The best of Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, from wins to teams to players

Bobby Bowden won 377 games and two national championships during a 44-year coaching career highlighted by one of the great runs in college football history: Florida State won at least 10 games and finished in the top five of the final Amway Coaches Poll in every season from 1987-2000.

Bowden, who died on Sunday at the age of 91, is also responsible for changing the complexion of the sport. Within five seasons of arriving at FSU in 1976, Bowden created the state’s first national power and paved the way for two decades of dominance from the Sunshine State triumvirate of the Seminoles, Miami and Florida.

As the architect of the Florida State dynasty, Bowden's legacy and place in college football history is secure. Looking back at the best wins, teams and players of his FSU tenure reveals his deep impact on the sport.

LEGEND: Bowden built Florida State into college football powerhouse

WOLKEN: Bowden was special, a one-of-a-kind coach who will never be replicated

Best wins

1. 18-16 vs. Nebraska (Jan. 1, 1994). The narrow win in the Orange Bowl gave Bowden his first of two national titles.

2. 46-29 vs. Virginia Tech (Jan. 4, 2000). Beating Michael Vick and the Hokies secured a perfect season and a place in history as the first team to go wire to wire at No. 1 from preseason through the championship.

3. 30-23 at Florida (Nov. 20, 1999). In what was essentially a play-in game for the ensuing Sugar Bowl matchup with the Hokies, FSU pulled away in the third quarter for a win in the Swamp against the Steve Spurrier-coached Gators.

4. 18-14 at Nebraska (Oct. 4, 1980). If for smaller stakes than the other Nebraska matchup on this list, the road win cemented the Seminoles’ place as a national program. Bowden would call the victory one of the biggest in school history.

5. 28-10 vs. Miami (Oct. 9, 1993). On the heels of Wide Right I and Wide Right II, the Seminoles’ convincing win exorcised demons and paved the way for the national title.

Best teams

1. 1999 (12-0). The Seminoles would beat five ranked teams to close out a dominant decade.

2. 1987 (11-1). With the only blemish a heartbreaking 26-25 loss to Miami, the 1987 Seminoles deserve to be mentioned among the best teams of the past 40 years despite not winning it all.

3. 1993 (12-1). After knocking on the door of the national championship the previous six seasons, 1993 was validation for Bowden and Florida State.

4. 1988 (11-1). The Seminoles would get walloped by Miami in the opener, escape Clemson by a field goal two games later and then win their next nine games by an average of 27 points.

5. 1996 (11-1). FSU beat Florida to end the regular season but then lost the rematch a month later in the Sugar Bowl, giving the Gators their first national title.

Best players

1. Charlie Ward (1989-93). The 1993 Heisman Trophy winner is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Bowl Subdivision history.

2. Deion Sanders (1985-88). Beyond the production and accolades, it was Sanders’ swagger and confidence that came to define the Seminoles’ run in the 1990s.

3. Peter Warrick (1995-99). The most electric skill player in the country as a junior and senior, Warrick influenced a generation of receivers with his route running, agility and explosiveness.

4. Derrick Brooks (1992-94). Much like Sanders, a Hall of Fame NFL career has partially overshadowed how great Brooks was at FSU — he was a three-time all-conference pick and two-time All-America selection.

5. Ron Simmons (1977-80). Bowden's first big recruiting win and the first two-time All-America pick in program history, Simmons starred on Bowden's first great FSU teams.

Follow USA TODAY Sports colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg