FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- As much as the public and media want to encapsulate the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl around the careers of Penn State coach Joe Paterno and Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, the two most winning coaches in college football history know it is what takes place between the white lines that will ultimately last.

And, frankly, both coaches have legitimate concerns leading up to the game.

They share the same concerns about the team speed of both programs. Florida State's special teams are a glaring concern for Paterno. In the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl between the two programs, Penn State gave up a large punt return late in the fourth quarter that sealed the game for the Seminoles.

Bowden is concerned about containing quarterback Michael Robinson, who, in Bowden's view, poses a bigger challenge to the game plan against than Marcus Vick of Virginia Tech.

“He's like a bull,” Bowden said of Robinson. “He can take a busted play and make more of it than I think anybody we've played. It's hard to hem him down.”

Paterno is also concerned about a couple of underrated Seminoles players that could potentially play significant roles in the outcome of the game.

Neither one wastes time memorizing names of players, though, and perhaps age could be a factor in that. But this business is a numbers game, and always has been. Paterno is aware that Florida State player No. 7, linebacker Buster Davis, could be a problem, and that No. 8, free safety Roger Williams, could be a handful, too.

Bowden knows that the Lions have four seniors in the secondary, and that three of the four defensive linemen are seniors, too.

Bobby Bowden didn't become college football's all-time winningest coach by practicing the art of guesswork. He said he wasn't surprised that Penn State was able to have such a resurgent season when he saw all the experience the Nittany Lions had returning.

Experience certainly ranks high on both coaches' checklists, though this season saw Paterno put the ball in the hands of some young, untested players, and the results speak volumes.

“What he's needed the past few years is someone who can break open a game,” Bowden said about Paterno.

But when Bowden scanned the number of seasons accumulated on the Nittany Lions starting defense, he knew he'd be in for a battle.

“I hope I see freshman or sophomores somewhere,” Bowden said. “I can see why they're so solid and sound. They know what they're doing, they're quicker than Virginia Tech. That's typical of a Joe Paterno football team.”

Paterno has slightly regretted the decision to bring his team down to Florida so early. The Lions arrived on Dec. 20 and haven't been restricted by a curfew for the last five days. Paterno is hoping spending so much time in a climate considerably more pleasing than that of State College's won't force his team to become sidetracked.

But Penn State is the favorite, and Bowden was quick to note that fundamentals that will supercede any strategies.

“How do you scout blocking? How do you scout tackling?” Bowden said aloud. “You can't.”