No. 19 Syracuse (8-3, 5-2 ACC, No. 20 CFP) at Boston College (7-4, 4-3), noon EST (ESPN)
Line: Boston College by 7.
Series record: Syracuse leads 31-20.
WHATS AT STAKE?
Syracuse was picked in the preseason to finish last in the Atlantic Division and can clinch second place behind Clemson with a win. Boston College has lost two straight to fall out of the AP Top 25 and can take a step back in the right direction with a victory. The Eagles are 5-1 at home heading into Senior Day.
KEY MATCHUP
The Boston College defense against the Syracuse offense. The Orange are averaging 40.6 points a game to rank 10th nationally, but QB Eric Dungey left last weeks loss to No. 3 Notre Dame with what was classified as an upper-body injury. Redshirt freshman Tommy DeVito replaced him and threw two interceptions and was sacked six times. BC is tied for third in the nation with 17 interceptions, seven by CB Hamp Cheevers, and the Eagles have two of the ACCs best edge rushers in Wyatt Ray (42 tackles, 9 sacks) and Zach Allen (56 tackles, 6.5 sacks).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SYRACUSE: Redshirt freshman place-kicker Andre Szmyt is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nations top kicker. Szmyt has made 28 of 31 field goals and is 51-of-51 on PATs this year. He is three field goals short of the FBS record.
BOSTON COLLEGE: Return man Michael Walker is the NCAAs active career leader in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage and ranks fourth in the ACC in all-purpose yards this season (120.9).
FACTS & FIGURES
Syracuse has scored at least 50 points in five games, the most in a single season in program history. … BC won the last meeting between the teams, 42-14 a year ago in the Carrier Dome. Orange CB Christopher Fredrick intercepted a pass in that game to start the teams current 12-game streak with at least one takeaway, the longest in the ACC. … Boston College QB Anthony Brown has thrown for 1,870 yards and 17 TDs. … A Syracuse win would give the Orange nine wins in the regular season for the first time since 2001. … The Eagles hold a 12-11 edge over the Orange in games played at Chestnut Hill.
No. 19 Syracuse (8-3, 5-2 ACC, No. 20 CFP) at Boston College (7-4, 4-3), noon EST (ESPN)
Line: Boston College by 7.
Series record: Syracuse leads 31-20.
WHATS AT STAKE?
Syracuse was picked in the preseason to finish last in the Atlantic Division and can clinch second place behind Clemson with a win. Boston College has lost two straight to fall out of the AP Top 25 and can take a step back in the right direction with a victory. The Eagles are 5-1 at home heading into Senior Day.
KEY MATCHUP
The Boston College defense against the Syracuse offense. The Orange are averaging 40.6 points a game to rank 10th nationally, but QB Eric Dungey left last weeks loss to No. 3 Notre Dame with what was classified as an upper-body injury. Redshirt freshman Tommy DeVito replaced him and threw two interceptions and was sacked six times. BC is tied for third in the nation with 17 interceptions, seven by CB Hamp Cheevers, and the Eagles have two of the ACCs best edge rushers in Wyatt Ray (42 tackles, 9 sacks) and Zach Allen (56 tackles, 6.5 sacks).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SYRACUSE: Redshirt freshman place-kicker Andre Szmyt is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nations top kicker. Szmyt has made 28 of 31 field goals and is 51-of-51 on PATs this year. He is three field goals short of the FBS record.
BOSTON COLLEGE: Return man Michael Walker is the NCAAs active career leader in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage and ranks fourth in the ACC in all-purpose yards this season (120.9).
FACTS & FIGURES
Syracuse has scored at least 50 points in five games, the most in a single season in program history. … BC won the last meeting between the teams, 42-14 a year ago in the Carrier Dome. Orange CB Christopher Fredrick intercepted a pass in that game to start the teams current 12-game streak with at least one takeaway, the longest in the ACC. … Boston College QB Anthony Brown has thrown for 1,870 yards and 17 TDs. … A Syracuse win would give the Orange nine wins in the regular season for the first time since 2001. … The Eagles hold a 12-11 edge over the Orange in games played at Chestnut Hill.
