Neither team in this matchup is where it wanted to be at this point in the season. Clemson had College Football Playoff expectations, and those have been all but dashed. Boston College was hoping for a step forward in Year 2 under coach Bill O’Brien. but the Eagles have regressed in many ways.
At least the Tigers are feeling good after a 38-10 blowout of North Carolina last weekend. Quarterback Cade Klubnik picked up some confidence with a 254-yard performance that included four passing touchdowns to zero interceptions. The downside was that the Tigers only mustered 2.9 yards per carry against the Tar Heels, so Klubnik’s arm may have to carry the load the rest of the way on offense. After a shocking 1-3 start to the season, Dabo Swinney’s team now has a prime opportunity to get back to .500 against a wounded Boston College team this weekend.
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While Clemson gained some confidence last week, Boston College got completely demoralized in a 48-7 loss to Pittsburgh. The Eagls’ defense got absolutely carved to the tune of 503 yards as Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for 359 yards in his first career start. The Boston College offense, meanwhile, put up just 216 yards as quarterback Dylan Lonergan struggled badly. The Eagles are now 1-4 on the season, and even just reaching a bowl game looks like a long shot.
As these two desperate ACC teams go head to head, here is everything you need to know about the matchup.
Where to watch Clemson vs. Boston College live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 11 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Alumni Stadium — Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
TV: ACC Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Clemson vs. Boston College: Need to know
Weakness vs. weakness: One interesting thing to watch in this matchup is the Clemson rushing offense against the Boston College rushing defense. It’s a bit of a movable object vs. stoppable force situation. The Tigers have averaged just 110.8 yards rushing per game, which ranks 13th in the ACC. On the other side, the Eagles’ rush defense ranks 14th in the league at 133.6 yards per game allowed. One team has to win this battle, and the one that does will go a long way to taking home a victory.
Lonergan has cooled off: Through his first three starts this season, Lonergan was on fire. He was averaging 330 yards per game with nine touchdowns to just one interception. In his last two starts, Lonergan is averaging 147.5 yards per game with no touchdowns and two interceptions. If the Eagles are going to get back in the win column for the first time since Week 1, Lonergan has to get back in his early season rhythm against a Clemson defense that hasn’t performed up to expectations.
Clemson looking to make it 13 straight: The last time Boston College beat Clemson was 2010. Barack Obama was in his first term as president, and “Toy Story 3” led the worldwide box office. Since then, the Tigers have rattled off 12 straight wins in this series, and they’re going for a baker’s dozen on Saturday. Boston College has come close to ending the streak with three one-score losses mixed in there, but it has been the same story for a long time. Finally breaking through against Clemson would be a good way for the Eagles to get their season back on the rails.
Clemson vs. Boston College prediction, pick
This is a tough game to pick because it’s hard to trust either side. On the one hand, Clemson looked much better last week, but that win came against a North Carolina program that has already had to issue a vote of confidence for Bill Belichick. The Eagles got absolutely torched by a freshman quarterback making his own start. Ultimately, I’m not sure Clemson was as good as it looked in Week 6, and Boston College wasn’t as bad as it looked. The Eagles are able to bounce back and keep this one within two touchdowns. Pick: Boston College +14.5
