
In November 2004, by an act of the 2000 session of the Legislature of the State of Florida, Florida State renamed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium as "Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium", erected a bronze statue of his likeness, and unveiled a three story stained-glass window in his honor. Bobby Bowden Field was officially dedicated on November 20, 2004 before the annual game with archrival Florida. The Seminoles lost the game 20-13.


==The Bowden Bowl==
===The Bowden Bowl===
Bobby is not the only member of his family to coach Division I-A football. His son Tommy Bowden is the head coach at Clemson University; another son, [[Terry Bowden]], was the head coach at [[Auburn University]] where he was the 1993 Coach of the Year; and a third son, Jeff Bowden, was the offensive coordinator at Florida State. All three Bowden men who were head coaches have achieved an undefeated season: Terry in 1993 at Auburn; Tommy in 1998 at Tulane; and Bobby in 1999 at Florida State.  Bobby's 1999 Florida State team was the only one to win a National Championship, however. As both Florida State and Clemson are in the same division of the Atlantic Coast Conference for football, the two teams play every year in a game that has become known as "The Bowden Bowl". Their first meeting, in 1999, was the first time in Division I-A history that a father and a son met as opposing head coaches in a football game.  As of September 3, 2007, Bobby holds the edge in the series, leading 5-4 with all four losses within the last five seasons.
Bobby is not the only member of his family to coach Division I-A football. His son Tommy Bowden is the head coach at Clemson University; another son, [[Terry Bowden]], was the head coach at [[Auburn University]] where he was the 1993 Coach of the Year; and a third son, Jeff Bowden, was the offensive coordinator at Florida State. All three Bowden men who were head coaches have achieved an undefeated season: Terry in 1993 at Auburn; Tommy in 1998 at Tulane; and Bobby in 1999 at Florida State.  Bobby's 1999 Florida State team was the only one to win a National Championship, however. As both Florida State and Clemson are in the same division of the Atlantic Coast Conference for football, the two teams play every year in a game that has become known as "The Bowden Bowl". Their first meeting, in 1999, was the first time in Division I-A history that a father and a son met as opposing head coaches in a football game.  As of September 3, 2007, Bobby holds the edge in the series, leading 5-4 with all four losses within the last five seasons.


Line 44: Line 46:
** 1974: 4-7-0
** 1974: 4-7-0
** 1975: 9-3-0 (won the Peach Bowl)
** 1975: 9-3-0 (won the Peach Bowl)
* Florida State University (296-114-4)
* Florida State University (316-143-4)
** 1976: 5-6-0
** 1976: 5-6-0
** 1977: 10-2-0 (won the Tangerine Bowl)
** 1977: 10-2-0 (won the Tangerine Bowl)
Line 76: Line 78:
** 2005: 8-5-0 (ACC Atlantic Division champion, lost the Orange Bowl)
** 2005: 8-5-0 (ACC Atlantic Division champion, lost the Orange Bowl)
** 2006: 7-6-0 (won the Emerald Bowl)
** 2006: 7-6-0 (won the Emerald Bowl)
** 2007: 3-1-0
** 2007: 7-6-0 (lost the Music City Bowl)
** 2008: 9-4-0 (tied for ACC Atlantic Division championship, won the Champs Sports Bowl)
** 2009: 7-6-0 (won the Gator Bowl)
 
==Honors==
In [[2004]], The Fellowship of Christian Athletes presented the first of what is now a yearly award in Bowden's name, "The National Bobby Bowden Award", honoring one college football player for his achievements on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award is presented each year prior at the Bowl Championship Series' national title game.
 
In November 2004, by an act of the 2000 session of the Legislature of the State of Florida, Florida State renamed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium as "Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium", erected a bronze statue of his likeness, and unveiled a three story stained-glass window in his honor. Bobby Bowden Field was officially dedicated on November 20, 2004 before the annual game with archrival Florida. The Seminoles lost the game 20-13.
 
The [[Bobby Bowden Collegiate Coach of the Year Award]] was established in [[2010]] by the [[Over the Mountain Touchdown Club]].  Bowden was named the [[Legend of Birmingham Award|2010 Golden Flake Legend of Birmingham]] as part of the ceremonies for the [[BBVA Compass Bowl]].
 
A [[Bobby Bowden statue]] was erected outside Samford's [[Seibert Stadium]] in [[2013]].


==Publications==
==Publications==
Line 86: Line 99:


==References==
==References==
* Cobb, Mike and Rick Rousos. (2000) [http://theledger.com/static/bowden/index.htm Papa 'Nole: The Life and Times of Bobby Bowden], 12-part series in ''The Ledger'' (Lakeland, Polk County, Florida)
* [http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/acc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/06guide093123.pdf ACC Standings]. 2006 ACC Football Media Guide. Atlantic Coast Conference. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
* [http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/acc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/06guide093123.pdf ACC Standings]. 2006 ACC Football Media Guide. Atlantic Coast Conference. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
* [http://www.fansonly.com/photos/schools/fsu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/6Coaches23-38.pdf Florida State University Coaching Staff]. 2006 Florida State Football Media Guide. Florida State University Athletics. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
* [http://www.fansonly.com/photos/schools/fsu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/6Coaches23-38.pdf Florida State University Coaching Staff]. 2006 Florida State Football Media Guide. Florida State University Athletics. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
Line 92: Line 106:


==Notes==
==Notes==
<small>
# Individuals qualify for the NCAA's All-time Winningest Division I-FBS (formerly Division I-A) Coaching record if they have coached at least ten seasons at a Division I-FBS school. Once qualified, all victories against four-year institutions regardless of division count towards their total.
# Individuals qualify for the NCAA's All-time Winningest Division I-FBS (formerly Division I-A) Coaching record if they have coached at least ten seasons at a Division I-FBS school. Once qualified, all victories against four-year institutions regardless of division count towards their total.
# [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf NCAA 2007 Football Records], pg 378
# [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf NCAA 2007 Football Records], pg 378
# [http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowden_bobby01.html Bobby Bowden profile] at Seminoles.com
# [http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowden_bobby01.html Bobby Bowden profile] at Seminoles.com
</small>
==References==
* "Bobby Bowden." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Dec 2009, 21:54 UTC. 1 Dec 2009 [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Bowden&oldid=329119507].
* Bowen, Jim (2008) ''Bobby Bowden: Memories of A Legend and his Boys from South Georgia College'' Cold Tree Press. ISBN 1583852824
* Solomon, Jon (September 15, 2011) "Bobby Bowden's sad reason for keeping his bout with prostate cancer quiet: Recruiting." {{BN}}
* Henry, Jim (August 8, 2021) "Bobby Bowden dies: Legendary coach built Florida State into college football powerhouse." ''Tallahassee Democrat''


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://seminoles.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowden_bobby01.html Bowden's bio from the official Florida State athletic's website]
* [http://seminoles.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowden_bobby01.html Bowden's bio] from the official Florida State athletic's website
* [http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/VideoFilm2/video.cfm?VID=5 Video clip from 1977] Bobby Bowden comments on his first season as head coach of Florida State University's football program.
* [http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/video/video.cfm?VID=18 1977 video clip] of Bobby Bowden discussing his first season at Florida State  


{{start box}}
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=[[Samford University|Howard College Head Football Coach]] | before=[[Virgil C. Ledbetter]] | years=[[1959]]&ndash;[[1962]]| after=[[Herman L. Scott]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Samford University|Howard College Head Football Coach]] | before=[[Virgil C. Ledbetter]] | years=[[1959]]&ndash;[[1962]]| after=[[Herman L. Scott]]}}
{{succession box | title=West Virginia Head Football Coach | before=Jim Carlen | years=[[1970]]&ndash;[[1975]]| after=Frank Cignetti}}
{{succession box | title=Florida State University Head Football Coach | before=Darrell Mudra | years=[[1976]]&ndash;| after=''Current''}}
{{succession box | title=Walter Camp Coach of the Year | before=Bobby Ross | years=[[1991]] | after=[[Gene Stallings]] }}
{{succession box | title=Walter Camp Coach of the Year | before=Bobby Ross | years=[[1991]] | after=[[Gene Stallings]] }}
{{end box}}
{{end box}}
Line 109: Line 129:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowden, Bobby}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowden, Bobby}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:Alabama athletes]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Football players]]
[[Category:Football players]]
[[Category:Football coaches]]
[[Category:Football coaches]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Woodlawn graduates]]
[[Category:Woodlawn graduates]]
[[Category:Samford alumni]]
[[Category:Samford alumni]]
Line 118: Line 137:
[[Category:Alabama Sports Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Alabama Sports Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame]]
{{GFDL}}
[[Category:Legend of Birmingham Award]]
[[Category:Cancer deaths]]

Latest revision as of 19:37, 24 November 2023

This article is about the football coach. For the Calera furniture dealer, see Bobby Bowdon.
Bobby Bowden

Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden (born November 8, 1929 in Birmingham; died August 8, 2021 in Tallahassee, Flordia) was the head football coach for the Florida State University Seminoles from 1976 to 2010. He led FSU to two BCS National Championships in 1993 and 1999, and to twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships since joining the league in 1991.

With 388 career wins, Bowden is ranked behind Joe Paterno as the NCAA's second all-time winningest Division I coach. His 20-10-1 record in bowl games also ranks second all-time behind Paterno.

Early life

Bowden was the second child born to Sunset Cleckler and Bob Pierce Bowden, a banker at First National Bank of Birmingham. Their house was just beyond the east end zone of the Woodlawn High School football field. Young Bobby took to sports right away, playing fullback for his YMCA team at the age of 9 and watching Woodlawn practice from the roof of his house with his father. During the Great Depression, Bobby's father was able to keep his job, but his grandfather, a builder, went broke and moved into Bobby's room with him.

In 1934 the Bowdens moved to East Lake, about half a block from Howard College's Berry Field. His father bought him a Howard uniform and helmet, which he wore to play catch. They also went to high school games at Legion Field together.

One day in 1943, Bobby came home with knee pain and swelling. He was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and spend the next six months at the hospital, and another six confined to bed at home. He listened to constant reports from the warfront as well as Alabama football games on Saturdays. Bobby kept a scrapbook of his football idols, including Vaughn Mancha and Woodlawn graduate Harry Gilmer.

He and his family, members of Ruhama Baptist Church, prayed for his recovery, and he did regain enough strength to enroll at Woodlawn High in 1945. His doctor cautioned against playing sports, however, so Bobby joined the marching band as a trombonist. He practiced enough to earn first chair in the school orchestra. He also played with the Lee Jordan Band, which played parties and Saturday night dances at the Rose Club.

Frustrated by being unable to play sports, Bobby convinced his family to seek a second opinion. The new doctor told him his heart was strong enough, so Bowden immediately tried out for the high school team as a sophomore in 1946. He broke his thumb during practice and Coach Kenny Morgan asked the family to sit him out for a semester to preserve his remaining eligibility. He came back to the team in 1947 and became a star halfback in the offensive backfield as well as in the defensive secondary. He was also a team leader, leading by example by working hard and keeping a positive attitude.

Bowden went on to the University of Alabama as a quarterback, pursuing a lifelong dream to play for the Crimson Tide. He spent his first semester quarterbacking the freshman team, rushing back to Birmingham each weekend to visit his family and spend time with Ann Estock, a girl he had begun dating as a junior. The couple eloped on April 1, 1949, taking his father's new 1949 Ford to Rising Fawn, Georgia to exchange vows. They tried to keep it a secret, but word soon spread. Bowden transferred from Alabama, which had a rule against married players, back home to Howard College. He played halfback for Earl Gartman's 1949 Bulldogs. The team went 4-5 in 1949, 2-8 in 1950 and 2-3-1 in 1951. Bowden was moved to quarterback for his senior season, and was named a "Little All-American" for guiding the small school to a 5-4 season (including a 20-6 loss at Florida State's new Doak Campbell Stadium).

In college, Bowden majored in physical education while Ann went to work in a real estate office started by his father before enrolling at Howard herself. The couple's first children, Robyn and Steve, were born in July 1951 and September 1952, respectively. The children stayed at home with Bobby's parents while Bobby and Ann went to classes and participated in extracurricular activites. Bobby graduated in January 1953 and commuted to George Peabody College in Nashville to earn a masters in education, making him eligible to join the Howard faculty as an assistant coach at $3,600 a year. In July 1954 their third child, Tommy, was born and Bowden moved on to the head coaching job at South Georgia College in Douglas.

Coaching career

Bowden served as an assistant football coach and head track and field coach at Howard from 1954-1955. He left his alma mater to serve as athletic director and head football, baseball and basketball coach at South Georgia College from 1956 to 1958. Bowden then returned to Howard as head coach, where he compiled a 31-6 record between 1959 and 1962. In 1962, Bowden went to Florida State University as an assistant coach under Bill Peterson and left in 1965 to go to West Virginia University as assistant coach. When the head coach at West Virginia left before the 1970 season, Bowden replaced him. Bowden then compiled a 42-26 record at West Virginia University before returning to FSU as head coach in 1976.

Florida State

At Florida State, Bowden inherited a team that had won just four games over the previous three seasons. In his 31 years as the head coach at Florida State, he has had only one losing season, his first in 1976; and has compliled a 296-82-4 record. He is the only coach in Division I-A football history to have enjoyed 14 straight seasons of 10 or more wins. His Florida State Seminoles finished an unprecedented 14 straight seasons in the top 5 of the Associated Press College Football Poll, and won the College Football National Championship in 1993 and 1999.

Bowden, who had kept private his 2007 diagnosis with prostate cancer, announced his retirement from Florida State on December 1, 2009. He coached the Seminoles' to a bowl victory over his former West Virginia Mountaineers before leaving the program to "head coach in waiting" Jimbo Fisher. He retired to Panama City, Florida and later returned to Tallahassee's Killearn Estates. Bowden was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October 2020. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2021, and died at home on the morning of August 8.

The Bowden Bowl

Bobby is not the only member of his family to coach Division I-A football. His son Tommy Bowden is the head coach at Clemson University; another son, Terry Bowden, was the head coach at Auburn University where he was the 1993 Coach of the Year; and a third son, Jeff Bowden, was the offensive coordinator at Florida State. All three Bowden men who were head coaches have achieved an undefeated season: Terry in 1993 at Auburn; Tommy in 1998 at Tulane; and Bobby in 1999 at Florida State. Bobby's 1999 Florida State team was the only one to win a National Championship, however. As both Florida State and Clemson are in the same division of the Atlantic Coast Conference for football, the two teams play every year in a game that has become known as "The Bowden Bowl". Their first meeting, in 1999, was the first time in Division I-A history that a father and a son met as opposing head coaches in a football game. As of September 3, 2007, Bobby holds the edge in the series, leading 5-4 with all four losses within the last five seasons.

One Bowden Bowl was scheduled between Auburn and Florida State for 1999 when Terry Bowden was the coach at Auburn. However, Terry's midseason resignation in 1998 ended the possibility of a Bowden Bowl. Auburn later used the buyout clause in the contract to get out of this matchup.

Head coaching records

  • Howard College (31-6-0)
    • 1959: 9-1-0
    • 1960: 8-1-0
    • 1961: 7-2-0
    • 1962: 7-2-0
  • West Virginia University (42-26-0)
    • 1970: 8-3-0
    • 1971: 7-4-0
    • 1972: 8-4-0 (lost the Peach Bowl)
    • 1973: 6-5-0
    • 1974: 4-7-0
    • 1975: 9-3-0 (won the Peach Bowl)
  • Florida State University (316-143-4)
    • 1976: 5-6-0
    • 1977: 10-2-0 (won the Tangerine Bowl)
    • 1978: 8-3-0
    • 1979: 11-1-0 (lost the Orange Bowl)
    • 1980: 10-2-0 (lost the Orange Bowl)
    • 1981: 6-5-0
    • 1982: 9-3-0 (won the Gator Bowl)
    • 1983: 8-4-0 (won the Peach Bowl)
    • 1984: 7-3-2 (tied the Citrus Bowl)
    • 1985: 9-3-0 (won the Gator Bowl)
    • 1986: 7-4-1 (won the All-American Bowl)
    • 1987: 11-1-0 (won the Fiesta Bowl)
    • 1988: 11-1-0 (won the Sugar Bowl)
    • 1989: 10-2-0 (won the Fiesta Bowl)
    • 1990: 10-2-0 (won the Blockbuster Bowl)
    • 1991: 11-2-0 (won the Cotton Bowl)
    • 1992: 11-1-0 (ACC champion, won the Orange Bowl)
    • 1993: 12-1-0 (National Champion, won the Orange Bowl)
    • 1994: 10-1-1 (ACC champion, won the Sugar Bowl)
    • 1995: 10-2-0 (ACC co-champion, won the Orange Bowl)
    • 1996: 11-1-0 (ACC champion, lost the Sugar Bowl)
    • 1997: 11-1-0 (ACC champion, won the Sugar Bowl)
    • 1998: 11-2-0 (ACC co-champion, lost the Fiesta Bowl)
    • 1999: 12-0-0 (National Champion, won the Sugar Bowl)
    • 2000: 11-2-0 (ACC champion, lost the Orange Bowl)
    • 2001: 8-4-0 (won the Gator Bowl)
    • 2002: 9-5-0 (ACC champion, lost the Sugar Bowl)
    • 2003: 10-3-0 (ACC champion, lost the Orange Bowl)
    • 2004: 9-3-0 (won the Gator Bowl)
    • 2005: 8-5-0 (ACC Atlantic Division champion, lost the Orange Bowl)
    • 2006: 7-6-0 (won the Emerald Bowl)
    • 2007: 7-6-0 (lost the Music City Bowl)
    • 2008: 9-4-0 (tied for ACC Atlantic Division championship, won the Champs Sports Bowl)
    • 2009: 7-6-0 (won the Gator Bowl)

Honors

In 2004, The Fellowship of Christian Athletes presented the first of what is now a yearly award in Bowden's name, "The National Bobby Bowden Award", honoring one college football player for his achievements on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award is presented each year prior at the Bowl Championship Series' national title game.

In November 2004, by an act of the 2000 session of the Legislature of the State of Florida, Florida State renamed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium as "Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium", erected a bronze statue of his likeness, and unveiled a three story stained-glass window in his honor. Bobby Bowden Field was officially dedicated on November 20, 2004 before the annual game with archrival Florida. The Seminoles lost the game 20-13.

The Bobby Bowden Collegiate Coach of the Year Award was established in 2010 by the Over the Mountain Touchdown Club. Bowden was named the 2010 Golden Flake Legend of Birmingham as part of the ceremonies for the BBVA Compass Bowl.

A Bobby Bowden statue was erected outside Samford's Seibert Stadium in 2013.

Publications

Bowden has co-authored several books, including:

  • Bowden, Bobby (1996) Winning's Only Part of the Game : Lessons of Life and Football. ISBN 0446520500
  • Bowden, Bobby (2001) The Bowden Way : 50 Years of Leadership Wisdom. ISBN 1563526840
  • Bowden, Bobby (2003) Bobby Bowden: Win by Win. ISBN 0738515442
  • Bowden, Bobby (2004) Bobby Bowden's Tales from the Seminole Sideline. ISBN 1582614067

References

Notes

  1. Individuals qualify for the NCAA's All-time Winningest Division I-FBS (formerly Division I-A) Coaching record if they have coached at least ten seasons at a Division I-FBS school. Once qualified, all victories against four-year institutions regardless of division count towards their total.
  2. NCAA 2007 Football Records, pg 378
  3. Bobby Bowden profile at Seminoles.com

References

  • "Bobby Bowden." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Dec 2009, 21:54 UTC. 1 Dec 2009 [1].
  • Bowen, Jim (2008) Bobby Bowden: Memories of A Legend and his Boys from South Georgia College Cold Tree Press. ISBN 1583852824
  • Solomon, Jon (September 15, 2011) "Bobby Bowden's sad reason for keeping his bout with prostate cancer quiet: Recruiting." The Birmingham News
  • Henry, Jim (August 8, 2021) "Bobby Bowden dies: Legendary coach built Florida State into college football powerhouse." Tallahassee Democrat

External links

  • Bowden's bio from the official Florida State athletic's website
  • 1977 video clip of Bobby Bowden discussing his first season at Florida State
Preceded by:
Virgil C. Ledbetter 		Howard College Head Football Coach
1959–1962 		Succeeded by:
Herman L. Scott
Preceded by:
Bobby Ross 		Walter Camp Coach of the Year
1991 		Succeeded by:
Gene Stallings
Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Bowden&oldid=208905"