FSU Football: Why Willie Taggart must beat Miami to ease pressure

FSU Football lost to both of their big in-state rivals last season for the first time in nearly a decade and the head Seminole knows it can’t happen again.

During the 2018 season that could be generously referred to as a disaster for the FSU football team and their first year head coach, Willie Taggart, the Seminoles did something that might have meant more for die-hard fans than having the first losing season since 1976 and missing their first bowl game for the first time in over three and a half decades.

Taggart managed to lead the Seminoles during a season in which the garnet and gold lost to both of their most hated rivals – the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes – for the first time since the 2009 season. That’s right, the Noles had nearly a decade of having bragging rights over at least one of their rivals – with six of those seasons coming out with the sweep.

The Florida game gets forgotten about because the Gators used a big second half to get the blowout victory, but the game in October down in Miami Gardens hurts because of the fact that FSU football wasn’t just dominating – they were in major control and didn’t look like they were going to give up.

Florida State Seminoles Football

A 27-7 lead in the second half quickly got knocked down by Miami and when it was over, the Hurricanes beat the Seminoles in South Florida for the first time since the 2004 season – and just like that, the pressure of earlier losses got amplified by losing a second straight game to the men from Coral Gables.

During his Monday press conference, Taggart admitted to being in pain after losing for his first time as the head coach of FSU football against the rival Hurricanes (h/t Miami Herald)

"You knew what to expect. To me, it wasn’t different than I was as a fan and not being here in wanting to beat them. I wanted to beat them bad. Still the same. Want to beat them. Hate losing to Miami. Hate it. It sucks.”"

Yeah, it did suck. It sucked having to hear from Miami fans about winning for a second straight season. It sucked as a FSU alum living in South Florida to have to live with this pain for the last year. But for Taggart, the suck that he feels is because a win would have likely meant a bowl game and a lot less pressure on the questions over his future.

At 4-4 on the season, both teams know what is on the line Saturday afternoon – as both teams need a win to essentially assure them of being bowl eligible this season – and for Taggart, a win would give him the breathing room of knowing he won’t be swept for a second straight season versus the rivals (something that hasn’t happened since 1985 and 1986.)

More important than that, it likely keeps him safely employed in Tallahassee for at least another season if the Seminoles can get to six wins and make it back to a bowl game.