5 reasons Florida State makes the 2019 College Football Playoff

TALLAHASSEE, FL - MARCH 21: Quarterback Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles throws a pass during the first day of spring practice at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on March 21, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

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TALLAHASSEE, FL – FEBRUARY 7: Head Coach Willie Taggart of the Florida State Seminoles talks with the media during his National Signing Day Press Conference at the Dunlap Champions Club inside Doak Campbell Stadium on February 7, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. The 3rd ranked Florida State defeated Charleston Southern 52 to 8. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

3. New coach Taggart has found success at every stop

The final nail in the coffin of the 2017 Florida State season was the departure of head coach Jimbo Fisher, who had been with the program for 11 years — three as the offensive coordinator and eight as the head coach after Bobby Bowden retired. When Fisher left for Texas A&M, Florida State had to enact a coaching search for the first time in 42 years.

They landed on perhaps the top young coach in college football. Willie Taggart’s career could be described by a straight arrow up since he entered the profession in 2010.

Western Kentucky was coming off a winless debut season in the Sun Belt Conference when Taggart took over as head coach in 2010. After three seasons at his alma mater, the program had consecutive 7-5 seasons and had made its first FBS-level bowl game.

Taggart left for the University of South Florida for the 2013 season. The first two years weren’t ideal, going a combined 6-18. By years three and four however, he had turned the program around. They went 8-5 in 2015 and then 10-2 in 2016. The 2016 team was a juggernaut, averaging 43.8 points per game behind dynamic quarterback Quinton Flowers and running back Marlon Mack. For the first time in USF history, the Bulls reached 10 wins.

After having to build programs at his first two stops, Taggart showed what he could do with a Power 5 team in 2017 at Oregon. While the final record of 7-6 isn’t necessarily impressive, the team was hurt when their top two quarterbacks suffered injuries and missed five games in the middle of the season.

Under third-stringer Braxton Burmeister, the team went 1-4 and averaged a measly 15 points per game. With starter Justin Herbert in the lineup, the team went 6-2 and put up 49.1 points per game.

Taggart has led some offensive powerhouses at all three of his previous stops. With the talent returning on the offensive side of the ball at Florida State, he will have an immediate chance to continue that trend.

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