Eagles Desperate to Stay Afloat UConn to Salvage Season Momentum

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A ship that may be taking on water gets ready for a New England rivalry game on Saturday against the Connecticut Huskies. The Boston College Eagles (1-5, 0-4) look to put an end to a losing streak that has now reached five games.

Last Saturday night, before more than 42,000 fans, the Eagles gave up 34 first-half points on their way to a 41-10 loss to Clemson.

The Tigers were very good in the red zone, scoring on four of their five chances. All four touchdowns came on the ground, as Clemson ran for 234 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per rush. For the game, the Tigers totaled 508 yards of offense, while their defense held the BC offense to 221 total yards and just one red zone touchdown on two opportunities.

Now the Eagles turn the page and prepare for their final non-conference game of the season. The Connecticut Huskies (4-2) will be meeting BC for the 17th time. Boston College holds a 13-1-2 advantage in the all-time series. UConn had a bye last week after a 51-10 win over FIU two weeks ago. The Huskies enter Saturday’s matchup riding a three-game winning streak.

Graduate student quarterback Joe Fagnano has been sharp, completing 131 of 195 passes for 1,558 yards, 11 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His quarterback rating through six games stands at 152.82. His favorite target has been Skyler Bell, who has 48 catches for 562 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 11.71 yards per reception.

The Huskies can also run the football. Cam Edwards has gained 657 yards on 101 carries, reaching the end zone seven times while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. On the defensive side, the Huskies have recorded five interceptions, with several players contributing one apiece. They also have 19 sacks, resulting in 125 yards lost. Linebacker Bryun Parham leads the way with 6.5 sacks for 47 yards in losses. He also has nine tackles for loss totaling 53 yards.

The UConn defense has allowed 18 of 20 red zone scores, with 12 of them being touchdowns. They are giving up 23 points per game, while their offense is scoring at a 37-points-per-game clip.

For Boston College, this is a gotta-have-it game—not just for New England bragging rights, but also to flip the script on what is becoming a tough season. The Eagles will look to KP Price on defense, who this past Monday earned ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for his career-high 14 tackles, 10 of which were solo. He also recorded an interception. Price leads the team with 51 tackles on the year. His 6.3 solo tackles per game rank 10th nationally and first in the ACC.

On offense, quarterback Dylan Lonergan remains one of the most productive passers in the ACC, ranking in the top 25 nationally with 22 completions per game—good for sixth in the league. He is also eighth in completion percentage (67%). His favorite target, Lewis Bond, ranks fifth in the nation and first in the ACC with an average of 7.5 receptions per game. Bond is 31 catches shy of Zay Flowers’ school record of 200 career receptions.

A big game for both teams will take place Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium, with pride, momentum, and regional bragging rights all on the line.