As college football stadiums go, Wake Forest's BB&T Field would not exactly rank among the most hostile in the country.
The stadium's capacity is just 31,500 -- the smallest of any school in a Power 5 conference -- and even the team's official website describes it as an "intimate setting."
At the same time, any road trip might feel somewhat daunting for the Florida State football team right now. The Seminoles have played two opponents away from Doak Campbell Stadium this season, and they have lost both games -- at Virginia and at Clemson.
While there is no shame in losing either of those games -- each opponent was ranked and favored in those contests -- it is the continuation of a disappointing trend during Willie Taggart's second season as head coach.
Since taking over the Seminoles' program, Taggart's teams have won just one of seven road games. They went 1-4 last year, with losses at Syracuse, Miami, N.C. State and Notre Dame. Their only victory came at Louisville.
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Before FSU held its final practice in Tallahassee and departed for Winston-Salem, N.C., Taggart was asked what the keys are to finding success away from home.
"You've got to execute," he said. "You've got to take care of the football. I always say that, and that's so important on the road. You've got to be really mentally focused. You're not in your comfort zone. You're on the road, and it's a little different than what it is at home.
"So you've got to be totally focused on what's going on -- from every aspect."
Taggart said that focus can't simply kick in when the teams hit the field at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (ACC Network). He said it begins in team meetings the night before and continues throughout pregame preparations on Saturday.
It has been quite some time since Taggart's teams have enjoyed consistent success as a visiting team. In his one season at Oregon, the Ducks went 1-4 in road games -- with their lone victory coming at Wyoming.
But it's not as if Taggart hasn't led teams to success away from home in the past. In fact, if his track record at Western Kentucky and USF is any indication, bright days could be ahead for the Seminoles.
After recording just one road win in his first season at USF, the Bulls improved every year -- from 1-4 in 2013 to 2-3 in 2014, then 3-3 in 2015 and 4-1 in 2016.
In Taggart's first season at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers went 2-6 away from home. They went 8-3 in his final two seasons.
