After a rout from New England rival UConn last Saturday, Boston College football head coach Bill O’Brien and the Eagles find themselves looking to upset a red-hot No. 19 Louisville in Kentucky on Saturday.
The Eagles struggled mightily against UConn, falling 38–23 even when the odds favored the Eagles by 1.5 points. The offense looked mediocre, with Grayson James starting over Dylan Lonergan for the first time this season. Meanwhile, BC’s defensive struggles continued, allowing UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano to pass for more than 350 yards and four touchdowns.
While the Eagles undoubtedly need a reset, there is no rest for the weary, as the Cardinals ride into Saturday’s game after upsetting then-No. 2 Miami last Friday.
BC is yet to win a conference game, and with two impending ranked matchups on the Eagles’ slate, that goal is looking harder to achieve.
Who Is BC Playing?
Louisville
When Is BC Playing?
Saturday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Where Is BC Playing?
L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, Ky.
Where To Watch:
ACC Network
Series History:
BC lost its last matchup against Louisville 31–27 after getting ahead 27–10 but collapsing in the second half. This will be the 18th matchup between the two programs, with Louisville leading the series 10–7.
What To Expect:
Offense
Louisville entered 2025 with fifth-year transfer QB Miller Moss, following the trend of Jack Plummer and Tyler Shough. Louisville’s offense only ranks one spot ahead of BC in ACC rankings in yards per game, but boasts the sixth-best points per game in the conference, averaging 34.
Louisville runs a primarily pass-based offense, led by future NFL draft pick Chris Bell.
Bell is in the top three in the ACC in receiving yards per game and is tied for the most touchdown receptions in the conference with six. The battered Eagles’ secondary will need to do everything to contain Bell, or this matchup will be another long game for BC.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Louisville’s ground game is almost as impressive as its passing game.
While the Cardinals do prefer to attack through the air, sophomore running back Issac Brown is averaging over seven yards per carry this season. With O’Brien announcing that Daveon Crouch will not return this season, Brown is set up perfectly for another big game on Saturday.
Defense
Louisville’s defense has been nothing short of dominant and may be the best one BC has encountered so far this season.
In all of the NCAA, Louisville ranks 10th in yards allowed per game—its defense gives up just 274 yards per game, which is the best mark in the ACC. The Cardinals also rank sixth in points per game.
If that is not convincing enough, this is the unit that recently held Carson Beck and his Miami offense to a meager 21 points.
Junior defensive lineman Clev Lubin leads the defense, ranking third on the team in tackles with 27 and a team-leading four sacks. Lubin and the Cardinals’ defensive front have been stifling opposing offenses.
Louisville’s secondary also presents a challenge for BC. Safety Antonio Watts has three interceptions this season, good for second in the ACC. The unit as a whole is the best ACC secondary in passing yards allowed per game, averaging 170. BC wide receivers will be hard-pressed to find gaps in a zone or separation from their man, and the Eagles may have to lean on their run game for the second week in a row.
Outlook
Louisville is just a better team than BC. They have a talent advantage on both offense and defense, and head coach Jeff Brohm has enjoyed much more NCAA success at Louisville than O’Brien has at BC.
For BC to upset the Cardinals in Louisville, they will need to pressure Moss, something the Eagles have struggled with all season. Moreover, whichever quarterback starts for BC must find the poise and precision that Lonergan showed at the beginning of the season.
If BC continues to make the same mistakes—fails to get pressure on the QB and trods out the same tired offense—there is no reason to believe this will be anything short of another blowout.
