PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bobby Bowden may not be a fan of next year’s College Football Playoff, but he is a fan of Jimbo Fisher.
The retired coach was on hand for the Florida State University-Panama City’s annual tournament at Hombre Golf Club on Friday. Bowden is a fixture at the event, which includes a round of golf and free lunch for the 84-year-old. It also includes a yearly go-round with inquisitive members of the media.
The first, and obvious query surrounded FSU’s unbeaten, national championship season.
Bowden was present for the coin toss between FSU and Auburn in the final BCS National Championship Game. He watched the game from his hotel room away from the lens of the camera, which undoubtedly would have been trained on him to gauge a reaction when FSU completed a 34-31 rally on Kelvin Benjamin’s touchdown catch.
It would have captured elation and beaming with pride for Bowden, who led FSU to its previous two national titles.
“When you’re not coaching you can watch other people play and enjoy it,” he said. “I was amazed at how well they played. This was one of the best teams they had. I was hoping to see Florida State get back on top.”
The Seminoles did that, amassing the school’s second unbeaten record in a title run. The previous was 1999 under Bowden, which also was the first year for the now defunct BCS. FSU played in the first three BCS titles games and the final one in January under the old system.
The College Football Playoff will pit four teams in a mini-tournament starting next season. A committee will decide the participants, whereas human polls and computer rankings determined the top two teams to play for BCS crowns. Bowden said the BCS was “getting it right every year.”
The point is debatable. What’s a fact is Bowden’s disapproval of the playoff.
“I like it the way it was. It was always number one versus two, nobody cared about three or four,” Bowden said. “You play two (playoff) games. How many games can your alumni get to?
“It (the BCS) was good to us. It will be interesting to see how the playoff works.”
Fisher and FSU will be in the mix with another stellar season behind returning Heisman Trophy Award winner Jameis Winston. Bowden expects Winston to improve in 2014, which is a scary thought for opponents after the freshman put up eye-popping numbers at quarterback.
Bowden also expects FSU to maintain a level of focus under Fisher. Bowden has known Fisher since he was a child and kept watch over the young player and coach at Samford under Terry Bowden. The elder Bowden regarded Fisher as one of the best offensive minds in the game and he saw much potential when he hired him at FSU in 2007.
Fisher also was named head coach in-waiting upon his hiring, a move that eventually led to Bowden’s ouster. Bowden said he didn’t want to return to the school too early in fear of casting a shadow over Fisher. The longtime coach made two appearances at FSU games in 2013 and said he’s no longer an ominous presence since Fisher has created his own niche and identity.
“Terry thought he was something special back then and everywhere he’s been he’s had a successful stay,” Bowden said. “He’s put his name not only in FSU history, but in the nation.”