Boston College Football

Can the Miami Hurricanes avoid turnovers in their game at Clemson and play to their full potential during conference play?  Can N.C. State keep their winning streak alive against conference foes?  Can Virginia Tech go on the road and avoid another devastating loss?  These were all big questions coming into Week 5 of ACC play.

Jacory Harris and the Miami Hurricanes showed up in Death Valley on a mission.  Harris seems to have developed quite a connection with Leonard Hankerson, as the duo teamed up for 147 yards and three touchdowns.  Hankerson leads the team with 388 yards receiving and six touchdowns this season already.

Harris continues to turn the ball over, though, as he threw two more interceptions to the Clemson defense on Saturday.  The defense continues to make up for the offense's mistakes, forcing Kyle Parker to throw for a dismal 147 yards and three interceptions as he completed only 14-of-33 pass attempts.  The Hurricanes trailed for only 1:06 on their way to a 30-21 conference road win.

N.C. State picked up right where they left off the previous weekend, jumping to a quick 17-0 lead early in the second quarter over a visiting Virginia Tech squad. But when the Hokie defense stepped up and forced an interception from Russell Wilson in the second quarter, the offense responded with a four-play, 82-yard drive to put Virginia Tech on the board before the half.

After the half, Virginia Tech ran back the opening kickoff to bring the score to 13-17 after a failed two-point conversion.  Fighting back to take the lead for the first time in the fourth quarter, Virginia Tech showed they would not be put away easily.  With N.C. State up 30-28, Tyrod Taylor found Jarrett Boykin for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 1:27 left on the clock to retake the lead, 34-30.

QB Russell Wilson was left with just over a minute to try and lead his explosive offense down the field for a potential game-winning touchdown.  But Wilson threw three times as many picks in this game as he had coming into the game, with the third coming with just over a minute left.  It was one interception too many, and Virginia Tech scored 34 seconds later to seal the win, 41-30. N.C. State was left to exit the AP Top 25 just as quickly as they entered.

North Carolina and Boston College came into the weekend with the only out-of-conference games on the ACC schedule.  North Carolina hosted East Carolina for a heated in-state rivalry game.  Shaun Draughn led the Tarheels with an explosive second half, bolting for the end zone on three separate occasions on the way to a North Carolina rout of ECU 42-17.

What was impressive for UNC was that they held an offense that has averaged over 40 points a game in their first three match ups to only 17 points.  All of this was done with several NFL-caliber defensive starters remaining ineligible with the pending investigations at the university.

Boston College did not fare so well in their home match up as they fell 31-13 to a struggling Notre Dame team.  The Eagles were never in this game behind a quick 21-0 lead built by Notre Dame in the first quarter.

Florida State found themselves back in the AP Top 25 after their 34-14 win in Charlottesville against Virginia.  The Seminoles torched the Cavaliers for 256 rushing yards, averaging just over six yards a carry.  The momentum from this big road win will take them into a tough match up next week against visiting top-rated ACC foe Miami.

With conference play underway, everything appears to be in order in the Coastal Division with Virginia Tech and Miami sitting at the top.  And while Florida State is leading the Atlantic Division as expected, they may encounter some tougher obstacles than years' past with Maryland and N.C. State both looking for their shot at the ACC title this year. 

There is still plenty of time left in the season and a lot of room for an unexpected visitor to dismantle the perennial top dogs of the conference, but the real question is, who will step up to the task?  Only time will tell.

Coach Spaziani has been mum on the subject of Saturday's starting quarterback, despite Wednesday's Boston Globe article claiming freshman Chase Rettig would get the start. Has a decision not been reached yet? Or is Spaziani pulling a play from fellow New England head coach Bill Belichick by playing head games with his competition? I tend to think Spaziani is keeping this one close to the chest, as both potential quarterbacks bring different skill sets to the table. 

The Vegas line currently places the Eagles as three point underdogs at home, despite Notre Dame's 1-3 record. The reasoning is simple. Regardless of who lines up behind center for the Eagles, it will mark their first career start. Factor in Notre Dame's tough schedule (Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State and Stanford), and BC's listless offensive performance last week? There is plenty of reason to pick the Fighting Irish. Unfortunately for them, the Vegas odds-makers forgot one fundamental fact. This is a rivalry game -- and a lopsided one at that. 

Every season when the schedule comes out, Superfans nationwide circle the Notre Dame game. All that tradition. The bandwagon fanfare. The NBC television deal. Eagles’ fans resent being known as the Notre Dame of the northeast. Why can't the Fighting Irish be known as the BC of the Midwest? I have a thought. Perhaps it's this level of one-sided resentment that has fueled the Eagles over the past decade. Boston College has won six of their past seven meetings against the Irish, and a win on Saturday would even the series record at 10-10. 
 

Coming off a humiliating defeat where we looked like the JV to Virginia Tech's varsity, Boston College needs a win. Our momentum has been derailed, and an emotional victiory over longtime foe Notre Dame would help get this train back on track. For Notre Dame, this game holds equal significance. After firing Charlie Weiss and bringing in Brian Kelly from Cincinnati, expectations were high for the navy and blue. A 1-3 start has the Irish worrying about a bowl bid, and another loss could prove to be an insurmountable hurdle. So what should we expect come game time? Let's just say everybody is in for some fireworks. 

Under new coach Brian Kelly, the Notre Dame offense has been revitalized. The Irish are averaging 315 yards through the air, 111 on the ground but only 23 points per game. On the flip side, the Notre Dame defense is allowing an average of 244 yards passing and 190 yards rushing. You have to think Montel Harris is somewhere salivating right now. 

A run stuffing Eagles defense and questionable secondary against a team that can be deadly through the air. A porous Notre Dame rush defense against an inexperienced Eagles quarterback and all-conference running back. This game we'll see two entirely different offensive approaches. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Eagles split 35+ carries between Montel Harris and Sterlin Phifer. On the flip side, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist attempt 40 passes (after all he averaged 37.5 attempts per game). 

To all those Eagles fans out there, if you aren't familiar with Michael Floyd yet...well, let's just say you will be. The 6'3 230 pound receiver is amongst the best players in the country, and will undoubtedly be playing on Sunday's come next year. After putting up 44 catches for 795 and 9 touchdowns as a sophomore, Floyd has upped his production as a senior. He has 339 receiving yards through four games, and torched Stanford last week for 8 catches and 110 yards. Floyd is everything you want in a receiver'. He's big and strong with unbelievable hands and deceptive speed. Now playing in a spread offense, Floyd has the potential to post astronomical numbers on any given week. If the Eagles fail to provide safety coverage over the top, his breakthrough could come Saturday night. 

As far as the Notre Dame rushing game goes, there is little to be worried about. The Eagles’ defense is susceptible to giving up big rushes off the edge to smaller, quicker backs. Up the middle? Solid as a rock. Luckily for the Eagles, Armando Allen is far from a big play running back. Despite racking up 1,932 career rushing yards, ND's starting back has never broken a run of over 29 yards. With that type of grind it out approach; Notre Dame would be lucky to crack the seventy yard mark rushing. And if the Fighting Irish start giving up on the run, look out. Mark Herzlich is looking better every week, and his ability to rush the passer on the edge could create problems for the Notre Dame offense. 

Obviously BC’s biggest fear is getting behind early. With a "green behind ears" quarterback, the Eagles want to allow their new signal caller to be more of a game manager than anything else. If Boston College falls behind by two touchdowns, Spaziani may be forced to dial up more passing plays. This is an Irish defense that held Heisman hopeful Andrew Luck to 19 of 32 passing for 238 yards a touchdown and more importantly two interceptions. If Brian Kelly's secondary is capable of shutting down a future first day draft pick, what could they do against a spring chicken like Rettig or M&M? With any luck (and some help from MH2), we won't have to find out. 

Last week, like my beloved Eagles, I embarrassed myself. I predicted BC would put up 24 points against a staunch Hokies defense, and the Eagles would prevail. One 19-0 loss later, consider me humbled. That said, I'm picking against Vegas yet again. While a 24-21 Notre Dame Victory (over/under set at 45) is predicted, I'll take the Eagles in a close one, 27-24. Am I biased? Maybe. But the crowd will be rocking. The atmosphere will be electric. And if Montel Harris can rip NC State for 250 rushing yards, imagine the possibilities against this Irish D.

The Boston College Eagles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish both find themselves at a crossroads of the season this Saturday night.

The Eagles enter the game with an inflated 2-1 record due to easy victories over Kent State and Weber State, followed by a humiliating display of ineptitude against Virginia Tech last Saturday.

The Fighting Irish enter with a much more desperate 1-3 mark and on a three-game losing streak since their opening week victory over Purdue.

The Eagles have a team that should be competitive and was picked by most analysts to finish near the top of the ACC's Atlantic Division. They possess one of the ACC's top defenses, highlighted by Mark Herzlich, 2008's ACC defensive player of the year and cancer survivor, and Luke Kuechly, who led the ACC in tackles as a freshman in 2009.

Through three games the Eagles defense has looked absolutely solid, allowing an average of 17.3 points per game and holding Tyrod Taylor and the Hokies to only 19 points.

Most of the Eagles' problems are on the offensive side of the ball, specifically at quarterback and wide receiver. At running back the Eagles have their most explosive and only consistent offensive weapon in Montel Harris, who accumulated 132 total yards last Saturday in the shutout loss to Virginia Tech.

Harris' quickness and ability to evade tacklers led to his breakout season last year, and he will look to wreak havoc on an Irish defense that is giving up an average of 189.8 rushing yards per game.

With a back like Harris, it would not take much of a leap of faith to believe that the Eagles' passing game has been opened up by defenses loading defenders into the box for run defense. Even with the attention directed at Harris this season, the passing game has struggled so badly that former starting quarterback Dave Shinskie has been pulled multiple times and finally demoted.

The problem is that so far this season nobody has looked good under center for the Eagles.

The situation is compounded by the loss of the Eagles' top two receivers from last season due to graduation and injury. The inexperience in the passing game played a huge role in the loss to Virginia Tech last Saturday, and if the Eagles want to compete this season, they will need to fix these issues.

This Saturday, however, is not just a normal game. To Boston College the annual showdown with Notre Dame is a rivalry game that every "Superfan" circles the minute the football schedule is announced. The game is being played in Chestnut Hill, at night, and on national television.

The fact is that this game does and always has mattered more to Boston College than it does to Notre Dame and recent history has only helped prove that fact. Boston College had won six straight "Holy Wars" before last season's loss and will look to resume their winning ways in this year's matchup.

Notre Dame has looked good but not great this year, as they have been experiencing some growing pains in the switch to Brian Kelly's offense. If the Irish come out flat for this game, the Eagles will jump all over them simply due to the weight of the game in Boston College circles.

The game will either be won or lost by Montel Harris. Look for him to have a monster day against the Fighting Irish's porous run defense, carrying the Eagles to victory. Also look for Mark Herzlich to feed off the energy associated with a rivalry game, played at night on national television, and make at least one major defensive play.

If the Eagles' passing game is just good enough to prevent Notre Dame from putting 10 men in the box, then the Eagles might just have the Irish right where they want them.

Things are looking grim for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but they have a chance to get back in the win column this week when the play the Boston College Eagles.  The college football odds makers at BetMania have set the line for this game and they have Notre Dame as small 2.5 point favorites.

After winning the first game of the season against Purdue, Notre Dame has lost three straight, and although it is early in the season, the bowl future is looking bleak. The chances would look much better if they could string some wins together, starting with the game this week against Boston College.

Notre Dame was no match for Stanford in their last game. The Notre Dame defense forced some turnovers but could not do much with them, as they lost the game by a final score of 37-14.

The first year under head coach Brian Kelly has not gone as planned and the Irish have lost seven of their last eight games dating back to last year. Quarterback Dayne Crist threw for 304 yards in the loss and is adjusting well to the new offense, but the Irish are still losing ball games. Thankfully they face another team this week that has their share of problems.

Boston College started the season off with a few solid wins against mediocre opposition, but the minute they faced a true test in Virginia Tech, they were beaten soundly. The Boston College offense had some drives against Virginia Tech, but they failed when they got close to the red zone.

Missed opportunities and turnovers were the reason the Eagles got the first loss of the season.

The end result was not only a loss, but a shutout for the first time since 1998. Because of this BC will have a quarterback change early in the season. Eagles coach Frank Spaziani as already informed the media that he will start a new quarterback against Notre Dame.

David Shinskie was benched in the last game and will not start against the Irish. Instead sophomore Mike Marscovetra or freshman Chase Rettig will get the nod. This is a sure sign that the Eagles are in a rebuilding phase.

Notre Dame is desperate for a win and although they are on the road they catch the Eagles at the right time. The Eagles are struggling to find a leader on the field and get some offensive consistency.

The Eagles are 5-12 against the spread (ATS) in their last 17 home games against a team with a losing road record, and 0-7 ATS in their last seven games overall.

Notre Dame is 6-2 ATS in their last eight games as a road favorite, and 20-9 ATS in their last 29 games in October. Finally the road team is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings and the Irish beat up on the Eagles.

The Irish get the win when they need it most.

Notre Dame 31 - Boston College 17

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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com

If I could put Saturday’s matchup against Virginia Tech into one word, it would be humiliating.

Montel Harris carried the ball 19 times for 111 yards. Mark Herzlich had his first interception after overcoming Ewing's sarcoma—a rare form of foot cancer.

The rest of the defense? They held a potent Hokie offense to 19 points, including a paltry 2.7 yards per rush.

Most games, that type of production is enough to win, but not with Dave Shinskie at the helm. 

If you watched this game, you know how terrible Uncle Dave played. His numbers—12-of-25 for 130 yards and two interceptions—don't even begin to do justice to the play of our sophomore quarterback.

So far this season, Shinskie's decision-making ability has been abhorrent. He throws into double coverage, he misses wide-open receivers (like when he had Johnathan Coleman uncovered on a go route), and he takes sacks when he should just throw the ball away. Hell, he even lined up behind the guard during the first game. But one play on Saturday sticks out in my mind.

The Eagles twice marched the ball down to the Virginia Tech 10-yard line. The first time Shinskie threw an interception. Surprise, surprise. The second time? With only 15 seconds remaining in the half and no timeouts remaining, Shinskie got flushed from the pocket and tried to scramble for the touchdown. Only problem is that once the pressure came, Uncle Dave failed to get out of bounds.

Instead of stopping the clock and taking the points, Shinskie tried for the hero play, only to be stopped a yard from the end zone. It's an unforgivable decision, and I'm not the only one who thinks so.

That's right. The man who loves to throw a five-yard out to his tight end on 3rd-and-15 is out of a job. After this lackluster offensive performance, coach Frank Spaziani announced there would be a new quarterback starting against Notre Dame on Saturday night.

This week, practice should be interesting; sophomore Mike Marscovetra and freshman Chase Rettig duke it out for the starting job. Although I'd rather see what the freshman is capable of, my money is on M&M, who has already received some playing time behind center.

On the season, Marscovetra has completed eight of 13 passes for 92 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Unfortunately, he may not make the quickest reads, as he has managed to take three sacks in limited playing time.

While Rettig is unproven, going forward, he provides the best chance of winning. The 6'3" Rettig is the most highly recruited quarterback to enter the heights since Matt Ryan in 2003. Ranked as the 10th best QB by ESPN and 21st by Rivals, Rettig was the Eagles' top recruit and an All-American player. He may be young, but I say throw him into the fire. He's the quarterback of the future, and I declare that the future should start this week.

The Eagles start two freshman wide receivers in Johnathan Coleman and Bobby Swigert. Add in sophomore Clyde Lee and injured freshman Shakim Phillips, and you have great hope for the future. Although Montel Harris is a junior, his backup Sterlin Phifer is just a frosh. A young and developing offense like this is going to take its lumps. There is a serious lack of experience, and growing pains are inevitable.

That being the case, why not let Rettig start? He's more talented than Marscovetra, even if Mars has more experience. Just watching Chase's highlights on YouTube, you see a quarterback with a superb arm and a high level of athleticism. He's a true pocket passer, but he's comfortable rolling out of the pocket or breaking the pocket entirely and picking up yards on the ground.

A Saturday night game against hated Notre Dame isn't the ideal time to play a quarterback with no experience. I can admit that. It's a high-pressure situation and a nationally televised game, and letting a freshman start may seem like throwing in the towel. But it's not.

This Eagle team has a fantastic defense and one of the best running games in the ACC. They are equipped to win now. They need a quarterback that can manage the game without giving it away like Shinskie—somebody that can be used sparingly while pounding the run game. I believe Rettig is that guy.

As much as I would love to see what our highly touted freshman looks like, I realize it's more fantasy than it is reality. Marscovetra has been getting reps with the first team all season, and come Saturday, I expect him to be lined up behind center.

And you know what? I don't care. Dave Shinskie is out, and that's all I could ask for.

Containment by Boston College Front Seven

The struggles of Virginia Tech's offensive line have been well-documented early this season, so we have seen less of RBs Ryan Williams and Darren Evans one-two punch than we may have expected.

But that has been easily supplemented by QB Tyrod Taylor's ability to scramble out of trouble on passing downs and the speedy David Wilson being part of the mix at tailback. With Ryan Williams out with a hamstring injury, expect Tech to utilize Wilson's speed to try to get outside of BC's linebackers and Taylor to to "tuck and run" whenever he sees an opening.

The much-maligned BC defensive line needs to step up with big tasks in front of them trying to stuff Evans and contain the speedy Taylor/Wilson duo. The outstanding linebacker corps, which includes Luke Keuchly and Mark Herzlich, may be put in a position to "spy" Taylor throughout the day but even their athleticism is a tough matchup against Tyrod's ability.

Expect BC to play its typical soft cushion in the defensive backfield and attempt to keep every single play in front of them; the linebackers will have to be the difference makers and prevent Wilson and Taylor from racking up first downs on the outside.

Field Position

Last year's 48-14 annihilation of the Eagles in Blacksburg is far from old news, but the BC players have done their best to move on, apparently watching very little film of it leading up to today's game at Alumni Stadium.  BC was dominated in every statistical category but particularly suffered all game in the field position battle, not gaining a first down until the third quarter.

Shockingly, BC currently stands as the nation's top team in net punting and Virginia Tech is found all the way near the bottom at 118th. Granted, these are not huge sample sizes but the instances in which the Hokies are having a down year on special teams are rare to say the least. BC's depth and athleticism at linebacker has also helped translate into excellent kick coverage teams.

The Eagles will need to take advantage of their (finally) solid kicking game in punter Ryan Quigley and placekicker Nate Freese to put themselves in easier positions to score points.

Boston College Pass Protection

The biggest criticism that BC quarterback Dave Shinksie has received is his inability to stay calm and work quickly through his WR progression, also known as "happy feet." With Eagles' offensive guard Thomas Claiborne banged up and only available in a limited role (Mark Spinney will be starting in his place) the rest of the starters will have to be better than they were last year.

Virginia Tech is much less experienced on defense than they were last season (only four returning starters) but defensive coordinator Bud Foster is always willing to turn up the heat and dial up a blitz.

While BC does not have great depth on the O-line, seniors Anthony Castonzo, Rich Lapham, and Claiborne will be seeing this defensive scheme up close and personal for the sixth time (ACC Champ games in 2007 and 2008 boost that total).

The line's overwhelming size is not as big a factor against a team with Tech's speed, but experience will play a big role in opening holes for RB Montel Harris and protecting Dave Shinskie as the Eagles' passing offense continues to evolve.

Ever since I can remember, I've despised Virginia Tech. Maybe it was the pompous and arrogant Vick brothers. Maybe it’s their head coach Frank Beamer. Maybe it's just their two ACC championship victories over the Eagles. Whatever it is, I can’t help but hate the Hokies.

While BC and VT have split their games over the last decade, it seems every meaningful game goes to that team I simply can’t stand. Matt Ryan leads a last minute comeback to maintain a top five ranking, but Virginia Tech wins the ACC championship and gets to play in the Orange Bowl.

Tomorrow's game? Well, it's a big one for both teams.

As they look to prove that the preseason hype was warranted, Virginia Tech is still reeling from their loss to James Madison a few weeks ago. Boston College has a shot at winning the ACC Atlantic, but after two shaky games against lackluster competition, the Eagles need to show that they too are quality competition.

This is the first real performance benchmark for both teams, and it comes at a critical time. 

For all those BC fans out there who think that we can walk over this struggling Virginia Tech team, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself. VT may be without starting running back Ryan Williams, but their backups looked more than capable last week against East Carolina.

Factor in the dynamic and versatile quarterback play of Tyrod Taylor and you have an offense that can put up points. And as always, Beamer Ball is in effect with terrific special teams and big play defenders.

In fact, despite our home field advantage, the Hokies are four point favorites.

So what will be the keys to winning this crucial game? For starters, BC’s David Shinskie has to play like he is an entirely different quarterback. In last season's humiliating 48-14 defeat, Old Man Rivers was 1 of 12 for four yards and two interceptions. You read that right; he completed more passes to the opposing defense than to his own receivers.

Shinskie has improved statistically since last season even though he looks the same. Against a talented Virginia Tech secondary, it will be intriguing to see if Uncle Dave has matured as a passer. 

Expect the Eagles to ride Montel Harris tomorrow against a Virginia Tech defense that is far more adept at rushing the passer than stopping the run. If the Eagles can get out to an early lead, the combination of Harris and Phifer should be able to milk the clock and help dispense of the Hokies.

Of course, if the Eagles are slow out of the gates and fall behind early, there could be serious trouble. Against a defense that's playing the pass, Shinskie will be a sitting duck in the pocket. 

As for the Virginia Tech run game?

Ryan Williams may have been the best runner in the conference last season, but don't think that was entirely on his shoulders. Not only does Virginia Tech sport an outstanding offensive line, but they also have terrific depth at the running back position.

Last week against East Carolina, Darren Evans and David Wilson split carries after Williams went down with a hamstring injury. Together, they combined for 180 yards and three touchdowns on only 22 carries. Expect the bigger back Evans (6'0" 220 lbs) to get the start, but don't be surprised to see Wilson steal a few carries as a change of pace back.

There are many things about this particular Virginia Tech team that scare me. Their aggressive defense taking on an indecisive QB like Shinskie. Their unparalleled ability to make plays on special teams. But what scares me most, is Tyrod Taylor.

Through three games, the 6'1" senior has 509 yards through the air and 191 on the ground. He's not just a scrambling QB, he's a playmaker.

Taylor sports a 61 percent completion percentage, but what really amazes me is his ability to create something from nothing. On so many third down situations, Taylor is able to bide his time before making a solid decision. He has a knack for the back breaking play, and that terrifies me.

Against this bend but don't break defense, Taylor will put up yardage -- probably in the 250-300 total yard range. BC has to apply pressure to Taylor without over-pursuing and allowing the long scramble. The Eagles linebackers should be able to protect from the long run play, so the onus is on the secondary to keep Taylor in check. 

Boston College has high aspirations this season. With an easy schedule and a weak division, the Eagles have a legitimate shot at making the ACC championship game yet again. While they looked unimpressive against both Weber State and Kent State, the team has had a week off to rest, get healthy and come together as a team.

Despite the Vegas line and a well rounded Virginia Tech team, I expect Boston College to come out tomorrow and win. This Eagles team has a first-rate defense led by a superb line backing core. We have a massive offensive line and an unheralded superstar running back.

This may not be the “Matt Ryan Eagles” who could spread the ball around, but we can pound the run and wear out opposing defenses.

Final Prediction: 24-17 Boston College.