Tommy Bowden's Tigers trample Bobby's Seminoles

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Bobby Bowden searched out his son among

Clemson fans calling "Tommy!, Tommy!" and told him what Tommy's

first victory in the Bowden Bowl -- and the Tigers first win ever

over a top three team -- would mean down the road.

"I told him his job ought to be good for another five days,"

Bowden said.

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"Yeah, that's about right these days," Tommy said, smiling.

The younger Bowden capped a week of wild rumors and speculation about his job security with a 26-10 win over his father and No. 3 Florida State on Saturday night.

And while Papa Bowden chastised the Seminoles (8-2, 6-1 ACC) for

their poor play and foolish mistakes, he saved his strongest

comments for those who want to fire his son.

"I'd like to see Tommy succeed here and, if he doesn't, I think

he'll succeed somewhere else," said Bowden, major college

football's all-time victories leader at 340. "I think he's got the

stuff."

Tommy was four games ahead of Bobby through 80 games, 52 wins to

48, coming into this one. And No. 81 proved that Tommy indeed can

outcoach one of the game's best.

"I think people have to be patient," Bobby said.

Patience was in short supply following Clemson's 45-17 loss at

Wake Forest last week. Most talk centered on how soon Clemson

athletic director Terry Don Phillips should cut the younger Bowden

loose. Will this victory change everyone's thinking?

"That's for the president and the administration to decide how

big this is for me," Tommy said.

Charlie Whitehurst threw for one touchdown and ran for another

as Clemson (6-4, 4-3) snapped an 11-game losing streak to the

Seminoles.

Aaron Hunt added four field goals and the Tigers held the

Seminoles to their fewest points of the season and just 11 yards

rushing.

Just about everyone expected Bobby -- on his 74th birthday, no

less -- to show little mercy as his team tried to wrap up the league

crown and move closer to a championship game.

But the Tigers played as if they didn't want to lose their

coach. And the Seminoles never showed the poise and power they

usually display.

Chris Rix missed his target on several throws and was

intercepted by Tye Hill in the first quarter to end Florida State's

only first-half drive inside Clemson territory.

Down 16-0 in the third quarter at Clemson's 30, Rix threw three

straight passes nowhere near his receivers and the Seminoles

settled for Xavier Beitia's 46-yard field goal. Rix ended 16-for-31

for 194 yards and two interceptions.

"I thought there was entirely too much heat on him," Bobby

Bowden said. "And he was not hot."

Whitehurst continually made the game's biggest plays. A 17-yard

pass to Kevin Youngblood led to Hunt's second field goal from 35

yards out and a 6-0 Clemson lead.

With 2:50 to go in the half, Whitehurst led a 65-yard touchdown

drive -- 51 on a pass to Youngblood. Whitehurst finished it off

himself with a 1-yard scoring run with 15 seconds left that made it

13-0.

Whitehurst, the son of former Green Bay quarterback David

Whitehurst, lofted a pass to a wide-open Derrick Hamilton for a

58-yard touchdown that gave Clemson a 23-3 lead late in the third

quarter.

The Seminoles scored their lone touchdown, a 71-yard reception

from backup Fabian Walker to Chauncy Stovall, with 2:14 left -- far

too late to make a difference.

Many of the same fans chanting "Fire Bowden" last week earlier

at Wake Forest stood and cheered as Tommy crossed through the swarm

of people rushing the field to talk with his father. Both goal

posts were torn down and paraded up the hill and past Howard's Rock

at the stadium's entrance.

The players gave their coach a Gatorade salute as the game

ended. In the locker room, Whitehurst presented Bowden with a game

ball.

"I'm just proud of all the guys," said Whitehurst, who passed

for 272 yards to become the school's all-time single season leader

with 2,682 yards.

Florida State hurt itself with silly penalties.

A pass interference call on cornerback RufusBrown kept one

Clemson field goal drive going. Two Clemson series later,Brown was

about to be flagged for another interference call when defensive

tackle Darnell Dockett inexplicably ran into Youngblood long after

the play ended. Dockett, the team leader with 14 tackles for

losses, was ejected.

Still another Seminoles personal foul gave Clemson a

first-and-goal just before Whitehurst's touchdown run.

Florida State had already clinched a tie for its 11th league

title in 12 seasons. It can wrap up the conference's spot in the

Bowl Championship Series next week against North Carolina.

Clemson had not beaten Florida State since 1989 when Danny Ford

was in his final season with the Tigers.