Battle over Bowden's future pits 'Nole vs. 'Nole

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- In a place where the support for Bobby Bowden was once as unyielding as a slab of concrete, there is now fear and loathing and divide.

When speaking to fans here, there are without question two developing factions. There are those who believe Bowden built Florida State and should go whenever the hell he wants to leave. Loyalty, they say, has no expiration date.

"If Bobby is pushed out," FSU fan Rich Jones said, "I'm transferring my allegiance to an SEC school. I won't become a [Florida] Gator, I won't go that far, but I'll never support FSU football again. Bobby deserves better treatment than he's getting."

Then, there's the other camp. They appreciate Bowden's contributions, but think it's time for him to go. Bowden will turn 80 this year and 80-year-olds, they believe, should be asleep on a beach somewhere, not coaching football teams.

"Bobby needs to go," said one FSU student, who didn't want her name used. "He's had his time. Throw him a parade and send him off."

If there were a Mount Rushmore of college football coaches, Bowden would appear on it, which makes the highly visible debate over Bowden's future within the Florida State fan base an incredible thing to witness. This past weekend that fight literally became black and white.

Before Florida State's loss to Georgia Tech at Doak Campbell Stadium, some could be seen sporting black shirts worn to express displeasure with Bowden and the desire to have him fired. Many others wore white shirts as a show of support.

"Anyone wearing a black shirt should be ashamed of themselves," another FSU fan said. "They're a disgrace. They're not real Seminoles."

The arguments are also spilling over into cyberspace. Different Facebook pages, both pro- and anti-Bowden, have been created in recent weeks, as have Twitter tweets.

Several fans blamed the media for the criticism of Bowden becoming public, but it wasn't the media that made FSU's chairman of the board of trustees publicly call for Bowden to step down after the season.

"I just wish all of this was kept in-house," fan Cathy Browne said. "It's embarrassing to FSU and fans. We look stupid with all this public fighting."

A third straight loss means the pressure on Bobby Bowden to retire will intensify. (AP)

Bowden's future has become a heated topic across the country, with everyone from former players like Deion Sanders to Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, weighing in.

It has gotten so bad that, while Bowden has received firm support from many former players, some former Seminoles are publicly mocking the current state of the team. When Tennessee Titans player Chris Hope, a former Seminole who started his college career in 1998, introduced himself on Sunday Night Football, he said, "Chris Hope ... Florida State of the '90s." Not Florida State ... Florida State of the '90s. He publicly disowned the past decade of Florida State football.

But nowhere is the debate more acerbic and pointed than here at Seminole Ground Zero, where CBSSports.com spoke to dozens of fans, from the barbecuing tailgaters to some vital boosters.

While Bowden's critics and supporters might be divided, there seems to be one slither of common ground: In the end Bowden may not have a choice as to when he leaves.

"I want Bobby to stay as long as he desires," one FSU booster said, "but the way the season's going there's going to be a great deal of pressure on Bobby to step down at the end of the year. I'm not sure how much longer his supporters can push to protect him."

It's increasingly looking like Bowden's tenure at Florida State might end badly. Very badly.

It got worse for Bowden this past weekend when the Seminoles lost to Georgia Tech 49-44, giving Bowden his third straight loss. This is Bowden's worst start since his first year at Florida State in 1976. Bowden has never had a losing season as coach of the Seminoles but this year might be the first.

No matter your feelings on Bowden -- and full disclosure, I like Bowden a great deal, as do many journalists who've come to know him -- it's sad to watch what's happening to him. Bowden's situation has clearly been mishandled both by the school and by Bowden himself.

My guess: Bowden will leave at the end of this season because he'll want to go. No one will need to force him out.

But this situation is increasingly unpredictable and unfortunately growing uglier by the moment.

"I want this to end well for Bobby and the program," another Florida State fan said, "is that too much to ask?"

No, it isn't.