Heading into Thursday night’s matchup against Virginia Tech in Week 9, Boston College football sought a rebound. The last matchup saw the Eagles fall to Virginia, a game BC had led 14–0 early in the second quarter.
Despite being favored and backed with the added motivation to win following their crushing loss to Virginia, the Eagles quickly fell behind and let the Hokies score 28 unanswered points in the first half. Despite a three-touchdown third quarter from the Eagles to close the gap to just seven points, Virginia Tech quickly slammed the door shut and scored two more touchdowns to double up BC. The Eagles look to return to the win column in their nighttime, home matchup against Louisville on Friday night.
The Cardinals are coming off an intense shootout against the No. 6 Miami, which saw them lose 52–45. A failed on-side kick attempt let Miami run out the clock and stifle Louisville’s comeback attempt.
Who is BC playing?
Louisville
When is BC playing?
Friday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
How to watch?
The game will air on ESPN2 and BC Sports Network from Learfield on WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM.
Series History:
BC trails Louisville in the all-time series 7–9. Both teams have a winning record at home, with Louisville being 6–2 at home and BC winning five of eight matches on the Heights. Louisville has been the better of the two teams as of late, winning six out of the last ten total matches.
BC is on a one-game losing streak against the Cardinals and most recently lost to them 56–28 when the two programs faced off in Louisville, Ky. on Sept. 23, 2023. Thomas Castellanos threw for 265 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns, three coming in the air and one on the ground.
What to Expect From Louisville:
Offense
The Cardinals’ offense, led by offensive coordinator Brian Brohm, son of head coach Jeff Brohm, has once again produced a high-powered offense.
Louisville hired Brohm after the 2022 season, and it resulted in an instant boost for the offense, which saw its points per game jump from 26.92 to 30.71 from 2022 to 2023. The Cardinals have improved their offensive firepower by an even larger leap this season, as they are averaging 37.4 points per game, good for fifth in the ACC.
Texas Tech quarterback transfer Tyler Shough and Alabama wide receiver transfer Ja’Corey Brooks are paving the way for Louisville’s dominant offense this season.
The 6-foot-3 Brooks has made quite the impact for the Cardinals. He is 10th in receiving yards per game in the NCAA and second in the ACC, and is fifth in touchdowns in the NCAA and first in the ACC.
Shough has been equally as impressive, throwing 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The dynamic duo’s connection has fueled a passing game with the 11th most passing yards per game in the NCAA.
Isaac Brown is the leading rusher for the Cardinals and has totaled 564 rushing yards, good for eighth in the ACC.
Despite the infusion of new talent, expect senior offensive tackle Michael Gonzalez to provide leadership and playmaking for Louisville as he returns from his 2023 All-ACC season.
Defense
Brohm also brought along his defensive coordinator at Purdue, Ron English. But, the results have not been as positive for the defense as they have for the offense.
In 2022, opponents scored 19.15 points against Louisville. After English’s hiring, that number jumped to 21.29 in 2023 and then further increased to 24.29 so far this season.
Part of the reason has been the lack of turnovers for the defense. The team has only generated seven takeaways.
Tackling has also been an issue. Leading tacklers Stanquan Clark and M.J. Griffin rank in the middle of the pack in the ACC for total tackles, with 39 and 38 respectively.
The team’s leader in sacks is Tramel Logan, who has three. Ashton Gillotte has also been an impact player for the Cardinals along the defensive line, totaling two sacks and 18 tackles.
The Cardinals have not been particularly good on third down, allowing opponents to convert on 35.4 percent of their third down plays.
This year, Louisville ranks in the middle to bottom of the pack for most team statistics in the ACC. They are seventh in yards allowed per game, eighth for passing yards allowed per game, eighth in rushing yards allowed per game, and eighth in points allowed per game.
Outlook
BC’s matchup with the Cardinals will likely be a high-scoring affair, featuring a more rush-oriented Eagle attack and a high-flying Louisville offense. The Eagles’ ability to control Shough and maintain the amount of deep passing plays will be crucial to their success. Establishing their run game and limiting turnover will be critical as well for the Eagles.
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