Milestone Win for Bowden

As the final minutes ticked away, the Florida State crowd started chanting “Bobby Bowden! Bobby Bowden!”

Forty-four years after coaching his first college game, Bowden reached the pinnacle Saturday.

He became major college football’s winningest coach with his 339th victory and clinched at least a tie for another ACC title as sixth-ranked Florida State kept its national title hopes alive with a 48-24 victory over Wake Forest at Tallahassee.

Penn State was defeated a few hours earlier, giving Bowden the opportunity to move into first by himself.

The Seminoles (7-1, 6-0) took the lead for good late in the first quarter and built it to 48-17 late in the game to remain perfect against the Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-3) in a dozen league showdowns.

Clemson 36, North Carolina 28 -- Receiver Derrick Hamilton had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and scored on a 69-yard pass play, leading the Tigers (5-3, 3-2) over the Tar Heels (1-7, 0-4) at Clemson, S.C.

North Carolina State 28, Duke 21 -- Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes to Tramain Hall to break the ACC career record as the Wolfpack (6-3, 3-2) spoiled Ted Roof’s head coaching debut with a victory at Durham, N.C.

Rivers’ three touchdown passes gave him 82 for his career. The senior broke the record of 79 set by Chris Weinke at Florida State from 1997 to 2000. The Blue Devils (2-6, 0-5) have lost 30 consecutive ACC games.

Virginia 24, Troy St. 0 -- Alvin Pearman ran for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns in the Cavaliers’ shutout victory at Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavaliers (5-3) had 20 first downs and a 24-0 lead by halftime. The loss dropped Troy State to 4-4.