Dabo Swinney Praises FSU Legend Bobby Bowden After Record-Breaking Win

Swinney broke Bowden's long-standing record with Clemson's win in Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday night.

Robert Malcom | Oct 7, 2024

Clemson interim head coach Dabo Swinney talks with Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden before their game Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 at FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fl. Clemson Fsu Football / BART BOATWRIGHT/Staff, Bart Boatwright

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Florida State Seminoles

All fairytales have to end at some point, and for the Florida State Seminoles, their dream run in 2023 is long gone, as the pages have seemingly turned backward with no signs of slowing down. That was very evident on Saturday night when the Seminoles took on the Clemson Tigers, who would end up leaving Tallahassee with a 29-13 win over the Seminoles.

That win was the 174th victory of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's coaching career, the entirety of which has been with the Tigers. With the win, Swinney passes former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden's 173 wins as an ACC head coach. Although Bowden remains second all time in wins amongst all college football coaches with his 346 victories, Florida State didn't officially join the ACC until 1992, which means his ACC record only includes his wins as an ACC member. Additionally, 12 of Bowden's wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons were revoked by the NCAA due to academic fraud.

In his postgame press conference, Swinney discussed his new record, and what it means to him to even be compared to such a historic figure in Bowden.

"I'm just blessed and very honored, there's been a lot of coaches coaching in this league for a very long time, 80 years or however long this league's been around, so it's a blessing and I honestly think Coach Bowden's probably smiling saying 'Somebody's gotta break it,' and somebody will break this record one of these days. All I can tell you is it's never been a goal of mine. I'm honored and blessed but that's not anything I've ever even dreamed about, or cared about, or thought about doing," Swinney said.

While Bowden's record 173 wins had stood for 15 years since his retirement in 2009, Swinney noted that to him, that record wouldn't have been possible to break without a great team around him.

"Those types of things- Coach Bowden poof if he was here right now would tell you the same thing- whoever the winningest coach is or coach of the year is, that happens because you've got great players and great coaches and kids that buy in."

Bobby Bowden built one of the greatest college football dynasties, seeing his Seminoles finish in the top five for 14 straight seasons, but it was the way that he shaped the young athletes on his team into men that he is remembered for as much as success on the field. Swinney added that if he could do a fraction of what Bowden did to his team, then he would know he did something right.

"As I said last week, my name may be on the list, but there ain't nobody better than Bobby Bowden, and that's just a fact. I mean he's amazing, and honestly, if I could just have half the impact on my players' lives that Bobby Bowden had on his, then I would have lived a good life with purpose."

Today, Bowden's statue stands outside the Moore Athletic Center at Florida State as a reminder of not only of the success he saw on the field, but also what he built in his time as a Seminole. His legacy is also remembered each time the Florida State Seminoles take the field, which is named in his honor.

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Published Oct 7, 2024

ROBERT MALCOM