Bobby Bowden has been stung by enough frenzied Florida State-Miami finishes over the years that there was no urge to fret on the ride home about how the Seminoles dodged another one.

''As coaches, we've [been through] enough games to know that if we can win, let's don't complain,'' Bowden said Sunday, given a chance to fully absorb Saturday's soggy, 41-39 triumph.

``Usually in a situation like that, everybody that did real good is happy. The ones that did bad, made some mistakes -- they felt bad. But they shouldn't. That's just football.''

The Seminoles (4-1) have won three of the past four meetings in the rivalry, turning the tables on a six-loss run to begin the decade. Combined margin in the three victories: eight points.

It might have been four in a row, except for a seismic final three minutes last year, when Kirby Freeman awoke to drive UM 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, and Colin McCarthy's fumble return sealed it.

Bowden acknowledged that those memories -- and others -- flashed through his mind as his team fought to stave off Saturday's rally.

REMEMBER PITT?

Indeed, the venerable coach's first comment as he sat down for Saturday's postgame media session was cause for some head-scratching: ``We got even with Pitt.''

It was a reference dating 38 years to his ''Backyard Brawl'' debut as West Virginia's first-year head coach.

''We had them 35-8 at half[time], could do nothing wrong,'' Bowden recalled. ``Then, in the second half, we could do nothing right and lost 36-35. It's the biggest loss I've ever had as far as personal hurt.''

That would preclude any episode of the ''Wide Right'' miniseries, though Bowden said UM's 26-25 comeback in 1987 might come close. FSU blew a 19-3 lead late in the third quarter, succumbing when Bubba McDowell knocked down a 2-point pass from Danny McManus in the final minute.

''Naturally, you flash back to what did I do then and what can I do now so that it won't happen again,'' Bowden said Sunday.

Bowden had the right combination Saturday in quarterback Christian Ponder and offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who overcame two turnovers and two special teams gaffes to produce 17 second-half points.

RUNNING STRONG

The Seminoles rolled up 281 yards on the ground, which would have exceeded 300 if not for 41 yards in losses on punt-team follies.

Antone Smith complemented Ponder's 144-yard day with 92 yards and four touchdowns, capped by a battering-ram TD on third-and-goal from the 20-yard line for the clinching points.

''I was very impressed, to be honest with you, with the game plan,'' Bowden said about Fisher's ability to keep UM off-balance. ``One thing he does, he calls them at the right time.''

That includes putting his faith in Ponder's ability to generate yards with his legs. The sophomore finished two yards shy of FSU's best rushing day by a quarterback, set by Ken MacLean in 1948.

''I have a great coach who's really taught me a lot of things,'' Ponder said of Fisher. ``I'm growing up. As a quarterback, you've got to go through [adversity] and learn how to recover.''

Asked if Saturday might could be looked upon as Ponder's coming-out performance, Bowden said: ``Could be. I'll say this -- I carried his bags off the plane. That's the way I felt, boy.''

With an open weekend before a Thursday night showdown at N.C. State, the FSU staff will have time to review the special-teams follies. Two botched punt snaps led to nine UM points, and the Seminoles gave up 185 yards in kickoff returns.

A likely change will be to return Graham Gano to kickoff duty. Alhough the senior has had field goals of 52 and 53 yards after his return from knee surgery, he had been hesitant to resume kickoffs.

Bowden also suggested that Zack Aronson's second bad punt snap might have stemmed from a spacing issue.

Joe Surratt is one of FSU's usual upbacks on kickoffs, but he didn't make the trip after violating team rules.

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