Another near miss for Seminoles, Bowden

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Bobby Bowden was up early Thursday, sipping coffee and chewing on a Danish as he tried to erase the bad taste of another near-miss in the national championship race.

A 13-2 loss to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl dropped Florida State to 1-3 in title games over the last five seasons. The defeat Wednesday also sent the Seminoles (11-2) tumbling from third to fifth in the final Associated Press rankings, the worst finish for Bowden's team in 14 years.

"I can't feel like fifth is the end of the dynasty," Bowden said with a chuckle. "It's like they say about freedom -- you have to defend it every year. We've got to defend the dynasty thing.

There'll be some hard work to do next year."

The resilient Bowden sounded chipper despite a lack of sleep and touchdowns. He's won two national championships and come close half a dozen other times, including in 1996 and 1998, when Florida State lost the title game.

This time, Bowden said, complacency was probably a factor. The Sooners came into the game undefeated and ranked No. 1, but the Seminoles were nonetheless heavy favorites.

"I've got a feeling there was an air of overconfidence,"

Bowden said. "There had to be, just by what we hear -- `They're No.

1, and we're favored by 12? Ooh, we must be good. Think we even need to go out there?"'

Bowden admitted that even he underestimated Oklahoma. Impressive bowl victories by Nebraska and Kansas State -- Big 12 teams who lost to the Sooners during the regular season -- should have sent a message, Bowden said.

"They're a lot better than I thought," he said. "They are for real. We all assumed -- especially me -- that the Big 12 wasn't that good this year. But they might have been the best conference in the country."

Florida State's defense played well, but the high-powered offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke sputtered all night. The Seminoles were limited to a season-low 301 yards, 248 below their average. They were 1-for-15 on third-down conversions, punted 10 times and missed a 30-yard field goal.

Weinke, who appeared reluctant to throw downfield, finished 25 of 51 for 274 yards. He threw two interceptions and at least three passes that defenders dropped, lost a fumble and admitted that the Sooners' scheme frustrated him.

"It's a tough way to go out for me personally," Weinke said on his way to the team bus Thursday morning. "It was almost like they were one step ahead of us and knew what we were doing."

While the Sooners altered their defensive approach, Florida State made few offensive changes in the weeks leading up to the game. That may have been a mistake, Bowden said.

"Sometimes if you think you're superior, you don't want to do a lot of new things," he said. "You want to dance with the one who brought you."

Other factors in the dismal offensive showing included poor field position, the absence of top receiver Snoop Minnis and the looming departure of offensive coordinator Mark Richt. Bowden acknowledged that Richt, hired last month as Georgia's head coach, was spread thin trying to handle two jobs.

"I thanked Mark, because he diligently tried to do everything he could," Bowden said.

Replacing Richt will be the first priority this offseason, and Bowden hopes to choose a successor by next week. Then the task will be to groom replacements for Weinke and 14 other departing senior starters who compiled a five-year record of 57-6.

"It's challenging. That's what makes you stay in the profession," said Bowden, who is 71 and under contract through 2004. "I'll think it'll be the biggest challenge we'd had since 1994."

That was the year after a senior class including Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward led the Seminoles to their first national title. Florida State went 10-2 and finished fourth the following season.