Quote:By DOUG CARLSON (Tampa Tribune)
Published: Sep 29, 2003


TALLAHASSEE - Back in July, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden seemed to have a pretty good idea what kind of team he had lined up for his comeback season from two lean years and months of off-field controversy.  Though he stopped short of predicting the Seminoles would be national title contenders again, he strongly hinted that it could be the case with a few good breaks.

Bowden's reasoning? A decent defense and a great offense won't get you to a championship level, he said, but a great defense and a decent offense will.  Clearly, Bowden believed his defense had a chance to be something special.

What he was hesitant to say is that he might have both.

With Saturday's 49-point victory against Duke out of the way, Bowden can turn his full attention to the Oct. 11 showdown with No. 2-ranked Miami.  Like days of old, the Hurricanes and Seminoles will get a chance to shake up the pecking order in college football long before the postseason.

"We're playing like we're supposed to and like we used to do,'' Bowden said.  "We are as well along as I could have hoped to be.''

That goes for a defense that is playing even beyond Bowden's high expectations and an offense that has demonstrated its diversity even without some of its top playmakers.

Bowden held backup tailbacks Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker out against Duke, but both are expected back from injury against Miami.  The Seminoles, who moved up to No. 5 in the AP poll Sunday, will be at full strength for the Hurricanes.

"To be honest, we haven't played as well as we can play yet,'' said junior wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe.  "With Miami coming to town, now is the time.  This is another level and we're ready to show that we can take it to another level.''

Miami plays West Virginia on Thursday night, but that will be the Hurricanes' only game over a 20-day period preceding the FSU game.  The 'Noles already are at work preparing for Miami, with coaches starting to put together the game plan Sunday.

Bowden said the most pleasant surprise he's found in his team is the ability of his wide receivers to catch the football, and his largely inexperienced offensive line's ability to block and protect the quarterback.

Eight players accounted for FSU's eight touchdowns against the Blue Devils, who won't be mistaken for an accurate barometer of the Seminoles' national title hopes.

The proper gauge is Miami.

"There's a lot of players in that game that understand each other,'' Bowden said of the rivalry he described as "the game of the year every year'' at its zenith in the late '80s and early '90s.

INJURY REPORT: Junior wide receiver P.K. Sam suffered a knee sprain against Duke, but a school spokesman had no answer about the severity. Center David Castillo re-aggravated a foot injury that has plagued him all season.