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Coach Profile

Bobby Bowden

1970-2009 • Florida State, West Virginia

2 schools coached, anchored by Florida State.

Bobby Bowden's coaching record is 357-124-4, highlighted by seasons at Florida State from 1970 to 2009.

Bobby Bowden coached 40 seasons, won 74.0%, and posted an average SRS of 17.0. Best season: 1987 Florida State. The profile was balanced with a highly volatile profile. 2 stints shaped the career arc.

Compare this coachAll coach recordsRanked opponent recordJump to seasons
Career record
357-124-4
Career win rate
74.0%
Average SRS
17.0
Peak SRS
30.5

Career Dossier

One glance at the full arc.

The profile below keeps the headline numbers visible, then moves into tenure shape, school impact, and full season detail.

Seasons coached
40
Career span
40 years
Best finish
#1
Consistency
20.3

Primary school anchor

Florida State

Balanced profile with 2 program stops and a peak score of 97.0.

Quick Answers

Records fans search first

Headline records use countable season rows after completed-game fallback. Partial seasons and provisional placeholders are called out separately.

Compare Bobby Bowden
Overall record
357-124-4

485 countable games, 74.0% win rate.

Florida State record
315-98-4

34 countable seasons at Florida State.

Full-season record
357-124-4

40 full season rows; partial and backfilled current rows are separated.

Vs AP Top 25
75-71-1

147 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs AP Top 10
28-44-1

73 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs AP Top 5
12-32-1

45 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs Miami
14-21

Florida State-Miami games in this dataset.

Postseason / bowl record
22-10-1

33 scored postseason games in this dataset.

CFP record
0-0

0 College Football Playoff-labeled games since 2014.

National titles
2

Matched by coach team-season against the national championship dataset.

Record definition and data status

Career records use countable coach-season rows. Zero-game placeholders are excluded from aggregates until a completed-game fallback can verify the record.

Completed-game fallback uses scored games joined by coach, team, and season; advanced ratings are left blank when the season summary has not supplied them.

Latest completed coached game in this dataset: Jan 1, 2010. Current and future zero-game placeholders are kept visible but excluded from headline records.

Career Arc

Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stint appears.

Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.

Bobby Bowden
EliteStrongAverageLean
Bobby Bowden: 1976 Florida State
1970Actual season year • SRS range -0.6 to 30.52009

Active comparison point

Bobby Bowden • 1987

Selected

1987 Florida State

Best season

11-1 • SRS 30.5 • SP Overall 34.7

Win %

91.7%

YoY SRS

+15.5

SP Off / Def

48.3 / 15.1

Finish

#2

Comparison context

Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.

Ranked opponent record

Track career record against ranked opponents with switchable poll source and ranking timing.

Using AP Top 25 rankings at the time of each game; week-one games use the week-one ranking release when available.

Poll source
Ranking timing

Top 25

75-71-1

Games
147
Win rate
51.4%

Top 10

28-44-1

Games
73
Win rate
39.0%

Top 5

12-32-1

Games
45
Win rate
27.8%
View ranked game results147
2009 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#1L10-37
2009 Regular Week 6Florida StateGeorgia Tech#22L44-49
2009 Regular Week 3Florida StateBYU#7W54-28
2009 Postseason Week 1Florida StateWest Virginia#25W33-21
2008 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#2L15-45
2008 Regular Week 13Florida StateMaryland#22W37-3
2008 Regular Week 4Florida StateWake Forest#18L3-12
2007 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#12L12-45
2007 Regular Week 11Florida StateVirginia Tech#11L21-40
2007 Regular Week 10Florida StateBoston College#2W27-17
2007 Regular Week 5Florida StateAlabama#22W21-14
2006 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#4L14-21
2006 Regular Week 11Florida StateWake Forest#18L0-30
2006 Regular Week 8Florida StateBoston College#22L19-24
2006 Regular Week 1Florida StateMiami#12W13-10
2005 Regular Week 14Florida StateVirginia Tech#5W27-22
2005 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#19L7-34
2005 Regular Week 3Florida StateBoston College#17W28-17
2005 Postseason Week 1Florida StatePenn State#3L23-26
2004 Regular Week 8Florida StateVirginia#6W36-3
2004 Regular Week 3Florida StateMiami#5L10-16
2003 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#11W38-34
2003 Regular Week 8Florida StateMiami#2L14-22
2003 Postseason Week 1Florida StateMiami#5L14-16
2002 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#15W31-14
2002 Regular Week 10Florida StateNotre Dame#6L24-34
2002 Regular Week 8Florida StateMiami#1L27-28
2002 Postseason Week 1Florida StateGeorgia#4L13-26
2001 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#4L13-37
2001 Regular Week 10Florida StateMaryland#10W52-31
2001 Regular Week 8Florida StateMiami#2L27-49
2001 Postseason Week 1Florida StateVirginia Tech#15W30-17
2000 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#4W30-7
2000 Regular Week 11Florida StateClemson#10W54-7
2000 Regular Week 10Florida StateNC State#21W58-14
2000 Regular Week 7Florida StateMiami#7L24-27
2000 Postseason Week 1Florida StateOklahoma#1L2-13
1999 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#3W30-23
1999 Regular Week 7Florida StateMiami#19W31-21
1999 Regular Week 4Florida StateNC State#20W42-11
1999 Regular Week 3Florida StateGeorgia Tech#10W41-35
1999 Postseason Week 1Florida StateVirginia Tech#2W46-29
1998 Regular Week 13Florida StateFlorida#8W23-12
1998 Regular Week 11Florida StateVirginia#21W45-14
1998 Regular Week 9Florida StateGeorgia Tech#23W34-7
1998 Regular Week 5Florida StateUSC#21W30-10
1998 Regular Week 3Florida StateNC State#20L7-24
1998 Postseason Week 1Florida StateTennessee#1L16-23
1997 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#10L29-32
1997 Regular Week 12Florida StateNorth Carolina#5W20-3
1997 Regular Week 9Florida StateGeorgia Tech#21W38-0
1997 Regular Week 5Florida StateClemson#16W35-28
1997 Regular Week 3Florida StateUSC#23W14-7
1997 Postseason Week 1Florida StateOhio State#12W31-14
1996 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#1W24-21
1996 Regular Week 13Florida StateSouthern Miss#25W54-14
1996 Regular Week 10Florida StateVirginia#14W31-24
1996 Regular Week 8Florida StateMiami#6W34-16
1996 Regular Week 6Florida StateNorth Carolina#11W13-0
1996 Postseason Week 1Florida StateFlorida#1L20-52
1995 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#3L24-35
1995 Regular Week 11Florida StateVirginia#24L28-33
1995 Postseason Week 1Florida StateNotre Dame#11W31-26
1994 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#4T31-31
1994 Regular Week 13Florida StateNC State#25W34-3
1994 Regular Week 10Florida StateDuke#16W59-20
1994 Regular Week 7Florida StateMiami#13L20-34
1994 Regular Week 5Florida StateNorth Carolina#13W31-18
1994 Postseason Week 1Florida StateFlorida#7W23-17
1993 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#7W33-21
1993 Regular Week 12Florida StateNotre Dame#2L24-31
1993 Regular Week 8Florida StateVirginia#15W40-14
1993 Regular Week 7Florida StateMiami#3W28-10
1993 Regular Week 4Florida StateNorth Carolina#13W33-7
1993 Regular Week 3Florida StateClemson#21W57-0
1993 Postseason Week 1Florida StateNebraska#3W18-16
1992 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#6W45-24
1992 Regular Week 10Florida StateVirginia#23W13-3
1992 Regular Week 8Florida StateGeorgia Tech#16W29-24
1992 Regular Week 6Florida StateMiami#2L16-19
1992 Regular Week 4Florida StateNC State#16W34-13
1992 Regular Week 3Florida StateClemson#15W24-20
1992 Postseason Week 1Florida StateNebraska#14W27-14
1991 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#5L9-14
1991 Regular Week 12Florida StateMiami#2L16-17
1991 Regular Week 6Florida StateSyracuse#10W46-14
1991 Regular Week 5Florida StateMichigan#3W51-31
1991 Postseason Week 1Florida StateTexas A&M#12W10-2
1990 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#11W45-30
1990 Regular Week 9Florida StateAuburn#2L17-20
1990 Regular Week 7Florida StateMiami#3L22-31
1990 Postseason Week 1Florida StatePenn State#11W24-17
1989 Regular Week 9Florida StateMiami#2W24-10
1989 Regular Week 8Florida StateAuburn#11W22-14
1989 Regular Week 6Florida StateSyracuse#17W41-10
1989 Regular Week 3Florida StateLSU#21W31-21
1989 Regular Week 2Florida StateClemson#10L23-34
1989 Postseason Week 1Florida StateNebraska#11W41-17
1988 Regular Week 11Florida StateSouth Carolina#15W59-0
1988 Regular Week 4Florida StateClemson#3W24-21
1988 Regular Week 2Florida StateMiami#6L0-31
1988 Postseason Week 1Florida StateAuburn#8W13-7
1987 Regular Week 11Florida StateAuburn#12W34-6
1987 Regular Week 6Florida StateMiami#3L25-26
1987 Postseason Week 1Florida StateNebraska#6W31-28
1986 Regular Week 10Florida StateMiami#1L23-41
1986 Regular Week 5Florida StateMichigan#4L18-20
1986 Regular Week 2Florida StateNebraska#6L17-34
1985 Regular Week 14Florida StateFlorida#6L14-38
1985 Regular Week 10Florida StateMiami#11L27-35
1985 Regular Week 7Florida StateAuburn#12L27-59
1985 Regular Week 2Florida StateNebraska#10W17-13
1984 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#3L17-27
1984 Regular Week 12Florida StateSouth Carolina#2L26-38
1984 Regular Week 8Florida StateAuburn#13L41-42
1984 Regular Week 5Florida StateMiami#16W38-3
1983 Regular Week 15Florida StateFlorida#11L14-53
1983 Regular Week 12Florida StateMiami#5L16-17
1983 Regular Week 6Florida StateAuburn#7L24-27
1982 Regular Week 12Florida StateLSU#12L21-55
1982 Regular Week 9Florida StateMiami#16W24-7
1982 Regular Week 3Florida StatePittsburgh#2L17-37
1982 Postseason Week 1Florida StateWest Virginia#19W31-12
1981 Regular Week 11Florida StateSouthern Miss#14L14-58
1981 Regular Week 10Florida StateMiami#13L19-27
1981 Regular Week 7Florida StatePittsburgh#3L14-42
1981 Regular Week 5Florida StateOhio State#7W36-27
1981 Regular Week 3Florida StateNebraska#17L14-34
1980 Regular Week 7Florida StatePittsburgh#11W36-22
1980 Regular Week 6Florida StateNebraska#10W18-14
1980 Regular Week 5Florida StateMiami#13L9-10
1980 Postseason Week 1Florida StateOklahoma#3L17-18
1979 Postseason Week 1Florida StateOklahoma#3L7-24
1978 Regular Week 8Florida StatePittsburgh#15L3-7
1977 Regular Week 12Florida StateSan Diego State#16L16-41
1976 Regular Week 7Florida StateFlorida#11L26-33
1976 Regular Week 4Florida StateOklahoma#3L9-24
1975 Regular Week 10West VirginiaPittsburgh#20W17-14
1975 Regular Week 6West VirginiaPenn State#9L0-39
1974 Regular Week 8West VirginiaPenn State#10L12-21
1973 Regular Week 9West VirginiaPenn State#6L14-62
1973 Regular Week 8West VirginiaRichmond#20L17-38
1972 Regular Week 8West VirginiaPenn State#11L19-28
1972 Regular Week 4West VirginiaStanford#19L35-41
1972 Postseason Week 1West VirginiaNC State#17L13-49
1971 Regular Week 8West VirginiaPenn State#6L7-35
1970 Regular Week 8West VirginiaPittsburgh#15L35-36

Tenure map

Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.

Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint

Florida State

1976-2009 • 34 seasons

Avg SRS 19.2 • Win % 76.0%

West Virginia

1970-1975 • 6 seasons

Avg SRS 4.9 • Win % 61.8%

Longest tenure
Florida State • 34 seasons
Best tenure
Florida State • 19.2 SRS
Best tenure win rate
Florida State • 76.0%

Style and Strength Profile

Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.

These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.

Overall Strength

Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.

Bobby Bowden sets the reference point in overall strength.

Overall Strength

Decisive edge

Bobby Bowden sets the reference point in overall strength.

Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.

Bobby Bowden

Elite

Raw avg SP Overall
20.9
Percentile
98th pct

Elite

Normalized against the full tracked coach pool.

Impact by school

See how each stint compared with what that program usually looked like outside that same span.

Florida State

1976-2009 • 315-98-4

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 19.2Win % 76.0%

Avg wins

Higher is better

9.3 during vs 3.8 baseline

+5.5

Avg SRS

Higher is better

19.2 during vs 1.0 baseline

+18.1

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

23.3 during vs -2.0 baseline

+25.3

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

76.5% during vs 100.0% baseline

-23.5%

West Virginia

1970-1975 • 42-26

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 4.9Win % 61.8%

Avg wins

Higher is better

7.0 during vs 6.2 baseline

+0.8

Avg SRS

Higher is better

4.9 during vs 0.9 baseline

+4.0

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

7.5 during vs — baseline

—

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

16.7% during vs 20.0% baseline

-3.3%

Career highs and lows

High Points

Best Season

Florida State 1987

11-1 • SRS 30.5

Biggest Improvement

Florida State 1977

10-2 • 15.7 SRS

Best Offensive Season

Florida State 1995

10-2 • SP Off 51.5

Best Defensive Season

Florida State 1980

10-2 • SP Def 5.9

Setbacks

Lowest SRS Season

West Virginia 1970

8-3 • SRS -0.6

Biggest Drop

Florida State 1981

6-5 • -23.8 SRS

Season-by-season results

Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.

Florida State20091376053.8%#18—8.08.838.530.6-4.9-15.4%Season summary
Florida State20081394069.2%—#2112.918.733.817.7+8.3+15.4%Season summary
Florida State20071376053.8%#19—4.69.625.917.5-2.50.0%Season summary
Florida State20061376053.8%#11—7.111.925.513.9-2.9-7.7%Season summary
Florida State20051385061.5%#14#2310.05.423.718.2-7.0-13.5%Season summary
Florida State20041293075.0%#5#1517.020.232.713.4-4.3-1.9%Season summary
Florida State200313103076.9%#13#1121.326.041.117.2+4.0+12.6%Season summary
Florida State20021495064.3%#3#2117.323.742.120.2+1.2-2.4%Season summary
Florida State20011284066.7%#6#1516.120.844.426.9-13.1-17.9%Season summary
Florida State200013112084.6%#2#529.232.945.013.1+0.6-15.4%Season summary
Florida State1999121200100.0%#1#128.632.647.117.4+3.9+15.4%Season summary
Florida State199813112084.6%#2#324.729.039.811.2-5.3-7.0%Season summary
Florida State199712111091.7%#3#330.033.947.115.6+3.70.0%Season summary
Florida State199612111091.7%#3#326.330.244.915.90.0+8.3%Season summary
Florida State199512102083.3%#1#426.329.551.528.1+3.7-4.2%Season summary
Florida State199412101187.5%#3#422.628.644.417.7-7.7-4.8%Season summary
Florida State199313121092.3%#1#130.336.846.812.0+5.4+0.6%Season summary
Florida State199212111091.7%#5#224.929.544.917.5+1.8+7.0%Season summary
Florida State199113112084.6%#1#423.130.944.013.9+0.6+1.3%Season summary
Florida State199012102083.3%#4#422.528.846.019.6-3.70.0%Season summary
Florida State198912102083.3%#6#326.230.845.115.9+1.4-8.3%Season summary
Florida State198812111091.7%#1#324.829.545.218.0-5.70.0%Season summary
Florida State198712111091.7%#8#230.534.748.315.1+15.5+29.2%Season summary
Florida State19861274162.5%#11—15.019.239.322.5+2.0-12.5%Season summary
Florida State19851293075.0%#19#1513.016.340.126.6-4.1+8.3%Season summary
Florida State19841273266.7%#20#1717.120.743.325.4+2.7+8.3%Season summary
Florida State19831275058.3%#7—14.420.443.626.4-4.8-16.7%Season summary
Florida State19821293075.0%—#1319.224.944.822.5+13.6+20.4%Season summary
Florida State19811165054.5%#19—5.610.333.625.0-23.8-28.8%Season summary
Florida State198012102083.3%#13#529.436.140.75.9+10.9-8.3%Season summary
Florida State197912111091.7%#19#618.521.634.414.0+2.4+18.9%Season summary
Florida State19781183072.7%#17—16.120.738.518.8-1.5-10.6%Season summary
Florida State197712102083.3%—#1417.621.634.413.5+15.7+37.9%Season summary
Florida State19761156045.5%——1.9-2.424.527.1-9.2-29.5%Season summary
West Virginia19751293075.0%—#2011.118.932.214.6+7.8+38.6%Season summary
West Virginia19741147036.4%——3.33.725.422.5+1.4-18.2%Season summary
West Virginia19731165054.5%——1.91.227.126.3-6.5-12.1%Season summary
West Virginia19721284066.7%——8.412.440.831.2+3.3+3.0%Season summary
West Virginia19711174063.6%——5.19.832.023.5+5.7-9.1%Season summary
West Virginia19701183072.7%#20—-0.6-0.728.429.0——Season summary

Similar coaches

Popular comparisons are fan-facing matchups. Statistical comps are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.

Popular comps

Bobby Bowden vs Nick Saban

Statistical comps

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Best finish Unranked • Volatility 10.4

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Bear Bryant

same balanced identity • volatility within 1.1

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Best finish #1 • Volatility 7.9

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Joe Paterno

same balanced identity • avg SRS within 1.4

Balanced

Avg SRS 15.6 • Peak SRS 30.6 • 46 seasons

Best finish #1 • Volatility 7.9

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Nick Saban

same balanced identity • volatility within 0.8

Balanced

Avg SRS 19.8 • Peak SRS 33.6 • 28 seasons

Best finish #1 • Volatility 9.9

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Howard Jones

same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.9

Balanced

Avg SRS 16.1 • Peak SRS 35.3 • 29 seasons

Best finish #0 • Volatility 11.8

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