Boston College Uses Week Off to Get Ready for Stretch Run

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The outcome of last Saturday night’s nationally televised game vs #5 Clemson may not have caught too many people off guard. Boston College (2-4,1-3) was able to hang in there for a half with a team that was just too deep, and too talented. The sold-out crowd at Alumni Stadium was waiting to be the difference in this one. But instead, they received another example of why the Tigers are a Top-5 team in the country and have the nation’s longest winning streak which now stands at 12. The 31-3 final continues to show the gap that still separates these two programs.

The Eagles had a difficult time on offense all night long. They could not create a running game (34 yards) and because of that quickly became a one-dimensional group. QB Phil Jurkovec was 19-of-40 for 188 yards. He did connect with seven different receivers with Zay Flowers being his go-to guy once again (eight catches for 75 yards). But the lack of a running game gave the Tigers front seven freedom to chase down Jurkovec and sack him three times. This is not to say that BC did not have chances to make things interesting in the first half, they did. The difference was the Eagles failed to take advantage, while Clemson took full advantage.

A Josh DeBerry interception of a D.J. Uiagalelei pass in the first quarter set BC up deep in Clemson territory. Instead of putting points on the board, the Eagles attempted a field goal that was missed. They would get a second chance at a field goal in the second quarter that they would convert to tie the game at 3-3. Field goals are nice, but touchdowns when facing the 5th ranked team in the country are a requirement. The other side of the ball was doing its best to keep the team in the game. They would allow 364 yards on the night. Most of those yards came in the second half when the Tigers offense took over control of the game scoring 21 points in that second half. This was a winnable game for Boston College at the half only down 10-3 after a Craig Shipley 1-yard TD run in the second quarter. The Tigers took it up a notch in the third playing faster and getting better results because of it. Uiagalelei (18-of-32, 220 yards, three scores, 1 interception) was the captain of the up-tempo attack. His three touchdown passes in half number two would be the difference in this one.

Boston College now has a week off to get some things right and get healthy. Their schedule for the rest of the season is daunting, and it begins with a trip to nationally-ranked Wake Forest on October 22. They also have road trips to Connecticut, North Carolina State, and Notre Dame. They have home games vs Duke and the season finale against Syracuse. Getting to six wins and a possible bowl date will be a challenge for sure.