Bowden Gets a Birthday Gift : ACC: Ward leads Florida State, which scores early in 69-21 victory over Maryland.

Bobby Bowden, who turns 63 today, told his players to quit making an old man out of him.

“I’d rather get the game taken care of early and sit back and cheer,” Bowden told his players before Saturday’s record-setting 69-21 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Maryland.

Bowden did his part, too, turning junior quarterback Charlie Ward loose in a shotgun formation. Ward was nearly flawless, amassing 478 yards of total offense (passing and rushing) plus a 28-yard reception before leaving with 8:22 to play in the third period.

Ward passed for 307 yards and three touchdowns--two to Kevin Knox--by halftime as Florida State took a 42-7 lead. He finished with 395 yards passing and four touchdown passes.

Florida State had gone to the shotgun in desperation earlier this season, and Ward rallied them for victories at Clemson and Georgia Tech.

The Seminoles had 858 yards and 40 first downs--both ACC records--against Maryland and didn’t punt.

“Florida State’s shotgun attack didn’t surprise us. We just didn’t expect it so early,” Coach Mark Duffner said after watching Maryland surrender its highest number of points in 78 years.

Ward took the Seminoles on scoring drives of 83, 57, 74, 86, 84 and 79 yards by halftime.

“He scrambled, made things happen and hit his passes,” Duffner said. “He really has his team going.”

Knox caught touchdown passes covering 19 and 21 yards, and Kez McCorvey caught another on a play covering 35 yards.

Ward added an eight-yard touchdown run, William Floyd scored on a one-yard burst and Clyde Allen added his first of two scores on the day with a three-yard touchdown during the first half.

On Florida State’s first drive of the second half, Ward took the Seminoles 86 yards in eight plays, finishing with a five-yard pass to Lonnie Johnson.

Maryland (2-8, 1-6) last gave up more points in a 76-0 loss to Navy in 1913.