-- Sept. 5, Northeastern
-- Sept. 12, Kent State
-- Sept. 19, at Clemson
-- Sept. 26, Wake Forest
-- Oct. 3, Florida State
-- Oct. 10, at Virginia Tech
-- Oct. 17, NC State
-- Oct. 24, at Notre Dame
-- Oct. 31, Central Michigan
-- Nov. 14, at Virginia
-- Nov. 21, North Carolina
-- Nov. 28, at Maryland
Everything BC could have wanted
Considering we already knew the opponents this is a dream slate for Spaz's first year. I think we get nearly every team when and where we want them. We don't deal with any awkward trips or Thursday night games. Seven games are at home. The toughest road game is at Virginia Tech, but we know we can win there (neutral fields with the Hokies are a different story).
Baby Steps
The best part of the schedule was BC's jostling to move Northeastern to the opener. It is not exciting but it is just what we will need with a raw QB and a first time head coach. There is no way BC should lose that game. Following Northeastern with Kent State is another confidence booster. We beat them in Cleveland with great D and bad QB play last year. This year shouldn't be any different.
Right teams at the right time
We get Clemson in the third week of September. Bad news is that it will be really hot. The good news is that Clemson's QB and coaching situation is as uncertain as ours. I love playing them early since they won't yet know what they can and cannot do with their QBs. Following that game we have a tough stretch. But four of those games are at home. We play Notre Dame the week after they play USC! Can it get any better? The Irish will either be coming off a huge upset or, more likely, trying to pick themselves up after another crushing defeat. Either way they won't be ready for us.
Big Finish
After the challenging October we get a bye, then close with a road trip to Virginia, North Carolina at home and on the road at Maryland. Writing this now in February, I have a feeling that all three of those teams will be struggling by the end of the season. We should be coming into our own as whoever our QB is will have a season under his belt. I think all three are winnable and should propel us into a bowl.
We have many question marks heading into the year, but this schedule will allow the team to grow and adjust. I'll spend a lot more time this offseason breaking down opponents and predicting the Ws and Ls. For now, I think BC and Spaz should be feeling a little better about what's ahead.
Posts
13 comments:
Not sure how much UNC will be struggling when we play them. The ND game looks like it could be an all out war. Looking forward to this year.
As a Clemson fan, I'm not that concerned about QB; that situation will sort itself out and with Spiller returning the QB won't be under too much pressure to do everything. The problems for Clemson, especially early in the season, will be O-line (Clemson's annual problem) and Safety. Clemson will likely be much more aggressive on defense and with 2 new safetys, I think Clemson will give up a lot of big plays.
Of course, if BC dominates the Clemson o-line like I would expect, it would take another Superman like effort from Spiller to win. Without Spiller ripping off 3-4 huge plays in the game last year Clemson would have lost.
at Clemson
at Va Tech
at Notre Dame
that doesn't make me feel like its all i've ever wanted for a first year HC w/a young QB
Spaz has gone into all 3 of those stadiums and come out with wins as a DC, so at the very least he knows what winning big games on the road looks like. That said, I think everyone in the BC family shares your QB concerns. How do I put myself at ease? I have faith that our running game will pretty good next year.
A Rookie HC and a (basically) rookie QB.
Sounds like the 2008 Baltimore Ravens. Or Falcons.
Speaking of Maryland, why is the ACC trying to force a rivalry with us. We have no bad blood, or reason to have bad blood.
But I won't complain, means a shorter road trip for me (I'm a Balt. Eagle)
I think Northeastern is one of the best possible FCS teams that we could schedule. Since the Northeastern campus is very close, and the two teams are big time hockey rivals, I think it's a lot better than scheduling a team like URI. I wouldn't be surprised to see Northeastern bring a good amount of fans like UMass did for our game against them a couple of years ago. Plus, they aren't a very good FCS team (I think like 2-10 last year?), so it's a lot better than scheduling a "good" FCS team like UMass or App. State, since those two could actually give you a scare.
I like the way these games fall too. Start off with some good teams that we should beat and then a few teams that, if we beat will boost our confidence and if we lose to will bring us back down to earth a little bit before starting what seems to be a pretty challenging October. The Notre Dame game this year will be a big one. As we all know the series is tied at 9 and 9 currently and a win will put us up above the Domers and give us even more bragging rights. This will be a good season and as a newly minted alumni come next fall, I'll be looking forward to some trips to Clemson and South Bend
the only problem is that with 4 of our last 5 games against non-Atlantic or ACC games, the early part of the season makes or breaks our season in terms of the ACC Atlantic.
I am not breathing easy with this schedule. I see BC losing at Clemson, too much speed for BC to handle. Another loss will be home to Florida State. Did you see their bowl game? They will have serious mo going into the fall. Va Tech on the road. Even with a great defense, we simply cannot stop Taylor. Notre Dame on the road. Weiss' phenomenal recruiting classes are coming of age. And, believe it or not, I think NC State knocks us off at home. They have a phenom at QB and we barely, and I mean barely, got away with a victory in 2008.
Still, that puts BC at 7-5, which should be enough to get us in a bowl. Not bad considering the tough schedule, a new coach and a green QB, not to mention replacing the entire interior of the defensive line. Injuries to opponents and a couple breaks and we could get to 9 wins. That would be a great season!
eagleboston....you are looking at the glass half-empty. ..let a little hope into your crusty eagle heart..
two points you make:
"I see BC losing at Clemson, too much speed for BC to handle. .....Notre Dame on the road. Weiss' phenomenal recruiting classes are coming of age"
too much speed!!!...c'mon now...that is like when dumb-dumb announcers say the BC 'golden eagles' play smart, but lack atheticism ... seems to be a subtext or code word for something else...but leaving that aside, its a bunch of bull. BC knows full well how to beat Clemson. And let us not forget that Clemson is THE biggest hype machine ever and they always falls short...
err, wait let me correct that. ND is the biggest hype machine ever. Weis sucks as a coach and should have been fired. The fat toad just can't motivate his four-star guys.. (remember what Raji did to that four-star guy last year.. great stuff!!)
ND will be no better than they have been in the past...their big-numbers bowl win over Hawaii was hardly impressive..
Hope and Change...its the new thing! Go EAGLES!!
mod34B,
Believe me, I want us to go 14-0 and win the national championship. I do my predictions based on what I think will happen pre-season. Pre-season predictions, including mine, are worthless but I'm bored and September seems a long way off. Usually, I way under-estimate BC's chances, so you can take comfort in that. Keep in mind, I did mention if the ball bounces right, we could be looking at a 9-win season. And I am not predicting bottom of the ACC like most of the "experts" in college football.
I still don't believe in Notre Dame as anything more than a fringe bowl team. Hawaii, statistically, was one of the worst bowl teams in the country last year (even at 9-3). Notre Dame hasn't had a statistically average game against a defense with a life since Brady Quinn's junior year. I just don't see it. Claussen may very well be a good quarterback (and I think he is and has a few good receivers), but the rest of the equation - coaching, o-line, running game, defense - just isn't there, in my opinion.
Clemson, I'm more worried about, but I still think it will be a close game. Their only established offensive player is Spiller. I can see us getting to nine wins, with eight being the over/under.
Clemson will be a tough trip, but the most important game for us will be FSU. They will likely be the favorite in the division, and if we steal that game, it should give us a leg up. With NCSt coming together, the Atlantic should be another tight race. @ UVA looks like it could be a stumbling point/wtf game.
Likely losses will be @ Clemson and @ Tech... the road team has one each game in the FSU series, and I have a gut feeling that streak has to end. Wake has had our number in the past, but they have lost a lot of talent the past few seasons. Maryland is way to hot/cold to read.
BC did everything correctly last season to get back to the title game. Less likely this season, but still within reach.
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