Boston College Eagles: Returning to action against ranked NC State

A little over three years ago, in early October, the Boston College Eagles were 4-1 and about to face no. 23 NC State. A good vibe surrounded those Eagles and hope was that a victory would enter them into the mix for ACC title contention.

Boston College fell short in 2018, losing to the Wolfpack 28-23 in a season that Boston College started 7-2 only to lose their final three games.

Here in 2021, Boston College is again 4-1 and jockeying for position in a wide-open ACC Atlantic Division. This October matchup is again taking place with a ranked NC State team (no. 22). A victory could keep the Eagles in prime position for a division title. A loss means Boston College will definitely have their backs against the wall.

The difference this season than in 2018 is that the Eagles welcome the Wolfpack to Chestnut Hill.

Boston College Eagles: Eyes on the prize

The two teams last met up in 2019, with Boston College walking away with a 45-24 victory. AJ Dillon and David Bailey ran wild on that day as they combined for 404 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

The quarterback on that day for Boston College was none other than Dennis Grosel. Grosel was 6-15 for 103 yards.

Boston College and NC State are two teams that are very similar in most aspects. Each is coming off a bye week, meaning they’ve had plenty of time to scout.

The Eagles are looking up in the standings. The good news is that’s after only one conference game, a close loss to Clemson. The Tigers are the only shared opponent between Boston College and NC State this season, with the Wolfpack picking up a home win, 27-21 in two overtimes.

Victory takes on more importance this week, as both teams are part of the group chasing the 6-0 and 16th-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Though it has been a chaotic college football season thus far, winning and looking out for yourself is always the best route to take.

Both the Eagles and Wolfpack will eventually get their shot at Wake Forest, but each isn’t until November.  Boston College closes out the regular season at home against the Demon Deacons, so definitely keep November 27 circled if victories continue for the Eagles and Wake Forest.

Boston College Eagles vs NC State Wolfpack: The skinny

The main factor in this game could come down to what the Boston College Eagles offense can do against the Wolfpack defense.

NC State is allowing less than 300 yards per game. The Wolfpack are stingy against the run, giving up only 92 rushing yards per game.

Enter Grosel. Hopefully.

Getting the sixth-year quarterback into a good rhythm is needed. Boston College has too many talented receivers and tight ends for the passing game to struggle. Grosel has been a bit up-and-down in 2021 and will need to connect on a few more big plays. He’s missed on a few deep passes, issues that have fixed can have big ramifications this Saturday in what could be a close game.

Pat Garwo III, who has been hauling the big loads in the backfield as of late, could see tougher sledding. With one of the best offensive lines in the nation, however, Garwo and company should be able to pass the century mark on the ground.

While the Wolfpack doesn’t rack up the sacks — only seven so far — they do excel on getting team’s off the field on third-down. Opponents have only converted 24 percent on third-down attempts. If Boston College can get that number to at least 40, the Eagles will be in good hands.

NC State averages 32.2 points per game while allowing 15.8, very similar to Boston College’s 35.2 and 16.8.

The Wolfpack bring a balanced offense to the game, averaging roughly 172 yards on the ground and 262 in the air. Quarterback Devin Leary has thrown for 1283 yards and 12 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

Boston College will have to find a way to get into the backfield, not only to slow the running attack but get some pressure on Leary. NC State has only allowed nine sacks this season.

Rested and healthy, Boston College will bring a lot of energy in this home game. It’s almost a must-need win for this squad if they want to keep ACC title hopes alive. Losing their first two conference games might be something they can’t recover from. If this game were on the road, it might be tough to predict a victory. But since it’s at home, Boston College should win a close one to keep their hopes full-steam ahead.