Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/601719
GAME PREVIEW: BOSTON COLLEGE BY LOU SOMOGYI NO OFFENSE, BUT … The 2015 Boston College football team is like the five-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop who is batting .183. Seldom, if ever, in history will you see a team through 10 games rank No. 1 among 128 Football Bowl Sub- division teams in total defense … but also rank dead last in total offense. That's where the Eagles stood, which explains their 3-7 record. Entering its bye Nov. 14, the week before its en- counter with Notre Dame, Boston Col- lege was allowing only 236.5 yards per game and permitted just 11 touch- downs by opposing offenses (only Michigan had permitted fewer touch- downs on offense with nine). Conversely, on offense the Eagles were dead last with just 276.6 yards per game, behind 0-10 Central Flori- da's 278.6. Far and away, though, the number that stands out the most during the Eagles' 0-7 start in the ACC is their 8.0 scoring average in conference games. It also represents how misleading sta- tistics can be in the first few weeks of a season when most teams schedule a cupcake or two as a tune up early in the season. By opening with wins over a pair of Football Championship Series mem- bers — 24-3 versus Maine and a 76-0 annihilation of Howard — Boston Col- lege's 50.0 scoring average after two contests were the epitome of fool's gold. The reality of conference play then hit home, when the defense was able to keep games fairly competitive for a while, but the offense was about three flights below anemic. The Eagles were shut out in the con- ference opener versus Florida State Sept. 18, 14-0. Former Irish quarter- back Everett Golson passed for only 119 yards against the Eagles, and the second Seminoles touchdown came on a fumble return by the defense. The closest BC came to scoring was when it TOP STOrylineS Former Notre Dame offensive line/tight ends coach Steve Addazio (1999-2001) has struggled all of 2015 with finding some scoring punch for his Eagles. PHOTO COURTESY BOSTON COLLEGE