Boston College heads into its bye week with a lot to sort through, but not without a little bit of hope.
The Eagles came up short in a 25-16 loss to SMU, dropping to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in ACC play, but the performance felt different from what Boston College showed a year ago. For a team that’s trying to get healthy and steady itself for the stretch run, the timing of the week off could not be much better.
That matters for Bill O’Brien and his staff, who now get a chance to regroup before a seven-game finish to the season. It also gives Boston College a little breathing room after a game that showed both the progress and the flaws still hanging around this team.
There are still obvious issues to clean up. Tackling has been a problem.
So have dropped passes and penalties. But those are the kinds of mistakes that can be addressed in practice and in meetings, and the Eagles are at least competing on Saturdays.
That is a meaningful shift after a 2-10 season. Even after the rough opening against Cincinnati, Boston College has looked better each week.
Mason McKenzie is a big reason why. The former Division II transfer from Saginaw Valley State looked increasingly comfortable in ACC play and delivered his best performance yet in the biggest test of the season. He finished 20-for-31 for 208 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 74 yards on the ground on 21 carries.
The defensive front has also held up better than it did last season.
Injuries are part of the picture, too. Brady Clough has played in only two games this season, and the defense has been without Bodie Kahoun and Syair Torrence.
Boston College now has two weeks before returning to action against Pitt on Oct. 17.
That game looms large. The path to four more wins and bowl eligibility still looks steep, especially with Notre Dame and Miami waiting at the end, but there is at least a case for believing this team can finish well enough to double last year’s win total.
In Other News...
Boston College Sailing Keeps Stacking Strong Finishes Across Busy Weekend
Boston College sailing kept itself on the move over a packed weekend, spreading its roster across four regattas and collecting another set of solid team results. The Eagles were in contention throughout the BU Invite, the George Warren Smith Trophy and the Danmark Trophy, while also getting a look at championship-level competition in the Women's Atlantic Coast Championship Round 1 B. Across the board, different skippers and crews contributed in the A and B divisions, giving Boston College a broad showing of depth as the fall schedule continues to build.
The most encouraging part for the Eagles is how often they stayed near the front while juggling so many events at once. There were strong finishes at BU and at George Warren Smith, along with a fifth-place effort at Danmark, and the experience in the women's conference qualifier added another layer to the weekend. For a program trying to keep momentum in a busy stretch, that kind of steady presence across multiple regattas matters just as much as any single result. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Tennis Built Real Momentum Ahead Of Its Next Test
Boston College womens tennis left the Harvard Fall Classic with a strong early-season foundation, using the three-day event from Oct. 2-4 to sharpen its doubles and singles play against a quality field. The Eagles posted a 6-3 mark in doubles and a 12-7 record in singles, the kind of balanced showing that suggests the roster is settling in nicely as the fall schedule starts to build.
Bella Camacho and Tola Glowacka formed one of the steadier pairs in the draw, and Camacho also turned in a spotless run in singles. The next chance to measure that momentum comes at the ITA Regional Championships at Yale next week, where Boston College will try to carry the same edge into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Boston Colleges Next Shot At Ranked Pitt Just Got More Real
Boston Colleges next chance to test itself against a ranked ACC opponent is now on the calendar. The Eagles will host No. 25 Pitt in Week 7 at Alumni Stadium, and the conference announced the kickoff time along with a batch of other league games for that Saturday. It gives BC a clear stage for a home matchup that should carry plenty of weight in the league race.
The Panthers arrive unbeaten and already off to a strong start in conference play, which only adds to the interest around this one for the Eagles and their fans. A noon kickoff creates an early window at Alumni, and with multiple other ACC games being set around the same time, the leagues Saturday slate is starting to take shape. For BC, the real question is how it will respond when another ranked opponent comes to Chestnut Hill. [Read more 🡒]