Florida State’s Bowden says he’s got some soul-searching to do about coaching next year

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Bowden says he wants time to think about next year

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Bobby Bowden wants to do some “soul-searching” before deciding if he wants to coach Florida State in 2010.

Bowden and the Seminoles lost Saturday 37-10 to top-ranked Florida, ending the regular season with their sixth consecutive loss in the heated rivalry.

During his postgame news conference, Bowden said he planned to coach the Seminoles next season.

But afterward, he told two reporters, including one from the AP, that he needed some time to think about his future.

“I want to coach next year, but let me say I want to go home and do some soul-searching,” Bowden said. “I’ve got to run this thing through my mind a few times.”

Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is slated to replace Bowden in January 2011 unless the 80-year-old Bowden decides to retire or university officials don’t renew his rolling one-year contract.

Fisher is guaranteed $5 million if for any reason he’s not the head coach by January 2011.

If Bowden does return for a 35th season, he might have to relinquish some of his power to Fisher. The Seminoles finished an up-and-down regular season 6-6 and are expected to receive a bowl bid.

Bowden’s 388 wins are second only to Penn State’s Joe Paterno among major college coaches.

Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews has already announced his plans to leave coaching after 26 years with the Seminoles and Bowden.

“I hope coach Bowden continues to coach,” redshirt freshman EJ Manuel said after Saturday’s loss. “He’s the reason I came here, to play for a legend like him.”

Florida has won the last three meetings against Florida State by a combined 127-37 margin, an average of 30 points.

“We don’t want to see him leave like this,” sophomore linebacker Nigel Bradham said. “At least we’d like to see him go out strong.”

Hoping to come back for one final season in 2010 and looking for signs the Seminoles might be closing the gap on archrival Florida, Bowden watched his team get outclassed.

“We couldn’t stop them,” he said.

If Bowden does come back, he’ll get Florida at home next season and won’t have to face Florida’s do-everything Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow.

“I won’t miss him,” Bowden said. “He presents so many problems. It’s like playing against 12 people.”

Florida rolled up 151 yards in the first quarter to the Seminoles’ 15. Florida’s dominance was so staggering that Urban Meyer had his team take a knee to run out the final minute of the first half despite having three timeouts available.

“It was a pretty good whipping,” Bowden said. ”

Bowden is now 17-18-1 against Florida and needs a win the whatever bowl chooses the Seminoles to achieve a 33rd straight winning season.