SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Florida State coach Bobby Bowden isn't superstitious, but if he were, he might not have changed out of the coat and tie he wore to the Carrier Dome.
The last trip here, in 1989, he eschewed his normal game garb.
"I said, "I don't have to worry about dirt, don't have to worry about sweat,' " he said.
The Seminoles won that day 41-10. It was the first time he wore his Sunday best on a Saturday. He hasn't done it since.
"You realize I advertise Nike," he said. "They would like me to put Nike stuff on. ... I don't have a Nike tie."
BACKUP DECISION: Despite nursing a sprained right ankle that kept him on the sideline for the final three quarters against Clemson and the entire North Carolina game, senior Chris Rix was designated FSU's backup quarterback. Rix was able to drop back and throw without apparent problems during the pregame warmup.
Freshman Drew Weatherford (right ankle sprain), the former Land O'Lakes star, was listed as questionable, though he too seemingly had no difficulty in pregame. Sophomore walk-on Tommy Keane was the emergency quarterback.
LINEUP CHANGES: Senior defensive end Eric Moore and junior defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, the former Chamberlain star, sat out with left ankle sprains against UNC. Moore was in a boot. Junior Kamerion Wimbley moved from left to right end to take over for Moore and sophomore Clifton Dickson started for the first time in his career in place of Bunkley.
WELCOME BACK: Syracuse sophomore defensive back Tanard Jackson, who was stabbed in the chest trying to break up a fight at a campus fraternity party after the Sept. 18 win against Cincinnati, lived up to a promise he would play. He almost came up with an interception on a pass intended for sophomore tailback Lorenzo Booker in the left flat.
HENSHAW HURT: FSU junior tight end Matt Henshaw had to be helped from the field late in the opening quarter after spraining his right ankle and didn't return.
REMEMBER ME?: The Orange has six Floridians on its roster, including a pair of sophomores from Tallahassee, receiver Landel Bembo and cornerback Marcus Clayton.
The 5-8 Bembo, from Godby High, had the game's first big play, taking a pitch from quarterback Perry Patterson on an end-around for 32 yards that helped set up a field goal on the opening series.
FAMILIAR FACE: Syracuse defensive coordinator Steve Dunlap played for Bowden at West Virginia (1973-75). Dunlap, an inside linebacker, set school records for tackles in a game (28) and a season (190). He spent 17 years as a Mountaineers assistant before moving to Syracuse in 2001.
TV IS A GOOD THING: With Virginia having played on ESPN Thursday night, its staff (and players) had the opportunity to tune in Saturday on ESPN2 and get a jump-start studying next weekend's opponent, FSU and new quarterback Wyatt Sexton.
"Because the quarterback is such a central figure of every offense, obviously, what his particular skills are dictate to a good degree how you want to play a particular team," Virginia coach Al Groh said late Friday. " "... Sexton's pretty brand new to us and it is important we get a fix on him."
