Defense doesn’t seem in big rush

UCLA defensive ends Justin Hickman and Bruce Davis were dominant pass rushers during the regular season, leading the Pacific 10 Conference in sacks.

But neither player registered a sack in the Bruins’ 44-27 loss to Florida State in the Emerald Bowl on Wednesday.

“They did more sliding and had more backs helping out,” Hickman said. “They did a lot of chipping, and when they did have a tight end in the game, he usually stayed in to help block.”

Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said Florida State had a game plan that gave the Bruins problems all night.

“They spread us out and ran the ball with a really good back in [Lorenzo] Booker,” Walker said. “That’s something that gave us problems all season.”

*

Florida State’s Bobby Bowden has been a college head coach since 1972 and has won more games than anyone in the history of major college football.

According to his current players, don’t look for him to quit coaching any time soon.

“There’s no telling really when he’ll retire,” defensive lineman Andre Fluellen said. “We know that he wants to win another national championship. That’s a goal for him. So as long as he stays healthy, I don’t see him retiring any time soon.”

Bowden, who sits in a tower during most practices and drives a cart around the field, still has moments when he surprises his team with his spunkiness.

“Every now and then, we’ll see him jog around the field a little bit,” Fluellen said. “I mean, the man is 77 years old.

“He’s still able to relate to us the players.... He’s experienced everything that a college athlete can go through. He may have his old-country roots, but he still keeps up with the times.”

*

Patrick Cowan completed 15 of 36 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns against Florida State but had two passes intercepted in the fourth quarter.

“The football gods just didn’t want us to execute,” said Cowan, who started his eighth consecutive game since taking over after Ben Olson suffered a knee injury against Arizona on Oct. 7.

“They did a lot of great things to stop us.”

*

UCLA middle linebacker Christian Taylor on the Bruins’ second-half defense: “We just didn’t make the plays we needed to make. We gave up 30 points defensively, which is way to much to start with.”

*

UCLA finished with 434 yards and senior receiver Junior Taylor said it’s the best the Bruins played this season.

“We really were able to move the ball, but didn’t finish,” Taylor said. “It’s one of those things. We were doing everything that we wanted but we had some plays go against us. Little things that opened the door for them. We had them beat.”

lonnie.white@latimes.com