FSU Football: Willie Taggart wants strong schedule, open to FCS foes

FSU football has one of the toughest schedules in the country this season – and head coach Willie Taggart wants to keep it that way, even with FCS teams.

It’s no secret that new FSU football head coach Willie Taggart has his work cut out for himself during his inaugural season in Tallahassee. While getting any team adjusted to a new offense and coaching staff, having one of the toughest schedules in the country doesn’t exactly help to make things easier.

Ranked as high as second among who has the toughest slate in the country by some outlets, the Seminoles are getting ready for a 2018 schedule that includes home games with Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida to go along with road contests against Miami, N.C. State and Notre Dame – with the last two coming back to back after the home game versus Clemson.

Even the FCS opponent on this year’s FSU football schedule – the Samford Bulldogs – are not a pushover as they went 8-4 last season and made it to the playoffs. In fact, only one of the Seminoles’ opponents this season (Syracuse) didn’t make it to a bowl game or the FCS playoff last season.

For Taggart, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Speaking to Chop Chat this week during the final stop of his booster tour near Fort Lauderdale, the head Seminole said he knows a tough schedule is needed if Florida State is going to get back to being one of the final four teams in the hunt for a national title.

"“I want to make sure we play a strong enough schedule that it’s going to help us. Our ambition is to play in the College Football Playoff. We have to make sure out schedule is strong enough. I know going into this season it’s pretty strong, so as long as it’s strong I don’t care if it’s playing the FCS or not.”"

FSU football is one of a handful of Power Five teams who play multiple non-conference games against other P5 schools ( a group Notre Dame is in despite being an independent) so having a FCS foe isn’t the end of the world, especially one that is actually halfway decent and not one of the worst teams in all of college football (looking at you, Delaware State).

Taggart has made it clear that the Seminoles won’t back down from playing anyone – including a possible game with Texas A&M in the future against his predecessor – and would like more home games against name teams as opposed to neutral site contests, but will do what is best for the program.

FSU football has played a FCS foe 12 of the last 13 seasons, something that isn’t all that bad if it is a good team and not a cupcake looking for a quick payday. Fans of the Seminoles have been spoiled by home and home series against teams like Oklahoma, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, LSU and others over history – a trend which is leaving college football for the most part.

Next: Willie Taggart sits down for interview with Chop Chat

I’m not opposed to the idea of the Noles playing a FCS game every so often (those schools have to make money somehow), but following the SEC model of cupcake city that the former coach of FSU football liked is something that hopefully will go by the wayside under Taggart.