Spoiler Alert! Underdog Eagles Look for Upset Against Playoff Hopeful Notre Dame

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The final month of the college football season is upon us, and while the stakes differ wildly for the two teams meeting in Chestnut Hill this weekend, the intensity remains sky-high. For the Boston College Eagles (1-7, 0-5 ACC), a strong finish is a necessary priority following a disappointing campaign. That effort begins with the arrival of the formidable No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2).

For the Irish, their position in the rankings still gives them a tangible shot at a College Football Playoff bid. They cannot afford a slip-up. For the Eagles, playing the role of spoiler—and perhaps gaining a massive emotional win—is the only thing left on the table.

BC’s Defensive Struggles: Can They Slow the Irish Tide?

Last Saturday night, the Eagles’ losing streak reached seven in a row after a 38-24 loss to Louisville. The primary concern emerging from the road loss was the inability to stop the run, a weakness that Notre Dame’s powerful ground attack is built to exploit.

The Louisville Cardinals rushed for a staggering 317 yards en route to 504 yards of total offense.
Louisville tallied four rushing touchdowns, with running back Isaac Brown single-handedly rushing for 209 yards on just 14 carries, averaging an alarming 14.5 yards per attempt.
Despite leading the time of possession for the first three quarters and being perfect in the red zone (2-for-2), giving up too many big plays in the running game proved too much for the Eagles to overcome.

BC Offense Shows Promise

In his second straight start, BC quarterback Grayson Allen was productive, going 23-of-46 for 244 yards and tossing three touchdowns, though he was intercepted twice. The Eagles did manage to gain 360 yards themselves, demonstrating an ability to move the ball when not ceding field position on defense.

The Irish Blueprint: Balanced Attack and Defensive Consistency

Notre Dame enters Alumni Stadium with the distinct advantage in the head-to-head history, leading the all-time series 18-9 and holding a strong 9-5 record in Boston. Their focus is singular: win and stay in the playoff conversation.

The Irish offense is known for its balance and explosiveness:

Total Offense: Averaging $462.1$ yards per game.
Air Attack: $270.4$ passing yards per game.
Ground Game: $191.7$ rushing yards per game, led by running back Jeremiah Love with 758 yards on the season.
Scoring: Averaging just under 40 points per game.

On the defensive side, the Irish are holding opponents to an average of just 21 points per game. The last time these two teams met, in November 2022, the Irish left no doubt, dominating the Eagles $44-0$ .

Wide receiver Jordan Faison leads the Irish receiving corps with 436 yards, providing a potent threat to balance out the powerful ground attack led by Love.

Key To The Game: The Line of Scrimmage

For Boston College, an upset hinges entirely on whether they can achieve two objectives:

Stall the Ground Game: Shutting down Jeremiah Love and forcing Notre Dame’s offense into obvious passing situations.
Protect the Quarterback: Grayson Allen must be kept clean to find rhythm and sustain drives.

No question, a big test and a massive opportunity await Boston College on Saturday afternoon. They must defy recent history and the season’s trajectory to pull off the shock of the week.