Shortly after the Atlantic Coast Conference announced its updated plan for the upcoming fall season, Boston College football released its new 2020 schedule. In accordance with the ACC’s revised plan, the Eagles are scheduled to play 11 games, two fewer than previously planned. All but one will be against ACC opponents.
While the largest change to the schedules is an increase in the amount of ACC opponents for each team, there are some ACC matchups that were cut from BC’s original schedule. Instead of playing games against NC State, Florida State, and Wake Forest, the Eagles will take on Georgia Tech, Duke, Pitt, Notre Dame, and Virginia.
The ACC’s plan also accounts for two bye weeks for each team, taking the place of the two games that were cut out of the schedule. BC is slated to play six of the 11 games on home turf, including matchups against North Carolina and Notre Dame.
As for who will be able to attend these games, there is still limited information. There is no guarantee of fans attending games, and ticket sales will be under the discretion and approval of state and local officials, per Senior Associate Athletics Director Jason Baum.
2020 Schedule (Note: Italicization denotes ACC play):
Sept. 12 vs. Ohio (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) *Home Opener
→ The Eagles kick off their 2020 campaign with their sole non-conference game of the season. This matchup remains the same from the original schedule in both its date and location, as BC was originally set to take on the Bobcats in its second game of the season. The Eagles haven’t faced Ohio since their first game in 1966, when the Bobcats came out with a 23-14 victory over BC.
Sept. 19 at Duke (Durham, N.C.) *ACC Opener
→ While in the same conference, the Eagles have only faced the Demon Deacons seven times since their first matchup in 1927. BC holds a 4-3 series lead over Duke after the Demon Deacons took a 9-7 win against the Eagles in 2015.
Sept. 26 – Bye Week
Oct. 3 vs. North Carolina (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
Oct. 10 vs. Pitt (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
Oct. 17 at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Va.)
Oct. 24 vs. Georgia Tech (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
→ While the Yellow Jackets have a decisive 7-2 all-time series lead over the Eagles, the teams have not met since 2016, when BC narrowly lost to Georgia Tech, 14-17 at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin. Only four of the teams’ nine games have come since the Eagles joined the ACC in 2005.
Oct. 31 at Clemson (Clemson, S.C.)
Nov. 7 at Syracuse (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Nov. 14 vs. Notre Dame (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
→ BC will host its longstanding rival just under a year after its crushing 7-40 defeat in Indiana last season. The Fighting Irish lead the all-time series 16-9 and have won the last seven matchups against the Eagles. Alongside former Fighting Irish player and freshly eligible quarterback Phil Jurkovec, BC looks to get its first win over Notre Dame since it shut out the Fighting Irish 17-0 in 2008.
Nov. 21 – Bye Week
Nov. 27 vs. Louisville (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
Dec. 5 at Virginia (Charlottesville, Va.) *End of Regular Season
→ The Eagles close out their regular season in Virginia rather than at Wake Forest as was previously scheduled. The Eagles currently hold an undefeated record against the Cavaliers, including a decisive 41-10 victory in their last matchup in 2017.
Featured Image by Jess Rivilis / Heights Editor
