Robert Cleckler Bowden (born November 8, 1929) is a retired American football coach.
Bowden is best known for coaching the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons.
During his time at Florida State, Bowden led FSU to an Associated Press and Coaches Poll National Title in 1993 and a BCS National Championship in 1999, as well as twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships since FSU joined the conference in 1991.
After a difficult 2009 season and amid questioning fans, Bowden was fired by President T.K.
Wetherell, just weeks after his 80th birthday.
He was allowed to make his final coaching appearance in the 2010 Gator Bowl game on January 1, 2010, with a 33–21 victory over his former program, West Virginia.
On March 6, 2009, NCAA ruling required Florida State to "vacate wins for any games in which an ineligible player participated", threatening to remove as many as fourteen of Bowden's wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons in relation to an academic scandal.
Florida State appealed the ruling, but the NCAA upheld it on January 5, 2010.
Upon final investigation by Florida State University it was determined that Bowden was to vacate 12 wins, bringing his final career record to 377–129–4.