Tag: boston college

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2025 Preseason ACC Predictions

A preseason prediction for all 17 ACC teams heading into the 2025 college football season.

Projected ACC StandingsComments

12-0		Clemson looks like a complete team that could be 13-0 headed into the CFP

11-1		Expect Kevin Jennings to take a bit of a step back this year but the schedule almost assures a really strong season.

10-2		Color me a bit skeptical of Mario Cristobal and Miami but the schedule is there to be a CFP contender.

9-3		The Haynes and Haynes combo is not to be trifled with. Brent Key seems to have finally found a roster that can compete for an ACCCG berth.

9-3		Manny Diaz proved me wrong last year. With a good transfer QB and soft schedule, they will make noise this year.

8-4		Offense should be really good. Defense — who knows?

8-4		Dave Doeren is usually able to pull together a solid squad every year but will that defense hold up after all the transfers?

6-6		Too much talent to be as bad as last year. Will the new influx transfers this year work out for them? Hard to pick anything but middle of the road.

6-6		Solid additions through the portal but Brent Pry is still the head coach.

6-6		Pitt and Pat Narduzzi are trending toward becoming a perennial 6-6 team.

5-7		Bill Belichick is a football genius but he doesn’t block, tackle or run the ball.

5-7		They have a great RB and that’s pretty much it. However, that may be enough to win 5 games with that schedule.

4-8		Tough schedule and not enough talent. Not a great combination.

4-8		Fran Brown might get a reality check in year 2.

4-8		Soft schedule might help them out a lot but ultimately they have to show they have become a better team when they hit the field.

3-9		Cal football looks lost at the moment. At least they have the #Calgorithm.

3-9		Tough schedule. Transfer losses. Interim head coach and a new AD trying to make his mark. Looks like a bottom-out season for Stanford.
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Boston College vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Virginia Tech finally looks like they are getting back on track. Flying to the West Coast and getting a 24 point win on the road is impressive. Now they need to prove they can take care of business like that at home.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall:36th
Offense: 44th
Defense: 42nd
Special Teams: 33rd

Boston College

Overall: 49th
Offense: 67th
Defense: 35th
Special Teams: 48th

Offense has been a bit of a struggle for Boston College this year. QB Thomas Castellanos has looked a little banged up this year so he hasn’t been his normal dual-threat self. A fully healthy Castellanos would give Tech a lot of trouble since we know they have issues with running quarterbacks. Luckily, in this game, it seems like Castellanos is less likely to run around as he has in the past. If the Hokies are able to stop the run, it’s unlikely that BC can put up big yards through the air.

Boston College is pretty stout defensively. They are one of the better run-stopping teams the Hokies will play this season. They also need to stop DE Donovan Ezeiruaku. He is a defensive end who likes to wreak havoc in the backfield. Tech needs to try to run the ball away from him and be prepared to block him in passing situations. Like the Stanford game, this would be a good game to get the run game going with Tuten and use play action to find open receivers downfield.

Boston College has had a good year thus far and been competitive in every game they’ve played. But if you look at the two most recent games, they look like a team that’s slowing down a bit. I’m not sure if that’s because of an injured Castellanos or if the wear and tear of the season is starting to catch up with them. Either way, Tech looks like they are starting to gain momentum at the same time that BC is starting to lose it. Especially on a Thursday night at home, I like the Hokies to take care of business like they did last year against Syracuse. Get things going early and ride that momentum to victory.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Boston College 17

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2024 ACC Football Preseason Predictions

This week we are doing ACC preseason predictions from our favorite Hokie podcast and Twitter personalities. We have preseason picks from Twitter personality OXVT (@OX_VT), Brian Seigla (@seigs5052) from the Boundary Corner Podcast, and Pete B. (@petebvt) from the Two Deep Podcast. We are also joined by ACC contributors Casey (Clemson) and Dirty Bird (Miami) with their picks for the 2024 ACC football season.

Treadmillhorse (@treadmillhorse)OX_VT
(@OX_VT)		Brian Seigla
(@seig5052)

11-1
11-1
11-1

10-2
10-2
10-2

10-2
9-3
9-3

9-3
8-4
9-3

9-3
9-3
8-4

9-3
8-4
8-4

8-4
8-4
8-4

8-4
8-4
7-5

6-6
8-4
7-5

5-7
7-5
6-6

5-7
6-6
6-6

5-7
6-6
6-6

5-7
4-8
5-7

4-8
5-7
5-7

4-8
5-7
5-7

3-9
4-8
3-9

3-9
3-9
3-9
ACC OPOYCam Ward, MiamiPreston Stone, SMUKyron Drones, Virginia Tech
ACC DPOYBarrett Carter, ClemsonAshton Gillotte, LouisvilleBarrett Carter, Clemson
ACC CoachDave Doeren, NC StateRhett Lashlee, SMUBrent Pry, Virginia Tech
Champ GameClemson / Florida StateClemson / SMUClemson / Florida State
ChampionClemsonClemsonFlorida State
Pete B.
(@petebvt)		Casey
(@FromSluggo)		DIRTY BIRD
(@dirtyyybird)

10-2
11-1
11-1

9-3
10-2
10-2

9-3
10-2
8-4

9-3
9-3
8-4

9-3
9-3
8-4

9-3
9-3
8-4

7-5
8-4
7-5

7-5
8-4
7-5

7-5
7-5
7-5

6-6
7-5
6-6

6-6
6-6
6-6

6-6
6-6
5-7

5-7
5-7
4-8

4-8
3-9
4-8

4-8
3-9
4-8

4-8
3-9
3-9

4-8
2-10
3-9
ACC OPOYKyron Drones, Virginia TechPhil Mafah, ClemsonCam Ward, Miami
ACC DPOYFrancisco Mauigoa, MiamiAshton Gillotte, LouisvilleRueben Bain, Miami
ACC CoachBrent Pry, Virginia TechBrent Pry, Virginia TechBrent Pry, Virginia Tech
Champ GameFlorida State / Virginia TechClemson / Florida StateMiami / Virginia Tech
ChampionFlorida StateClemsonMiami

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Boston College vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

That game against Louisville was a BEATDOWN. The Hokies were outclassed on offense, defense and special teams. It’s disappointing to have a no-show in such a big game but the goal for this season was always to make a bowl game. And that’s what the Hokies should focus on in these next three games.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 66th
Offense: 88th
Defense: 43rd
Special Teams: 17th

Boston College

Overall: 78th
Offense: 78th
Defense: 64th
Special Teams: 93rd


The key to stopping Boston College is to stop their run game. This year they are nearly a lock to rush for 200 yards every time out. They have a two-man offense with Thomas Castellanos and Kye Robichaux. The Hokies need to sellout to stop the run in this game. They should consider mixing in run blitzes to get the BC offense off-schedule. This is a game where if you get beat through the air, so be it. But don’t let them beat you on the ground.

The formula for Virginia Tech on offense is the same as Boston College. Tech needs to run the ball. This needs to be the Drones-Tuten show. Keep running read option and make the BC defense stop it. The goal needs to be to show a lot of motion and misdirection to keep the defense from keying in on one rusher. It may be a good idea to get Jaylin Lane involved in a couple of jet sweeps or reverses too.

What worries me most about this game is BC’s ability to get yards on the ground, no matter who they are playing. Virginia Tech has to show up ready to fill gaps in the run game and shut that down. If Tech plays like they have in the rest of their road games this season, it’s going to be a long day. They need to show that their run stopping abilities can travel on the road with them. A noon start at BC also has snoozer written all over it. The Hokies need to BYOE (bring your own energy) and be ready to play from the opening whistle. I’m going to go with Tech in this game. They can play better than they did against Louisville and it sounds like BC’s top two rushers might be a little banged up going into this game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 24

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2023 ACC Football Preseason Predictions

This week we are doing ACC preseason predictions from our favorite Hokie podcast and Twitter personalities. We are joined by @OX_VT, @PeteBVT from the Two Deep Podcast, Brian Seigla from the Boundary Corner Podcast, Dan (@Visionary_SZN) from the Tales from the Terrordome Podcast, @DriftVT from the @VT4L Podcast and Hokie Pharmacist from Main Street Pharmacy with their picks for the 2023 ACC football season.

Treadmillhorse (@treadmillhorse)
12-0
10-2
10-2
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
5-7
3-9
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearDrake Maye
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearPat Narduzzi
ACC Title Winner
OX_VT (@OX_VT)
10-2
9-3
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
4-8
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearBrennan Armstrong
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearBrent Pry
ACC Title Winner
Pete B. (@PeteBVT)
from the Two Deep Podcast
11-1
11-1
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearWill Shipley
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
Brian Seigla (@Seig5052)
from the Boundary Corner Podcast
12-0
10-2
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
5-7
4-8
4-8
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearDrake Maye
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
Dan (@Visionary_SZN)
from the Tales from the TerrorDome Podcast
10-2
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
3-9
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearBrennan Armstrong
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
@DriftVT
from the @VT4L Podcast
11-1
9-3
9-3
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
6-6
6-6
4-8
3-9
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearJordan Travis
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearMario Cristobal
ACC Title Winner
Hokie Pharmacist (@HokiePharmacist) *
12-0*
12-0
10-2
9-3
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
5-7
5-7
4-8
4-8
0-12

ACC Offensive Player of the YearGrant Wells*
ACC Defensive Player of the YearDrake Maye*
ACC Coach of the YearDave Clawson
ACC Title Winner

* See the full Hokie Pharmacist Twitter thread here:

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Boston College vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Brent Pry’s first game as head coach did not go as planned. It’s frustrating but it was a weird football game. Turnovers, penalties, and some questionable penalty calls. I’m not making excuses but the stats say Virginia Tech should have won that game more often than not. Either way, the Hokies have some things to cleanup and that starts this week.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 69th
Offense: 100th
Defense: 35th
Special Teams: 43rd

Boston College

Overall: 76th
Offense: 108th
Defense: 43rd
Special Teams: 106th

As bad as the Hokies losing to ODU was, Boston College didn’t exactly have a great week either. They dropped their first game to Rutgers after accumulating only 29 yards rushing. Phil Jurkovec also threw for 2 interceptions. The Hokies are going to need to keep Boston College one-dimensional again this week. They will also have to stop Jurkovec’s favorite target, Zay Flowers. Doesn’t is feel like he has been at Boston College for the last ten years? He’s a talented wide receiver and one that will look to do some damage on Saturday. If the rain in the forecast holds, that may slow down BC’s passing offense.

The Hokies offense had a multitude of issues on Friday. They took penalties. They turned the ball over. And the passing game did not look in sync at all. Those all appear correctable but one week isn’t a lot of time. My biggest concern last week was the wide receivers not finding any separation. This offense will not work with only running backs and tight ends. Outside of an injured Kaleb Smith someone else is going to need to step up. Unfortunately, this offense doesn’t have a ton of time to figure it out. This will need to be a learn-on-the-job moment for the Hokies young wide receivers. Grant Wells needs more targets to throw to.

One positive on Friday was that the running game worked pretty well. Keshawn King ran for over 100 yards and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. If he can handle the load, the Hokies would be wise to feed him the football on Saturday. Boston College gave up 212 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns to Rutgers on the ground. The Hokies need to pound the rock while they figure out their issues in the pass game. Grant Wells also looked pretty good passing out of play action last week. A strong running game benefits the passing game. This offense would be wise to establish the run early and often.

The Hokies aren’t as bad as they looked on Friday. They still have a lot to clean up but there were the signs of what could be areas of strength. The defense looked very good. The run game looked good. The issues were penalties and turnovers. If the Hokies can clean those up and continue to play stout defense, they should be in good shape. A return to Lane Stadium comes at a good time against a beatable Boston College team. But first the Hokies need to show that they’ve cleaned up some of their issues from last week. If not, it could be a long season. Hammer the under.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 24, Boston College 20

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Boston College Q&A with AJ Black from Eagle Insider

This week we are joined by AJ Black from Eagle Insider.

Tell us about yourself and your podcast.

My name is AJ Black and I’m the publisher for Eagle Insider, part of the 247 Sports Network. I am also the host of Locked on Boston College, the only daily BC podcast out there and you can listen to that on Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for Boston College this season?

Before Saturday’s game, I was pretty high on my expectations about the direction of the Eagles. I thought that their offensive line would be problematic, but had some faith that even with five new guys they would be serviceable and that would be enough to keep them competitive. Well, after Saturday’s loss to Rutgers, we got a first hand glance at how wrong I was. BC’s line was okay in the first half in pass protection, but once Rutgers dialed up the heat they fell apart in the second half, and the offense went with it. This is a major problem for the Eagles, and one I don’t see them fixing any time soon. 

What are your thoughts on the annual rivalry series with Virginia Tech being discontinued?

Given the three teams that Boston College ended up with, I’m fine with it. I was a student at BC during the ’07 and ’08 ACC Championship games and look back fondly to Matt Ryan’s heroics in Blacksburg, but I think the “rivalry” has run it’s course. Talking to multiple Tech fans and writers, there isn’t much juice left in it, so for BC getting three teams (Pitt, Syracuse and Miami) that they have history with is a fair trade off. 

How do you view the Virginia Tech program?

Love the hire of Brent Pry, and think he was a perfect fit for the culture and history that VT has put together. That being said, it probably will be a few years to get everything in order after a disastrous run with Justin Fuente. But if he’s given time, I think he will have the Hokies back to where they were under Frank Beamer in a few years. 

What are your thoughts on coming to Lane Stadium to play a night game?

Funny you ask this. On my podcast before the season and before the game time was announced, I had BC as a favorite in this game. But when I heard it was a night game, my expectations changed. Lane is a different animal at night, and ESPECIALLY given how BC’s offensive line has been playing, I think this is a perfect situations for the Hokies.

What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?

A bit of a mess? A low scoring affair, with mistakes on both sides. 

What’s your prediction for the game?

Given what I saw last week out of the Eagles, and the fact that VT lost to Old Dominion so they are going to be riled up at home and at night, going to go with VT winning this 24-14.

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Boston College Preview and Prediction

Virginia Tech’s loss to North Carolina was disappointing but not necessarily unexpected. UNC looked like the better team. But that game did raise a couple of questions. Could the Hokies have won if Hendon Hooker had started? What if the Hokies had their full roster of defensive players? What happens if Khalil Herbert gets more than two carries in the first half? The reality is that the Hokies got outplayed on defensive side of the ball. You don’t need to analyze it more than that. Anybody watching could see that.

SP+ Rankings

Boston College is a sneaky good team. This is the type of team if you aren’t ready for what they are bringing, they can get you. On offense, it’s a two-man show with Phil Jurkovec and Zay Flowers. There about as good a QB-WR combo as there is in the ACC. Boston College ranks 7th in the nation in passing offense. And Zay Flowers ranks 4th in the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He’s a talented player who you can expect to be playing on Sundays. The Hokies need to put Waller on Flowers to keep him in check. The good news is that BC is one of the worst rushing teams in the country. So if you can keep them from beating you through the air, they won’t beat you on the ground.

Defensively, they are solid all around. Not great but not bad either. This defense has kept BC in every game this year — including the North Carolina game. They should present some problems to a Hokies offense that has been moving the ball at will against everybody they’ve played this year. If the Hokies can stick to the balanced attack they’ve shown in the first three weeks, they should be in good shape against Boston College. It will be important to establish the run game with Khalil Herbert to open up the passing game over the top. The Hokies will need some contributions from their top receiving threats to move the ball against this defense. Tre Turner and James Mitchell need to have big games.

The Hokies are double-digit favorites going into this one, but the matchup looks closer than that on paper. The Hokies were obliterated in the run game against North Carolina. Will that happen against BC? Probably not. But they need to show that they have corrected a couple of things on that side of the ball. Next, can the Hokies stop the potent Jurkovec-Flowers combo? If Tech can get their full complement of defensive backs on the field, the Hokies stand a good chance of winning their fair share of those matchups. My biggest concern is Virginia Tech being able to stop the run. If the Hokies can show they can do that, they have a very good chance to win. But if Boston College is rushing for 5+ yards per carry, the odds don’t seem nearly as good. Put me down as thinking the Hokies bounce back this week defensively and have another good offensive performance.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 38, Boston College 28

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Boston College Preview and Prediction

The Hokies get started trying to bounce back from their first losing season since 1992. First up is Boston College. The Eagles have regularly given the Hokies trouble with a tough defense and strong running game. This year should be no different but this is a different looking Eagles team that the Hokies faced last season.

On offense, the Eagles return star running back AJ Dillon. Dillon is a player to watch and key to the Boston College offense. He is the type of runner who is difficult to bring down and is a threat to take it the distance if he gets some space or breaks a tackle. The Hokies young defensive line needs to bottle him up if they hope to slow down this offense. The best gameplan against the Eagles would be to stop the run and force Anthony Brown and his receivers beat the Hokies through the air. Tech will need to be prepared to stop the run sideline-to-sideline as the Eagles like to get their wide receivers involved in the running game.

On defense, the Eagles are breaking in some new starters. Only four starters from last year’s squad return. If the Hokies are to have success, they will need to challenge Boston College’s young secondary. This is an inexperienced group that the Hokies should be able to exploit with their senior quarterback and talented weapons on the outside. The Hokies need to hit on some big plays in the passing game.

Boston College had one of the least efficient special teams in the country last season. The Hokies should prepare to make some plays on special teams to take advantage of this matchup. This is particularly true in the first game of the season where special teams are normally not in mid-season form. There are some yards and field position to be had in the return game.

The Hokies have a talent advantage in this matchup. Boston College is normally a hard nosed team that is a tough out but the Hokies should have the horses to take care of business in this matchup. The key for Tech will be to not turn the ball over and the defensive line will have to keep AJ Dillon in check. If the defensive line is ineffective at containing the run, it could be a long day (see the Pitt game last year). This is a matchup where the Hokies have more weapons on offense and a defense that has played more snaps together than the guys on the other side. I see this as a lower-scoring game where we will see a couple gaffes on both sides but ultimately the Hokies come out on top.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Boston College 24 

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Boston College Preview and Prediction

This has been a very different kind of season for Virginia Tech. I can’t remember a season where the offense has been asked to carry the defense like they have this season. As I mentioned in my season preview, this defense was always going to be young and inexperienced. But you add on dismissals and injuries and this defense looks pretty thin at a lot of positions. Give this defense another year of experience and recruiting, I think things will be okay but for now hold on to your butts.

Virginia Tech

Overall S&P+ Rank: 55th
Offensive S&P+ Rank: 24th
Defensive S&P+ Rank: 91st 👀
Special Teams S&P+ Rank: 10th

Boston College

Overall S&P+ Rank: 38th
Offensive S&P+ Rank: 69th
Defensive S&P+ Rank: 32nd
Special Teams S&P+ Rank: 88th

This Boston College team is exactly what you expect from Boston College – great defense and a strong running game. AJ Dillon is going to be a handful. He’s is rated as one of the top running backs in the nation. He leads the team with 807 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. His physical running style will make life difficult on Virginia Tech’s defense. Expect him to get a heavy workload on Saturday.

Boston College’s defense is ranked 16th in Passing Efficiency Defense. Which means they don’t give up a lot thru the air. If you want to consistently get yards against this defense, you need to do it on the ground – something Virginia Tech hasn’t been particularly good at this year. This defense also wreaks havoc in the backfield piling up tackles for loss and sacks. This is a game where the Hokies need to avoid getting in long yardage situations. Watch out for Wyatt Ray coming off the edge.

This is another bad matchup for the Hokies. The Hokies defensive personnel are on the smaller end in size but they are quick. That can work against spread teams like Duke and UNC. But against teams that will line up and smack you in the mouth like Georgia Tech and Boston College – not so much. Since the Boston College is a more traditional, pro-style offense the Hokies will have more success than last week against Georgia Tech. But it’s still a terrible matchup and the Hokies will need to outscore Boston College to hope to win. Likely into the 30s, if not the 40s.

Prediction: Boston College 38, Virginia Tech 24