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WINSTON-SALEM — Florida State won the battle Saturday afternoon, but may have lost the war.
The Seminoles were woefully flat in a modest 35-6 win over Wake Forest, and in the modern world of college football an uninspired victory isn’t much different than a loss.
“Used to be, I could be happy anytime we won the football game,” said Seminole head coach Bobby Bowden, who will turn 71 on Wednesday. “But these days, you’re playing the BCS computer as much as the other team. I tried to tell our guys all that, but what do you say to ‘em. We were favored by 47. Is my team gonna believe me if I say, ‘You better get ready, fellas, or Wake Forest might beat us?’”
Bowden says he won’t be surprised — and even expects — the Seminoles (10-1 overall, 8-0 ACC) to slip from second to third in the BCS standings this week, because Miami, third in the BCS standings, won by an almost identical 35-7 over a Pitt team that has a stronger power rating than the lowly Demon Deacons (1-8, 1-6).
“Expectations are so high for us that when we don’t win by 50 points, people say we didn’t do a good job,” complained Bowden’s quarterback Chris Weinke, who threw for 324 yards and five touchdowns. That makes it pretty tough on us.”
But none of the Seminoles, who entered the game with the nation’s No. 1 offense and No. 3 scoring defense, denied that the day had not enhanced their bid to repeat as national champs.
“We weren’t playing Wake, we were playing the computer,” said electrifying Seminole receiver Marvin Minnis, who had three TD catches. “And we definitely didn’t win.”
Most of the ‘Noles were just thankful the game wasn’t on TV.
No one saw this game,” said Minnis. “We just had a hard time getting into it. We haven’t had a game with this few people in the stands this year (only 27,071 witnessed it) so it was like there was nothing going on.”
Wake stopped the mighty FSU offense on three straight first-half possessions and the Deacons’ often moribund offense produced 276 net yards — 181 of them against a Seminole defense that normally allows a meager two yards per rush.
Tarence Williams had 96 yards rushing for the Deacs and quarterback James McPherson threw for 114 yards. Safety Michael Clinkscale, who hadn’t picked off a pass since ‘98, intercepted Weinke twice, once on a crazy carom off the chest of tight end Ryan Sprague.
“I told (Wake coach Jim Caldwell) that they play us tougher than anyone in this league,” said Bowden. “I don’t know what it is. But they really slow us down and they really seem to drive it on us.”
Florida State led only 14-3 at the half and by 21-6 after three quarters after Wake’s Tyler Ashe booted his second field goal.
A couple of Weinke TD passes to Anquan Boldin provided two fourth-quarter TDs and a more impressive — but not nearly impressive enough — final margin.
Caldwell bristled at questions that implied the Deacs should be happy with the moral victory.
“Evidently, we had higher expectations for ourselves than fans and media did,” said Caldwell. “We believed we could win the game.”
And at least, according to the computer, they did.
“The computer is such a factor,” said Bowden. “But you know what, Ilike it. The only people that don’t like computer rankings are the guys who are ranked 50th and not in the hunt. And we’re still very much in it. If we beat Florida next week, we should move right back up. And if we lose, it’s all over for us anyway.”
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NOTES: Wake sophomore Jamie Scott, the former Concord star, had only two carries for four yards, but has scored two TDs this season. ... FSU made it to double-figure wins for the 14th straight season.
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