Boston College’s defense has gone from a rough opening to one of the ACC’s more disruptive units, and that turnaround is the biggest reason the Eagles are walking into Georgia Tech with some real confidence.
After Cincinnati put up 34 points in the season opener, the early read on BC’s defense looked shaky. Since then, though, the group has answered with a far stronger stretch, one that has put the Eagles near the top of the conference in takeaways and in the mix nationally in a few key categories.
BC leads the ACC in interceptions per game at 1.33 and ranks second in forced fumbles with six. The Eagles have also allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league at 169.3 and are tied for fourth-fewest yards per play at 5.
They are also tied for the sixth-fewest yards allowed per completion in the nation at 9.77.
“We understood that the odds were stacked against us,” said linebacker Anthony Palano. “We just attacked it and attacked the challenge.”
That defensive growth will be tested Saturday when BC (3-3, 1-2) visits Georgia Tech (2-4, 1-2) at 3:30 p.m. The Eagles have already shown they can make game-changing plays, and last Saturday’s 27-21 win over Pittsburgh was another reminder. Safety KP Price delivered the kind of moment that flips momentum, snagging an acrobatic one-handed interception late in the first half.
Price’s season line has been remarkable: he is the only player in the nation with at least one forced fumble, three interceptions, and 46 tackles. He said the kind of havoc BC is creating matters beyond the stat sheet.
“That brings momentum, playmaking ability, juice to the team, to us and the crowd,” Price said. “We hear it. That’s what changes games.”
Price has not been carrying the secondary alone. Carter Davis, Marcus Upton, and Charlie Comella have all raised their production alongside him, giving BC more stability on the back end.
Palano has done the same at linebacker. He enters the week fourth in the ACC with 51 tackles and is one of five players nationally with at least 50 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions. His play has helped steady a linebacker group that has grown more effective as the season has gone on.
“We have confidence in ourselves,” Palano said. “We have some swagger to us.”
Up front, the defensive line has had more uneven stretches, but Demetrius Ballard and E’Lla Boykin have both produced 3.5 sacks and helped create more pressure than the unit managed a year ago.
Bill O’Brien pointed to first-year defensive coordinator Ted Roof and the rest of the staff for the turnaround, crediting the daily work on technique, strategy, and turnover creation. He also noted the group’s selflessness and the role of Jules Montinar and Matt Thurin in putting players in positions to make plays.
“I remember my first year here, we did a good job of that,” O’Brien said. “Last year, we didn’t get any, hardly. This year, it’s been back to what we believe we can be when it comes to takeaways.”
Even with the playmaking surge, BC still has work to do against the run. The Eagles rank 13th in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game at 159.5, and there have been stretches where opponents have pieced together long drives.
Georgia Tech brings a different kind of challenge. Quarterback Alberto Mendoza has guided a passing attack that owns the fourth-best completion percentage in the ACC at 70.5, but the Yellow Jackets are only 14th in rushing yards per game at 127.2.
BC will also have to adjust without running back Evan Dickens, who is out Saturday because of the injury he suffered against Pittsburgh. The Liberty transfer has 407 total yards and five touchdowns in six games. In his place, Bo MacCormack, Mekhi Dodd, and Nolan Ray are set to handle the load.
The Eagles also know what this setting means for them. They are 2-10 in road games under O’Brien, and Saturday gives them a chance to make a statement away from home.
“It’s really about sustaining it for the whole game,” Price said. “Starting good and finishing great.”
In Other News...
Boston College Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem It Didnt Expect
Boston College left Heinz Field with a win over Pittsburgh, but it also came away with an unexpected hole in the backfield. Evan Dickens, who had been part of the Eagles' running game rotation, is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury, forcing the staff to reshape its plans at a position group that suddenly got thin.
The timing makes it especially awkward for a team trying to keep its offense balanced down the stretch. Bo MacCormack III, Mekhi Dodd and Nolan Ray now become much more important pieces in the rotation, and the Eagles will have to sort out how much they can ask from each of them as they move forward without Dickens in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Faces A Bowl Push Test It Cant Afford To Flunk
Boston Colleges road trip to Georgia Tech comes at a moment when the margin for error is shrinking, and Bill OBrien is treating the Yellow Jackets like anything but a soft landing spot. The Eagles are trying to build on their recent conference win, but the matchup carries the usual ACC trap-game feel, especially with Georgia Tech showing enough talent on film to make its record a poor guide to what Boston College should expect.
A big part of that challenge starts on the perimeter and in the backfield, where Georgia Tech has playmakers who can stress a defense in different ways. Boston College will have to sort out a quarterback-driven attack while also handling a running game that may look different than it has in recent weeks, which makes the preparation tricky and the stakes obvious for a team chasing bowl eligibility. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Faces A Huge ACC Test It Desperately Needs To Pass
Boston College field hockey gets another steep ACC measuring stick this weekend as it returns home to face No. 16 California and Stanford. The Eagles are still carrying the sting of a loss to No. 10 North Carolina, a game in which senior goalkeeper Charlotte Kramer turned aside six shots to keep things competitive, and now the schedule brings two more ranked opponents to the doorstep.
The challenge only gets sharper because both visitors arrive with pieces that can stress Boston College in different ways. California brings one of the leagues most dangerous attacking options, while Stanford has leaned on strong work in goal, making this a weekend that will test the Eagles at both ends of the field and offer a clearer picture of where they stand in the ACC race. [Read more 🡒]