Good morning, Eagles Nation. Wednesday, October 21 is a relatively light day on the Boston College calendar, but the football program still has plenty worth circling after its comeback win over Pitt.
The biggest on-field takeaway right now is the defense, which has been piling up production in a way that puts it near the top of the ACC. Through six games, Boston College has forced 11 turnovers - eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries - a total that ranks second in the league.
The pass defense has been just as sharp on the numbers, allowing 169.3 yards per game, which is second in the conference and 18th nationally. Opponents are averaging five yards per play against the Eagles, tied for fourth-best in the ACC.
A few names have driven that work. Anthony Palano leads BC with 51 tackles and has also picked off two passes. KP Price has been especially active, leading the ACC with 29 solo tackles while adding three interceptions, including one this past weekend.
I think it's important to note however that BC has also played a backup quarterback (Rutgers), Maine, played two games in a monsoon, and the third string quarterback from Georgia Tech.
On the offensive side, Mason McKenzie keeps moving up the school record list. The sophomore has 444 rushing yards through six games, which puts him fifth all-time among Boston College quarterbacks in a single season. He passed Joe Marzetti’s 1966 mark of 381 yards during Saturday’s win over Pitt.
That same game also showed a different side of McKenzie’s development. He delivered his best passing performance of the season, going 17-for-28 for a career-high 295 yards.
After back-to-back rough outings against Virginia Tech and SMU, that kind of response mattered for BC’s offense. McKenzie has become a central part of the run game while still growing as a passer.
There isn’t any varsity action on Wednesday, but the weekend starts filling up fast. On Friday, men’s tennis opens at the UNC Wilmington Invitational, field hockey hosts California at 4 p.m., women’s hockey plays Cornell at 6 p.m., men’s soccer hosts Pitt at 7 p.m., volleyball takes on Virginia Tech at the same time, women’s soccer heads to Miami for an 8 p.m. matchup, and men’s hockey begins a two-game set at No. 4 Denver.
Football is back on Saturday, when Boston College visits Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network. The Eagles are 3-3 overall and 1-2 in ACC play.
Basketball news also has a BC angle tonight, with former Eagles star Quinten Post set to begin his third NBA season. Post spent his first two professional years with Golden State before signing with Memphis after the Warriors declined to match a three-year offer sheet worth up to $30 million.
Last season, the seven-footer averaged 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 67 games with the Warriors and knocked down 93 threes. Memphis is counting on that kind of floor spacing as it opens its season against Utah tonight at 8 p.m.
And on this date in BC history, the Eagles had one of the more memorable wins of the Jeff Hafley era. On October 21, 2023, Boston College beat Georgia Tech 38-23 in Atlanta after scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Thomas Castellanos ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, including a 43-yard score on fourth-and-one, while also throwing for 255 yards on 17 completions in 29 attempts. Kye Robichaux added 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Amari Jackson returned an interception for a touchdown.
BC finished with 563 yards of offense, rushed for 308 yards, and picked off Haynes King three times.
In Other News...
Boston College Showed Something Against Pitt That Could Change Everything
Boston Colleges 27-21 win over Pittsburgh offered more than just a needed conference victory. It showed a team that could absorb a punch, stay in it after falling behind by nine and still find a way to finish a game against an opponent that made everything feel difficult. Bill OBrien pointed to the Eagles preparation and execution afterward, and the broader takeaway was hard to miss: this was the kind of performance that can shift how a season feels.
Pittsburghs defense created real problems and kept Boston College from settling into a rhythm early, which made the response all the more important. The Eagles eventually found enough answers to turn the game, using key plays to swing the momentum and ride out the final stretch, but the bigger question now is whether this was a one-off gut check or the start of something more meaningful for a team trying to build on it. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Faces A Real ACC Momentum Test At Georgia Tech
Boston College heads into a trip to Georgia Tech carrying a little more confidence after picking up its first ACC win of the season against Pitt. For Bill OBrien, the matchup also brings a familiar backdrop, since he knows the Georgia Tech environment well from his time on the staff there, even if the task in front of his team is mostly about carrying over the poise it showed in its last league game.
The test is a real one because Georgia Tech has been trying to steady itself after a loss to Virginia Tech, with Brent Key making adjustments as the Jackets look to get back on track. Alberto Mendoza has also given Georgia Tech a passing threat that can change the feel of a game quickly, which means Boston Colleges momentum will be measured against a road setting that rarely gives much away easily. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Basketball Just Sent A Message Fans Have Wanted
Boston Colleges basketball push keeps picking up momentum, and the latest sign comes from a familiar regional foe. The Eagles and Providence have lined up a home-and-home series beginning in the 2027-28 season, a setup that will put the Friars at Conte Forum before the matchup shifts back across the state line the following year.
It is the kind of scheduling move fans have wanted to see more often since Boston College left the Big East for the ACC in 2005 and the rivalry went quiet. With Luke Murray now in charge and the program working to strengthen its basketball operation, this series adds another piece to the effort to make the Eagles feel more connected to the local college hoops landscape again. [Read more 🡒]