The Question:
Who would win if the current Nos. 1 and 2 were to meet in this year's BCS title game?

Bobby Bowden		Joe Paterno
AGE: 69 | WINS: 299 | NATIONAL TITLES: 1 By Bill Curry Special to ESPN.com Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno have more than 600 Division I-A victories between them. Their staffs have coached together so long that they are beginning to look alike. They are good husbands and fathers, with sons who have followed in their footsteps. Bowden and Paterno believe in education, value systems and graduation for all. They are loyal, trustworthy and brave (really!). And if we played the Bowl Championship Series' national title game this week, they would be the ones pacing the sidelines, based on their record and ranking. The media would remind us of Normandy, Armageddon and several other epic moments of the past and future, just to let us know that this is bigger -- bigger than anything, ever. And this one might just live up to such a billing. I believe Florida State would win, based on depth, the offensive line and team speed. The time to nail the Seminoles was when Miami came calling. Peter Warrick had been suspended and Laveranues Coles dropped, so the fastest and best members of an explosive receiving corps were gone. So what did Seminole QB Chris Weinke do? He simply threw the ball to 11 -- that's right 11! -- different receivers and passed the Hurricanes out of town. He also handed it to Travis Minor, who all but ran Miami out of the state of Florida. That kind of balance, talent and consistency in the face of challenges is what sets this team apart. Nobody will do that to the Nittany Lions, and one can never count out JoePa. But there has been inconsistency in the offensive line, defensive lapses at the worst times and Joe seems more concerned with concentration from this bunch than any other undefeated Penn State team in recent memory. Florida State could find a way to exploit those weaknesses, but Paterno's men have found ways to win, something that cannot be overlooked. If these two teams meet for the national title, I would pay to see it. Personally, I wish for neither team to lose, but I would expect Florida State to win by a touchdown.		AGE: 72 | WINS: 314 | NATIONAL TITLES: 2 By Rod Gilmore Special to ESPN.com Here's why Penn State would beat Florida State in a national championship game: First and foremost, the Nittany Lions have two defensive players who change the complexion of the game -- Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington. The Seminoles would have to account for both players. They can't block them with one man. They have to know where they are at all times and double-team them. If they don't, Brown and Arrington will disrupt the Florida State offense. Offensively, the Seminoles haven't been totally in sync. And if they were playing in a championship game without Peter Warrick, as they would today, they would not have a difference-maker. Meanwhile, Penn State would have difference-makers in Brown and Arrington, giving the Lions an advantage defensively over the Seminoles offense. When Warrick is a part of the Seminoles team, they can give him the ball in any situation and there is the threat of him turning it into a touchdown. Last week against Miami, Florida State scored on a long pass, but they didn't have the same yards after the catch. I think Penn State would play the Seminoles in a way to limit big plays. They would tackle cleanly so the Florida State receivers wouldn't take a short reception and turn it into a long touchdown. I don't think the Seminoles' running game has been too strong this season. Conversely, the Penn State defense has proven it can raise its game to shut a team down. On the other side of the ball, the Florida State defense has been vulnerable to the passing game. Penn State has not scared anyone with its running game yet. The Lions' running attack has consisted of big plays off reverses and quarterback scrambles, but they haven't been consistent. But that's enough to get them going. With Rashard Casey and Kevin Thompson at quarterback and Chafie Fields at receiver, the Lions have made big plays throwing the ball down the field. With those matchups in mind, I think Penn State would make enough big plays down the field to beat Florida State in a low-scoring game.