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 – NOVEMBER 04: Florida State Seminoles running back Cam Akers (3) runs behind a block during the game between the Syracuse Orange and the Florida State Seminoles at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium on November 3rd, 2017 in Tallahassee, FL. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Akers and Patrick form dynamic duo

The team needed to find a replacement for Dalvin Cook going into the 2017 season. They found two.

The strength of the 2018 Florida State offense will be its running game. Cam Akers and Jacques Patrick give the Seminoles one of nation’s best backfield tandems.

Akers was a five-star recruit in the 2017 class, and wasted little time putting up numbers at the college level. He ran for 1,024 yards and seven touchdowns as a true freshman last year.

Patrick spent his first two seasons in Tallahassee as Cook’s back up, but shined when given more of an opportunity in 2017. A bigger runner at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Patrick ran for 748 yards on 134 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per carry in his junior season.

Patrick’s production was limited by a knee injury he suffered against Louisville in October. The team thought he would miss the rest of the season. Instead, Patrick missed only two games.

He was limited in his first two games back, totaling only nine touches for 37 yards against Clemson and Delaware State. But he returned to normalcy after that, rushing for 283 yards in the final three games of the season, including 155 and two touchdowns against Louisiana-Monroe.

Both players are also threats to catch the ball out of the backfield. Akers brought in 16 catches for 116 yards. While Patrick had 21 receptions for 171 yards. All together, the two combined for 2,059 yards from scrimmage in 13 games last season.

The two have plenty of preseason accolades heading into 2018. Akers was named First Team All-ACC, and was fourth in voting for preseason conference player of the year. He was also name to the Walter Camp award watch list for the nation’s best player.

Both backs were name to the Doak Walker watch list, which goes to the nation’s top running back. No doubt Taggart has been planning for ways to use both players in his high-flying offense this season.

Who knows, they could lead Florida State to the 2019 College Football Playoff.

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