It's becoming clear that Florida State's Bobby Bowden, who turn 80 on Sunday, wants to coach the Seminoles in 2010.
The feisty Bowden has tipped his hand many times since coming under fire from high-level boosters, fans and the media following a 2-4 start.
Consecutive victories over North Carolina and North Carolina State have helped quiet restless critics -- and a victory Saturday at Clemson would vault FSU into second place in the ACC Atlantic Division -- and Bowden said Wednesday he will make the final call on who replaces retiring Mickey Andrews as defensive coordinator.
However, Bowden also stressed that head coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher will make a strong contribution to the process, so don't expect a disagreement conspiracy between the pair.
It has reached this point at Florida State: panicking Seminole fans are searching for victories.
At 2-4, FSU and head coach Bobby Bowden need to find four more victories in their remaining six games to become bowl eligible. That challenge starts Thursday night in a nationally-televised game at North Carolina. The Seminoles close October against North Carolina State and tangle with Clemson, Wake Forest, Maryland and Florida in November.
FSU has played in 27 consecutive bowl games dating back to 1981, when the Seminoles went 6-5.
As Gainer read the details Monday afternoon surrounding the stabbing death of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard, an eerie feeling overcame him. A day doesn't go by that Gainer doesn't think about -- even talk to -- his former friend and Florida State teammate, Pablo Lopez (pictured right).
Lopez was shot to death outside a campus dance in 1986. Gainer rushed to Lopez's side and held his hand as the offensive lineman lay mortally wounded.
There are at least two unidentified Connecticut players who have been so strongly affected by the stabbing death of Howard that they may not play Saturday at West Virginia. One player held Howard in his arms, while another tried to address the wound and was covered in blood.
Virginia Tech travels to Georgia Tech on Saturday in what may be the biggest hurdle left on the Hokies' regular season schedule. The fourth-ranked Hokies are in prime position to be in the national title race with some help. They will also virtually wrap up the ACC Coastal Division with a win in Atlanta.
Of course, this isn't expected to be a walk in the park for Tech either.
The Yellow Jackets, who have won three straight, present a unique challenge to the Virginia Tech defense behind their triple-option. Over the last three games, Georgia Tech has averaged 472.3 yards of total offense. The Hokies, always strong on defense and special teams, appear to be finally clicking on all cylinders now that quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back Ryan Williams are propelling the offense.
A solid rivalry has developed between Boston College and Virginia Tech.
While the Eagles have won the last three regular-season games against the Hokies, Virginia Tech has beaten Boston College when its counted most in the past two ACC Championship games. Plenty is at stake again when the two tangle Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
"These guys are a premier program in the country and they haven't skipped a beat since the last time we saw them," BC coach Frank Spaziani said.
Weinke, who finished his Florida State career with a 32-3 record as a starter, leading the Seminoles to a national championship in 1999 and, at age 28, becoming the oldest player in history to win the Heisman Trophy, has heard the latest -- and most powerful -- criticism directed at FSU head coach Bobby Bowden.
"My hope is that it doesn't end ugly," Weinke told FanHouse Tuesday afternoon.
"That's my worst nightmare. He doesn't deserve it to end ugly. I understand [the fans] frustration, but at some point you have to take a step back and look what this individual guy has done for the university. That's the way I feel, and I am going to always feel, and nobody is going to change my mind. He doesn't deserve it to end ugly -- it's not right."
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- In a perfect world, Bobby Bowden's final home game as Florida State's legendary head coach should come against rival Florida. That scenario is scheduled to occur in November, 2010.
Is Nov. 21, 2009, against Maryland more realistic?
A lack of progress, a dysfunctional coaching staff and Bowden's insistence that he doesn't plan to retire anytime soon has put university officials in an awkward situation, prompting one athletic department official to tell FanHouse Monday that "the university is suffering. We need to take the emotion out of this decision. In reality, this has evolved into a business decision."
With the exception of injured Tim Tebow, the top-ranked Florida Gators are right where they want to be one month into the college football season. The same could be said further South, where the Miami Hurricanes survived a brutal four-game stretch to merit top-10 consideration.
The mood in Florida's Panhandle, however, is far different. Slumping Florida State and its iconic coach, Bobby Bowden, are off to their worst start in more than a quarter of a century, creating an uncomfortable predicament that has left Bowden defending his program and fending off critics who are demanding immediate change in Tallahassee, Fla.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State President T.K. Wetherell continues to voice his stern displeasure with the NCAA in the organization's handling of the Seminoles' appeal in an athletic-sanctions case. In fact, in a pregame interview Monday before the FSU-Miami game at Doak Campbell Stadium with ABC/ESPN, Wetherell described the NCAA's dealing with the Seminoles as a "bait-and-switch."
Wetherell has criticized the NCAA's plan to strip coaches and athletes of wins in 10 sports. Head coach Bobby Bowden would lose 14 victories in the ruling, all but ending his historic race with Joe Paterno of Penn State as major college football's winningest coach. Bowden has 382 victories, two behind Paterno heading into the UM showdown. The Nittany Lions opened their season Saturday with a convincing 31-7 win over visiting Akron.
In an interview with the Reading Eagle newspaper, Paterno made it clear that he doesn't care if he winds up with the all-time wins record or not. "When they put me underneath, it won't make any difference whether I'm one win ahead or 10 wins behind. I've enjoyed my career. I've been lucky. I've never really thought about that kind of legacy."
It's becoming clear that Florida State's Bobby Bowden, who turn 80 on Sunday, wants to coach the Seminoles in 2010. 
It has reached this point at Florida State: panicking Seminole fans are searching for victories.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Herb Gainer's heart sagged.
Virginia Tech travels to Georgia Tech on Saturday in what may be the biggest hurdle left on the 
A solid rivalry has developed between Boston College and Virginia Tech.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Chris Weinke is fearful.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- In a perfect world, Bobby Bowden's final home game as Florida State's legendary head coach should come against rival Florida. That scenario is scheduled to occur in November, 2010. 
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State President T.K. Wetherell continues to voice his stern displeasure with the NCAA in the organization's handling of the Seminoles' appeal in an athletic-sanctions case. In fact, in a pregame interview Monday before the FSU-Miami game at Doak Campbell Stadium with ABC/ESPN, Wetherell described the NCAA's dealing with the Seminoles as a "bait-and-switch."
While 
