Prepare for Pinstripes?

Earlier Sunday, I had a twitter exchange with News & Observer ACC writer Joe Giglio. He was adamant that BC is going to the Pinstripe Bowl. Joe's logic makes sense. As he explained in his other tweets, both Florida State and Georgia Tech are going to major bowls. Even if the 'Noles lose, they will still make one of the tier one bowl that is not hosting a playoff game. With those two teams in elite bowls, the rest of the conference starts to slot into tiers. BC continues to make the most sense for the Pinstripe Bowl. We are close. We are a decent TV draw. We haven't been there before and we won't embarrass ourselves with ticket sales.

There is one catch though: Notre Dame. Even though the Irish went to the Pinstripe Bowl last year, they can still go this year. Even in down years, Notre Dame will sell more tickets and get a better TV rating than BC in the same bowl. What we have to hope for is that the Pinstripe Bowl doesn't select Notre Dame (based on future potential or another bowl winning the right to pick Notre Dame). Once the Irish are off the table for the Pinstripe, then BC becomes the most logical alternative.

The Pinstripe Bowl doesn't have much history, but I think it would be well received by BC fans. We would probably play a name-brand team and many of our fans could buy tickets.

I trust Giglio's got the scoop. Now let's hope no other team -- including ND -- screws it up for us.

BC controls Cuse in Senior Day win

Yet another weirdly paced game. But BC kept with the plan and worked their way to a win. This guarantees a winning season and hopefully improves our bowl prospects.  Congrats to the whole team on the accomplishment.

I am traveling Sunday so I don't know when I will have grades up. I will have some posts on Sunday though.

In-game comments post: Syracuse

You've had your turkey. You've put in the time with family. Now you need to plant yourself in front of the TV and watch BC's last regular season game. I am thankful for this season, but I will be a lot more thankful if we get the win today. Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on Twitter. 

Tweets of the Week

"We didn't come down here to be a bridesmaid ... We came down here to win." - Addazio

— Connor Mellas (@MellasHeights) November 22, 2014

Relive, watch & RT #HailMaryHistory from 30 years ago today when @DougFlutie became part of @bostoncollege lore http://t.co/B00091Xv4J

— BC Athletics (@BCSportsNews) November 23, 2014

Kudos to Alex Howell for coming graciously to presser when I know he didn't want to. That's what Eagles do. #Class #Gentleman #WeAreBC

— Chris Cameron (@ChrisMCameron) November 23, 2014

Scott Shafer on Steve Addazio/BC: I think they do it with integrity. They play a tough brand of football.

— ESPN ACC (@ESPN_ACC) November 25, 2014

Game Watches: Syracuse

There will be a bowl game and some potential opportunities with the Beanpot, but for now this is your last regular season game watch. Join the regulars or go an meet new people. If your local chapter is hosting a game watch, post it in the comments.

Chicago Game Watches
Nic and Dino's Tripoli Tap
1147 W Armitage Ave
Chicago

Finley Dunne's
3458 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago

Dallas Game Watch
Corner Bar
4830 McKinney Ave
Dallas

Denver Game Watch
Whittier Pub
2000 East 28th Ave
Denver

New York City Game Watches
Joshua Tree
513 3rd Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Brazen Fox NYC
106 3rd Avenue (at 13th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher's Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street
Phoenix

San Diego Game Watch
The Beer Company
602 Broadway St.
San Diego

San Francisco Game Watch
Shanghai Kelly's
2064 Polk St.
San Francisco

Washington, D.C. Game Watch
Irish Whiskey Public House
1207 19th Street Northwest
Washington, D.C.

Reminder: toy drive starts Friday

The Hockey team's annual Toy Drive starts Friday. Please bring a new unwrapped age appropriate toy to Conte. The drive will continue for the next few weeks for hockey and basketball.

Support the BC Men's Hockey Toy Drive!: http://youtu.be/mViUKvhBVUg

BC-Syracuse preview

Both teams come into this game in the middle of losing streaks. BC's feels a bit better because of how we played against Florida State. But none of that will matter Saturday. Syracuse might seem checked out, but give them a little hope and BC might be in for a dog fight.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Without BC's brutal loss to Syracuse ten years ago, there is no atleagle.com blog. That game crushed me like no other game before or since has. In the days that followed the Globe, Herald and Eagle Action all gave TOB a pass. I couldn't take it and decided I needed to vent. Since then, the blog has changed, BC sports have changed and so have my motivations for blogging. I don't know what the future holds for BC sports or this blog, but I appreciate all the feedback and support I've received over the years. Thank you.    

Three Simple Keys
1. BC needs to run for more than 250 yards. I am less concerned with Murphy running this week. I just want someone to run effectively Saturday. If we get that many yards on the ground this week, we will control the scoring and the tempo.
2. Don't ease up on the blitz. Long is still like a deer in headlights back there. BC cannot back off. Show him every blitz in the book. It will cause confusion with Long and their OLine.
3. Don't let the game come down to field goals. It is unfair to the kickers at this point. We cannot count on any of them. In my mind, anything outside the redzone needs to be four-down territory.

Gambling Notes
-- Syracuse is 10-12 all-time in Boston
-- BC has lost three of its last four to Syracuse
-- BC is 0-3 in ACC homes games this year
The current line is BC-11

Factoid
As you will probably hear during the game, Louie Addazio started his career at Syracuse. He transferred when his dad got the BC job.

Scoreboard Watching
I will be paying attention to all the SEC-ACC matchups. We heard all the Florida State bashing last week. It won't change perception, but it would help the ACC's standing with the Selection Committee if we sweep all the inter-sectional games this weekend.

I hope to see...
The Seniors get a good send off. I've already written about the challenges of playing this weekend. For those that do go, please get into your seats so that you can cheer on this group of Seniors. They were as critical for BC's turnaround as last year's graduating class.

BC is in trouble if...
We turn the ball over. We got lucky against Florida State. Multiple slips and lose balls were picked up by BC. We won't get that lucky again. Murphy needs to be careful with his exchanges and also avoid terrible passes into heavy coverage.

Bottom Line
There is no reason BC should lose this game. I think we overpower them from the start and put a team away for the first time in months. I also think the D holds 'Cuse to a few field goals in the redzone. It is a big win for BC and a nice way for the Senior class to finish their BC careers.
Final Score: BC 28, Syracuse 13

No Thanks

Reader Matt sent an email regarding Notre Dame's annual Thanksgiving trips to California (rotating between Stanford and USC). I had also been thinking about BC's Thanksgiving games. While we won't copy the Irish's west coast swings, I do think the Irish are on to something. I don't think BC should ever play home games Thanksgiving weekend.

The biggest problem with Thanksgiving weekend is that most students are gone. I know campus is still open and they are welcome to return, but changing flights or rides is always easier said than done. This is a problem every school faces, but for state schools, the majority of the student population is still close. BC -- like Notre Dame -- has students from everywhere. Even if the school made an effort to get students back early for Thanksgiving, it is just not going to happen. To a lesser extent, the holiday also keeps some of our fans from outside Boston from making the trip back. They are shopping or traveling or with family.

We've played away games on Thanksgiving night, but I don't think we can ever host one on Thanksgiving Day. Part of it would be competing with the local high school game rivalries and the inevitable challenge from our Newton neighbors. But even a unique game on Thanksgiving or the occasional Black Friday game doesn't gain much for BC. We have our best attendance on Saturdays. When things are outside the norm, our non-local fans again become an issue.

The ACC rivalry with Syracuse is now locked in stone. We will finish our season with the Orange every year, with games rotating between Syracuse and Chestnut Hill. This is our best hope of overcoming the Thanksgiving challenge. If this becomes a heated rivalry, maybe, just maybe, students, non-local fans and even some bandwagon fans will want to get back for the game. Until then just be glad when we finish the season in Syracuse. It is just one less game where our stadium looks empty on TV.

1984 team returns and other links

BC will honor Doug Flutie, Gerard Phelan and other members of the 1984 team during the Syracuse game. The game is about the Seniors, but I hope returning stars help attendance.

The Women's Ice Hockey team continued their undefeated streak by defeating Yale Tuesday.

This article on the lack of popularity BC Sports in Boston made the rounds Tuesday. At this point I am beyond caring. BC needs to market better, but winning big is the only way our bandwagon will ever get attention of the local pro sports fans.

A Syracuse blog took a look back on Addazio's relationship with Syracuse and what could have been with their hiring history.

This week matters

BC needs to win this week. A good coach wins this week. I don't need to rehash our history. No one needs a reminder of facing a struggling Syracuse team late in the season. Addazio's first two years have been better than I expected. But the job is not done. Here is why this game is a must win.

1. It ensures a winning season. Win or lose, BC goes bowling. But bowl games count in the W-L record. A 6-7 season would be losing and a setback. History won't remember the close losses. The narrative will be the losing season. If BC wins this weekend, the worse BC can finish is 7-6. That's not necessarily exciting but it supports the building narrative.

2. It shows that Addazio hasn't lost the team. In college sports, there is a sense of momentum. The guys are young and need direction. This team is on a losing streak. Addazio needs to restore confidence and restore belief. If the guys come out sluggish, it will be on the staff.

3. We are a heavy favorite at home. Our home record this year is disappointing. Some of that is due to who we played at home. But Syracuse is coming in reeling. Good teams have run on them. We should establish the run and put them away. Good teams and good programs win at home, especially as a favorite.

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Florida State

Emotionally most losses are easy to watch back. I am usually spent and over things by the time I hit play on my DVR remote. This was different. This game reinforced how close things were. We should have won this game. I am not blaming anyone. The team lost it together, but there were enough plays in all three phases that would have made a difference. If just one of those plays (a field goal, wrapping up Winston, a fumbled exchange) goes our way, we probably win.

Offense: B-

QBs reads are not exclusive to passing. I felt Murphy's reads on the zone option were just okay. He handed off a few times when the DE was crashing and/or unblocked. I also felt he should have kept it a few times when he was left with big holes. His passing was decent. The adjustment on the TD to Phillips was very good.

As a group, the running backs were great. Hilliman ran hard and looked like Montel Harris where he always fell forward another two yards when tackled. Outlow was also really explosive. His run when BC was pinned on the final drive was great. It was an example of making something out of nothing. Willis ran well. Rouse didn't do much, but had a great heads up play on the bad snap. Wofford was good blocking in the power I plus he caught a few.

The OLine was solid too. Although he didn't get called out on TV, I thought Vardaro had the best game. The leftside was really strong. Betancourt played well too. The announcers talked up Kramer and he probably had one of his better games. Gallik was solid and did a decent job with the slick ball.

I haven't mentioned Louie Addazio much this year, but he blocked really well. Bordner played well and provided the key block on Murphy's TD run. Darmstatter made a nice grab. Alston was good and I am glad he finally got the shovel pass inside.


I left talk for the Bordner pass in the overall section. Feel free to skip down there, if you don't want to talk about the other plays. I liked Day's approach. It was run heavy and started with between the tackles and used more counters and sweeps once we had softened them up. My biggest challenge wasn't with the runs. It was not calling enough runs for Murphy. Or giving him some rollout options where his choice is run pass. He's our best player and I feel like he should have had a few more carries.

Defense: B-

Wujciak played really well. He helped collapse the line and slowed things down between the tackles. He is really coming into his own this season. Kavalec and Mihalik were quiet, especially when compared to some of their games earlier in the season. Gutapfel looked good. Adebayo and Landry played fewer snaps and they were fine but not impactful.


It was a weird game for Keyes. I said he would be the key to the pass rush, but they didn't use him like that. He played a lot more coverage while Daniels and Strizak blitzed. He was decent in that role. When he did blitz he drew a holding call. Daniels was okay overall and stopping the run, but couldn't get to Winston. Strizak looked good, but also didn't close as much as we needed on the blitz. Duggan had a limited role.

Brown was really good. The INT was a bit about being in the right place at the right time, but overall he was very active and made a lot of important tackles. Asprilla played well, especially in coverage. Simmons was good. Moore got a little lucky in coverage, but sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Don Brown told the announcers that he has to blitz to get pressure. I understand and agree. He did mix it up a bit by using Keyes less (almost like a decoy). It created some pressure on Winston. Just not enough. But once again with the game on the line, the opposing offense moved the ball down the field. It's frustrating, but in this game, it didn't feel like a coaching or scheme issue. It felt like a talent one.

Special Teams: B

Howell's punting was good. His kickoffs were good too. His field goal miss was frustrating, but not terrible. It looked better than some of the other misses we've had this year. The conditions were not great either (just look at what happened to the nation's best kicker Aguayo). Knoll's kick was fine.

Willis had a decent kick return. Alston didn't get to do much on the punt returns. His one return was short and uneventful.

The kick and punt coverage was fine. Considering where it has been and going against Florida State, that was an improvement.

Overall: B-

Let's address the second Bordner pass. This seems like it will be the lasting memory of the game for some and a black mark against Day and/or Addazio. First, any gimmick in that situation is ultimately Daz's call. They clearly worked on it and Addazio is a former play caller. If he didn't like the call he vetoes it. Others feel like the play was too risky given what was on the line. Also, they don't understand the logic of a trick play when BC was successfully moving the ball on the ground. My justification is that we ran it on first down and third down with little success. Running on second could have been a challenge too. Ultimately what happened was an incomplete pass on second down. Would you be upset if Murphy had just thrown an conventional incomplete instead? I didn't love the call and thought the execution was iffy, but it still resulted in Murphy nearly catching the ball. If he brings that in, Daz and Day are heroes.

Overall I thought Addazio managed the game well. We stayed with our plan even as we fall behind. The team was motivated and mostly performed well. You might quibble with waiting on the timeouts during the final Florida State drive but we never stopped them. There is no good time to use a timeout if the other team keeps converting. The use and mix of kickers is less a strategy/management issue and more of a recruiting one. At this point Daz is just trying to mask the problem and use whoever makes sense in the given moment.

It was far from a perfect game or a perfect coaching performance. But Addazio continues to do most of the right things in these sorts of games. Eventually we will start to win more of them.

The bigger issue is we now are in the middle of the predictable losing streak. We need to soundly defeat Syracuse next week to prove the staff's ability to manage a season.

Addazio has the right attitude

It is still too early to tell if Addazio is the guy to break us through our glass ceiling, but at least he gets it. I don't like other people to speak for me, but this time the coach said it perfectly.

So close yet so far

Instead of writing our own story we helped the Seminoles repeat their story. The defending champions did just enough to win after getting a scare from an underdog. There were a lot of plays that would have made the difference.  I'm frustrated but still proud of the effort.

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades up late Sunday.

In-game comments post: Florida State

BC has nothing to lose. Well, almost nothing. If we don't come to play, we lose the chance to end the nation's longest win streak and pull off the biggest BC upset since 1993. I think we can do it. Let's hope the guys in the locker room come ready to play! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

Moral victory Holiday Tournament

The Puerto Rico Tip-off isn't some historic basketball event. It's a made for TV event like most of the others. However, I feel pretty good about how BC came out of this one. Thursday we won. Friday we lost to West Virginia, but lost in a close game and showed that we can hang with a pressing team. The refs botched this game for both teams, so the flow was off, nearly everyone got in foul trouble and it really made for ugly stretches. BC had its chances late, but turnovers and missed FTs were too much to overcome. I remain encouraged. Or at least more encouraged than I was after UMass. This team has more fight than they showed last week. Once healthy, I think we will be pretty versatile. Here are some other thoughts:

-- We actually played help D! Who knew it was possible? When WVU was in half court sets before the foul trouble, we actually controlled and limited shots.
-- Magarity is the key to breaking the press. He made some decent passes and seems to have a good understanding of where to go with it.
-- I worry about Hanlan's minutes...but he was strong at the end. Dudley used to play nearly 40 minutes a game. So did Troy Bell. I trust Olivier and Christian to figure out what works for them.

Tweets of the Week

Teams on the outside looking in at the college football playoff should relax. There will be a spot open. No way FSU beats BC this week.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) November 20, 2014

@JaredDudley619 I remember when you were tough - back in your college days.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) November 19, 2014

"For all the talk, the SEC West is not as great or a deep as we've made it out to be." - @JBradEdwards #CFBLive pic.twitter.com/SHypJVVXuC

— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) November 17, 2014

Have you read Jackie MacMullan's story on BC QB Tyler Murphy? No? What's wrong with you, go read it! http://t.co/DUjozyypqe via @ESPNBoston

— Jack McCluskey (@jack_mccluskey) November 21, 2014

11-19-1863: Lincoln's #GettysburgAddress. A BC tribute: http://t.co/YIgX3zNwaW

— Boston College (@BostonCollege) November 19, 2014

Game Watches: Florida State

We need all the positive energy and good vibes we can get this weekend. Join your fellow believers (and BC fans) at your local Game Watch.

Chicago Game Watches
Nic and Dino's Tripoli Tap
1147 W Armitage Ave
Chicago

Finley Dunne's
3458 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago

Dallas Game Watch
Corner Bar
4830 McKinney Ave
Dallas

Denver Game Watch
Whittier Pub
2000 East 28th Ave
Denver

Houston Game Watch
J.Black’s
110 S Heights Blvd
Houston

Los Angeles Game Watch
Sonny McLeans
2615 Wilshire Blvd

New York City Game Watches
Joshua Tree
513 3rd Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Brazen Fox NYC
106 3rd Avenue (at 13th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher's Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street
Phoenix

San Diego Game Watch
The Beer Company
602 Broadway St.
San Diego

San Francisco Game Watch
Shanghai Kelly's
2064 Polk St.
San Francisco

Tampa Game Watch
Beef O’Brady’s
4516 S. Dale Mabry Highway
Tampa

Washington, D.C. Game Watch
Irish Whiskey Public House
1207 19th Street Northwest
Washington, D.C.

Basketball gets solid win against New Mexico

My expectations for the Puerto Rico tournament were very low. I think they were even low for Jim Christian (since he inherited this commitment from Donahue). However the team played well in their opener against New Mexico. Like UMass, they took a lead in the first half. The difference was in the second half they hung on and Hanlan closed it out in the final minutes. Here are some other thoughts:

-- This was the type of game Hanlan should play every night. Aside from missing his free throws, he was very productive. My only other complaint is that he should dish a little more when Clifford gets in a mismatch on the pick and roll.
-- The team was still too sloppy. We have to cut down on the turnovers.
-- I am still trying to get a feel for the minutes. I was surprised that Magarity didn't get more time. I am surprised Clifford played so much (especially with a game tomorrow).
-- I like Brown's role and his D. I don't like his 3-point shooting. Hopefully those shots go to Jackson when he gets back.

Friday the team gets another test Friday against West Virginia. Let's keep it rolling.

BC-Florida State preview

Pass the Kool-Aid! Let's go buy some lottery tickets! BC's winning this weekend! Now I talk myself into a BC win every week, but this week I actually do think we are going to pull off a monumental upset. Is part of it me predicting Florida State's own luck might run out? Yes. Playing close games over and over is playing with fire in college football. Last year they dominated people. This year they are letting opponents hang around. That will cost them a game soon. But I also think the matchup is good for BC. It won't be easy. It never is. But if we play our game, this might be the biggest BC win in seven years. 

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)

I've written about this before, but I like sports for the escapism. Whenever the real world comes into the arena -- usually through tragedy -- I get uncomfortable. Because that intrusion is usually a reminder that the games don't really matter. None of this really matters. It is just sports. With the shooting in Tallahassee happening days before the game, it is another reminder that this doesn't really matter. I am sure the deaths will impact things to a certain extent -- the crowds' emotions, the players' concentrations. I will think about the people who died. But by Saturday night I will probably be more worked up by what happened on the field. I am not proud of that. I am just being honest.

Three Simple Keys
1. Stay with the run. Did you watch the FSU-Miami game? The Seminoles crowded the line to stop the run. They begged Miami to pass. I think they will do the same with us. However, I don't want to pass. Just keep running into the wall. Go jumbo. Use the sweeps. Do whatever, but rarely pass. Staying with the run controls the clock, the tempo and will result in a few BC scores.
2. Get Winston down. I am still frustrated that we let him get away a few times last year. He's not 100% right now. We need to bring pressure and we need to wrap him up.
3. Contain on the edges. Many of FSU's big runs the past few weeks have come outside the tackles. We need our guys to be disciplined and close off those lanes.

Gambling Notes
-- FSU is 3-7 against the spread
-- BC is 4-0 on the road this year
-- BC has not lost by more than 19 this year
The current line is BC+19

Factoid
We've never played Florida State this late in the season. This is the first time that we will be their last regular season ACC game of the year.

Scoreboard Watching
Our only remaining opponent after this is Syracuse. I am hoping Pitt crushes them, just so they are totally checked out next week.

I hope to see...
A clean Special Teams game. I don't expect to win the game with a Special Teams' play. I just don't want to lose because of a shanked kicked or a long return.

BC is in trouble if...
Murphy doesn't keep it at least half the time on the options. He's our best runner and we need him keeping it...even if FSU is waiting on him to keep it. I trust him to make a few guys miss.

Bottom Line

BC doesn't need to play the perfect game to win. We just need to play our game. It is critical that BC sets the tone and establishes our style of play. Trying to pass on them is a mistake. Playing back in coverage is a mistake. Just be ourselves. I think BC takes an early lead, builds off a few FSU mistakes and hangs on in the end.

Final Score:  BC 24, Florida State 21

Guest Blogger: Tomahawk Nation

This is a similar setup to last year. Florida State enters the game undefeated and among the nation's top ranked teams. We know the big names. We know what to expect. But things are not always that simple. FSU has not rolled over opponents this year. Winston is not the center of college football and their defense is not suffocating like last year's unit. To get a better feel for the defending National Champs, I asked Dylan from the Florida State blog Tomahawk Nation some questions. His answers are below.

1. Winston has been a lightning rod of excitement and controversy for the past two years. How do Florida State fans view him at this point? Do you think he leaves for the NFL after this season?

Tomahawk Nation: I think there are differing views on Jameis even within the FSU fanbase. There are some for whom what has at times been an out-and-out witch hunt (see: fabricated autograph “scandal,” fabricated point-shaving “scandal”) has galvanized them into fierce defense of Winston. There are others who are just tired of what seems like an endless stream of embarrassing stories, and unfortunately are somewhat looking forward to his departure from Florida State’s program. It’s a shame that a generational type of player is viewed in this way by some of his own fanbase and hated by much of the country, but that’s the modern college football climate in which we live. I absolutely think he’s leaving for the draft after this season. He gains nothing by staying and is absolutely NFL-ready as a player. He reads the middle of the field and makes throws with anticipation and accuracy into tight windows like nobody else does.

2. Last year was historically dominant. This year has seen the team fall behind over and over. Do you view it as the team losing its edge? Not having the same talent? Other teams adapting?

TN: It’s a combination of a lot of factors. First of all, it’s taken a while, but I think we’ve finally gotten to the point where most of the FSU fanbase realizes that comparing this team to the 2013 team is not a wise thing to do. That team was the pinnacle, probably the best that Florida State has ever fielded. Though the ‘Noles returned a significant amount of talent this season, they also lost a bunch as well, and this team just isn’t 2013 quality. It’s tough to replace Kelvin Benjamin, Kenny Shaw, and a bunch of studs on defense that played so well together last season. Another thing we were and are concerned about is the replacement of senior leadership and football IQ, particularly on defense. Lamarcus Joyner, Telvin Smith, and Timmy Jernigan have proven extremely tough to replace, particularly in those two areas. I don’t think it’s necessarily that the team has “lost its edge,” but leadership may well have been lacking in the off-season and in practice, causing a drop-off in preparation. FSU also hasn’t fared nearly as well with injury luck, which was absurdly good last season. The ‘Noles have battled major injury issues at almost every single position. I think another part of it is that FSU has faced a tougher slate of teams to date, particularly at the quarterback position. 2013 FSU didn’t face a group of quarterbacks like J.W. Walsh, Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Everett Golson, and Brad Kaaya. These factors, along with general inconsistency, have led to the ‘Noles playing in much closer games in 2014. I don’t think the media would be of such a critical perception had the 2013 ‘Noles not been such world beaters and had gone like 9-3, but if that’s one negative effect of having such a dominant team a year prior, I think all FSU fans will take it.

3. Do you think a one-loss Florida State team (to either BC, Florida or the Coastal winner) would make the College Playoff?

TN: Funny you should ask, as I’m writing this about an hour after the College Football Playoff rankings were announced on Tuesday night. I think my answer here is a pretty clear no. Sitting at third right now, I just don’t see any way the Seminoles would be able to survive a loss to BC, Florida, or Duke/GT and return to the top four. I’m someone who puts a lot of stock into advanced metrics rating systems like Bill Connelly and Brian Fremeau’s F/+, which currently have the Seminoles at 10th in the nation, but I also have difficulty reconciling this with my intuitive valuation of winning games. Advanced metrics don’t really see wins and losses, just performance. So while the ‘Noles haven’t played too impressively against whom they’ve played by those numbers, I do think that the SEC is being overvalued while FSU’s schedule is being undervalued, even when opponent-adjusted like F/+ is. FSU opponents have suffered major losses to key players after playing the ‘Noles – OK State lost its starting quarterback for the season, Deshaun Watson has missed a lot of time for Clemson, and Louisville lost its QB for the year the week after playing FSU. Obviously FSU is getting everyone’s best shot, and Fisher said recently that he’s talked to opposing coaches who spent major parts of their off-seasons scheming for the FSU game in particular. It’s an interesting situation developing in the first season of the new playoff, but Florida State will need to keep winning to have a shot at the title.

4. What is your prediction for the game?

TN: Florida State has played a similar type of game for most of this season. A sluggish start, likely including a few turnovers, and several big plays allowed. This either leaves the ‘Noles trailing or in an uncomfortably close game against an overmatched team. Sooner or later, FSU has found a way to flip the switch and take control of the game, though the final results aren’t always aesthetically pleasing. Every week, some ‘Noles fans declare that this is the week that FSU finally puts it together and plays three or four complete quarters of high level football. While hoping it will eventually happen, particularly down the stretch here in November, December, and January, I don’t have any reason to believe that switch is going to be flipped until I see it. So I’ll say this one is more of the same. BC can run the ball and is coming off of a bye week, and I’m sure Addazio will have some shot plays drawn up for Tyler Murphy to try to pop a few plays against the Seminoles early. FSU also is coming off of an emotional win at Miami and has Florida on deck. I’ll call it an ugly 33-23 Florida State win.

Prepare for more BC disrespect from the Selection Committee

BC is not in the National Championship hunt. We know that. The team knows that. Anyone who can look at the ACC standings knows that. Yet we will become a focal point of the Playoff Selection Committee next week. Regardless of how we perform against Florida State, just playing BC will be used against the Seminoles' candidacy.

I believe we will win this weekend. That win alone will be used to oust Florida State from College Football's Top Four. Even if they beat Florida and win the ACC Championship, the media and committee narrative will be that "but that loss to BC..." Losing to BC will be seen as a worse loss than any of the one-loss SEC teams, one-loss Oregon and one-loss Big XII teams. It will probably be viewed as a worse loss than Ohio State's loss to Virginia Tech...a team BC beat! Part of it is perception. We are a nice team, but not a traditional power. Our little engine that could is not respectable compared to the big bad SEC. There is also a bit of Florida State bias. The Committee will be glad to get Winston and Co. out of the picture for a while.

I don't think an undefeated Florida State team would be leftout, but God help them if they barely beat us. "How is this team in the Top 4?" You'll hear. "They barely beat BC at home!" It is coming. Even a Florida State romp would receive qualifiers. "They remained undefeated, but they were facing BC while Team X was facing..."

I think the Playoff is a step in the right direction, but the format and limit to four teams only enhances old biases and the Old Boy Network. The Committee is going to reward the SEC and teams that lost early because they are part of the establishment. They were the type of people who created this narrative nonsense. Just look at how they are all twisting their logic around to correct the TCU-Baylor mess.

Ultimately this thing needs to be eight teams made up of mostly automatic qualifiers. Florida State needs to be in because they won the ACC -- even with a loss. Yet I don't think that will happen. And it will be because the 'Noles lost to the wrong team -- BC.

Cuse kickoff time and other links

The ACC announced that BC's game with Syracuse will be a 12:30 start. It is considered a regional game and carried on most of your regional affiliates. (Probably similar to the same station lineup that carried Wake or NC State.) It will also be BC's Senior Day. While I would have preferred a national slot on one of the ESPN networks, at this point I just want BC to avenge last year's heartbreak to the Orange.

The spread of the BC-Florida State game is now up to FSU-20. But as this betting column noted FSU has faced inflated spreads all year and are only 3-7 ATS.

Hanlan made the preseason Wooden list. Based on the first two games, the team and Olivier will have to improve to remain on the list.

UMass hammers Hoops

The UNH game seemed like a good start. Sunday's tough loss to UMass was probably a wake up call. Maybe we are not going to be that good. The first 30 minutes seemed like a continuation of UNH. BC played good D, Hanlan got his points and BC controlled. The second half was a disaster. I felt like Christian let things get away from the team in the second half, but even after timeouts the guys did not respond. Here are some other thoughts:

-- We desperately need a second scorer. The let Hanlan do it all philosophy worked for the first 20 minutes. After it didn't. No one rebounded and no one hit open shots. It was ugly. What disappointed me most was when Hanlan drove there was rarely anyone near the basket to rebound or ready for a quick pass.
-- Trouble with the press.  18 turnovers. The worst part is that we didn't get the occasional easy basket in the second half. The passes were sloppy and at times guys were getting in each other's way.
-- Missing free throws. It would have made the game closer and changed the pace a bit.

Next up is New Mexico in Puerto Rico. I hope they work out the kinks. I still believe the pieces are there. The guys just have to figure out how to play together.

FSU gametime set

Shortly after Saturday's action, ABC/ESPN announced that Florida State will host BC in the 3:30 ET timeslot. The game will be mirrored on ABC and ESPN2. Many -- including me -- expected a primetime game if Florida State beat Miami. Maybe the scheduling gurus sense some Seminoles fatigue. Despite our struggles against Louisville and Florida State's ability to bounce back from any deficit, I am optimistic about this game.

Hoops handles UNH

The Jim Christian era started in the most important way -- with a win. Other than the "W" though there is not too much to go against a bad UNH team. Things started sloppy but eventually BC controlled in the first half and maintained that lead most of the second half. Here are some other thoughts:

-- There is a noticeable increase in defensive effort. Six steals, more ball pressure and decent rebounding made a difference.
-- Cold from 3. BC only made one from downtown. With Jackson hurt and Rahon gone, I don't think we will be as consistent from 3, but I am glad we still attempted a good amount. We know Hanlan and Heckmann can make them. Let's hope Brown starts making his.
-- Clifford moved well. He didn't dominate but looked healthy. Last year in his limited appearance he seemed gimpy. I couldn't pick up on any of that during his 20 minutes last night.

Last year, the frustrating OT loss to Providence set the tone for the entire season. This game wasn't the same sort of test, but it is a good start for the new regime.

BC also produced a highlight package for the game. Hopefully this becomes a regular occurrence.

Hockey snaps losing streak with win over Michigan State

Nothing helps a team's (and its fanbase's) confidence then picking up a big road win. Hockey defeated Michigan State 3-2 Friday. The win was York's 501st at BC. The victory ties him with Snooks Kelley for most at BC. 

BC will look to turn this win into a streak when they take on UMass Friday.

Tweets of the Week

Massachusetts @AirNatlGuard #F15 #flyover passes by the @BostonCollege campus: https://t.co/qBEyDlJQh4 #BostonCollege #SoaringtoGlory

— BC Student Services (@BCstserv) November 13, 2014

Thank you to the service men & women, past and present, who sacrificed to protect our country & freedoms #VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/Jxe7cjcJON

— BC Athletics (@BCSportsNews) November 11, 2014

We can still do something special now, and finish the season off the right way. We want to play well and win games. -Murphy

— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) November 9, 2014

A philosophical basketball preview

Jim Christian doesn't have a set style. He's not married to any offensive or defensive philosophy that he must stringently implement regardless of his players or opponent. Given his talent this year, that's probably a good thing. If he's smart, he will just give the ball to Olivier Hanlan and get out of the way. 

Hanlan is a versatile offensive player with the requisite skills, speed and build to be a great player. He will be the best player on the court in most of BC's games this year. His talent alone should carry the team to 14 wins. But it is not always that simple. Hanlan couldn't carry last year's team to 14 wins. But the reason for my optimism is that I believe Christian is smart enough to put the pieces together and maximize this group of players.

Hanlan as the offense instead of Hanlan within the offense

For all of our frustrations, Steve Donahue ran a consistently efficient offense. The scheme wasn't dependent on any one player and allowed flexibility in tempo that should have enabled BC to compete with anyone. We know it didn't. But not only did the team not win enough, there were many times where it felt like the movement and patience restricted what the players could be. Think of how many first halfs we had where Hanlan was a non-factor. He would start the offense but never see the ball again. He could drive to the basket at will, yet instead we would eat clock looking to move the ball around the perimeter. In this new era I expect Christian to allow the players more freedom. Hanlan can score if it is there. The offense will also start with him driving and creating instead of waiting. The offense won't be as statistically efficient, but the mindset and aggressiveness should help in the win-loss column. 

The other guys will get their moments, but it will be as complimentary players off of pick and rolls or kick outs. And as long as they adapt and understand, they should be fine.

Defense, defense and more defense

Christian is also not some defensive whiz, but we cannot get any worse. There was very little effort or emphasis put on defense in the old regime. Now practices are defensively focused. Now guys like Owens and Brown will get minutes based off of their D. And then there is Dennis Clifford. Even if he will never be what he once was, he hasn't shrunk. Adding a legit 7-footer will impact rebounding and other teams' ability to score in the paint. Clifford wouldn't have been enough to save Donahue's job, but he will make Christian's life easier this season.

Survival instinct

When I was underwhelmed by the Christian hire, I wrote that he feels like a place holder. He's never been anywhere that long and seems like he has limited upside. My thoughts on him haven't really changed, but I think he is the type of guy who will work in this transition year. He's not looking to build something long-term. He doesn't do long-term (he even transferred during his playing days). He's a pragmatic basketball guy who will put the pieces together and install enough basics that our team will be consistently competitive and never terrible. Is that the type of program that will win championships or inspire fans? Probably not, but he's smart enough to keep getting hired. And if he wants to be marketable after BC, then it will be about letting Hanlan, a few transfers and some flawed big men do what it takes.

On the change in attitude and defense alone, I think BC wins 14 games. If Hanlan really gets going we could be .500. If I am wrong about Christian's upside (and even Clifford's upside) then maybe we become a bubble team. Regardless, I just hope for a fun season.

Non-BC fans tell BC fans to relax about Hockey

BC fans know that the Hockey season kicks into high gear after around the Beanpot. Win there and it leads into the Hockey East tourney and then the NCAAs. The early part of the season should be about finding out what works. However, this year is off to a really rough start. I don't know enough about college hockey to say what's wrong. These guys from SB Nation's Hockey blog think it is a depth issue. They also think that BC can and should still compete for championships. Now it is just about being patient. In Jerry we trust.

Winston hearing moved and other links

While I hoped that FSU would be No. 1 going into the BC game, I wasn't going to shed any tears about Jameis Winston's issues impacting the game. Originally he had a disciplinary hearing that week. Now the hearing has been moved. Barring injury or some other issue, Winston will play against BC.

Incoming BC lineman Wyatt Knopfke made first-team all Sunshine State Athletic Conference.

Get your Longest Yard references ready. Burt Reynolds will plant the spear for Florida State prior to our game with the Seminoles.

Matt Milon received a lot of attention for signing with BC during the Early Signing Period. Christian's other commitments also signed. 

Bates says a lot of nothing and other links

Brad Bates gave very similar quotes to his hometown paper and to the Globe to say that he's happy at BC. We've read a million job denials in college sports only to see the denier take a new job days later. Is this different? I don't know. The fact that he felt the need to speak to two regional outlets makes me think that nothing is imminent. There is no pressure on any AD to comment on a job. He's not out recruiting or trying to hire a coach. Maybe he's getting ahead of the story knowing that Michigan is going in a different direction. I don't think any BC will truly know if Bates is staying until there is a new AD in Ann Arbor.

Hockey's struggles continued as they lost to Harvard 6-3 Tuesday night.

Syracuse.com produced a fair preview on the Basketball team. I am a little more optimistic about our upside than they are.

ESPN put out a feature on Murphy. I feel like they had it ready prior to his rough game Saturday since it doesn't really get into that slight setback. But it is nice to learn about more about our QB. Let's hope he ends the season on high note.

Goaltender Brian Billett left the Hockey team for undisclosed reasons. Alex Joyce joined the team in his place.

Root for FSU this weekend

ESPN/ABC put two games in their six-day scheduling holds, which means we won't know the start time of BC-Florida State until Sunday. Since we are not playing this weekend, the decision on start times really comes down to who wins the Miami-Florida State game this weekend. If Florida State wins then BC will likely take on the Seminoles in a prime time slot. A bad FSU loss would probably move the game to a ABC earlier on Saturday. I don't really care about when we play. I think it is important for Florida State to win this weekend because of what it means for BC and the ACC.

The College Football Playoffs haven't even started and are already generating controversy. Who's in and who's out is a big deal. For reasons ranging to TV money and recruiting, the ACC needs to have a representative. If Florida State wins out they are a lock to make the mini-tournament. If they lose, the ACC might be shut out of the first playoff.

But I am also not suggesting BC lie down for the betterment of the conference. I want Florida State to be No. 1 and undefeated when we play them. If any team is going to play spoiler, let it be us. Ending their winning streak and ruining their season would bring major attention to BC and to what Addazio is doing. While the ACC would take a hit, BC's recruiting and fan support would improve.

Even if Miami upsets FSU, the game could still be in prime time. That would be fine, but the whole thing would feel a bit like a let down. So go 'Noles. I want to beat the best at their best!

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: Louisville

If we still had a shot at the division title, every BC fan would be agonizing over this loss. As poorly as BC played, it was still winnable. Louisville did not play all that well either. That doubles the frustration. I am not going to say the sky is falling though. This was more a case of all our issues coming together at once.

Offense: C-

This was Murphy's worst game as an Eagle and it wasn't just the INTs. His decisions on the options weren't great either. There were some huge holes open if he had kept the ball early. The passes and some of the decisions were obviously really rough. His few runs were decent. We just needed more of them. Wade saw a full drive. The game was over so we cannot read too much into it, but the passes were decent.

Hilliman didn't look hurt and showed nice burst, but didn't have explosive plays. Willis and Outlow didn't get enough touches to break a big play or be big factors. Wofford had a huge day. He had big catches plus did a good job blocking.

The WRs and Tight Ends were decent. Alston made some big plays. Darmstatter made a huge play. Bordner blocked well. There weren't a whole series of terrible drops. Crimmins made some nice plays.

During the game it felt like the OLine was terrible. They actually looked somewhat better watching it back. Betancourt had the best game of the group. Gallik was okay, but didn't get enough push. Kramer got called for a critical hold and in general was pushed around. Vardaro was not great. Silberman struggled too and continues to have problems with speedy guys.

The offense had some nice new wrinkles -- like the passes to Wofford and Darmstatter. We also saw an effort to get Alston involved. And there was some aggressive pass plays. However, we didn't do enough of what works best. I pointed out Murphy's issues, but sometimes it is simple and falls on the OC to make him do certain things like keeping the ball on the zone read or using more power runs. Louisville is a good defense and Murphy struggled, but overall this was not a good day for Day. We needed more quick scores and didn't get it. We also could have used some long extended drives at points and also failed.

Defense: C-

They didn't bring enough pressure but the DLine was BC's best unit again. Wujciak did a good job of moving the line and getting some penetration. Landry looked better. Mihalik made some plays. Moore lost contain a few times. Adebayo was fine. Kavalec wasn't as disruptive as he has been in other games. Gutapfel was okay.

Daniels made some plays, but had coverage issues like many of the others. Keyes was just okay and didn't make enough plays. Duggan played a little and looked slowed. Strizak was okay, but missed some tackles and got called for pass interference. Milano looked okay while getting more snaps. Strachan also made the most of his extra time (but did miss a tackle).

Simmons got picked on by Parker and the announcers, but I actually don't think he was terrible. I would have preferred to see Asprilla cover Parker a bit more, but Simmons just got beat by a really good playmaker. Asprilla had the best game of the DBs. Brown was active tackling but his coverage wasn't always tight. Moore was okay. Sylvia was fine, but we already knew about his coverage issues.

When online folks start pointing fingers at the coordinators, I tend to be a Don Brown critic and a Ryan Day apologist. This was not a good game for the Defense, but for the first time in a while, I don't think it was a scheme/play calling failure by Brown. I think this was a game where they targeted our weaknesses. Our back seven are not great in coverage and it showed. Guys were running free or often beating our guys in one-on-one matchups. Brown mixed things up a bit but zone or man really didn't matter. If Pitt was due to sloppy tackling and Colorado State was due to not mixing things up on passing downs. This was just getting beat.

Special Teams: F

It sounds like a knee-jerk reaction or me just being an angry blogger/fan, but there is a solution to the kicking problem. We've seen it this bad before. If you have someone that cannot make an extra point then you find someone on the team or on the campus who can. These are some of the 85 best athletes at the school. Many of whom did multiple things in high school. Someone on that roster can make an extra point 9 out of 10 times. Find him. 

The blocked punt killed all of the remaining BC momentum before the half. It was terrible blocking and even the design looked off (with only two back there). 

The only special teams highlight was Willis' returns. But those were a by product of Louisville scoring over and over again.

Overall: C-

Sh*t happens. I like to think that when it comes to BC sports, I have a pretty good feel of when a game gets sideways on us or when things are really falling apart. The only thing that worried me after this was Louisville's last score on Bonnafon's run. That was the first time where I really felt an Addazio team stopped fighting. The game was pretty much over already, but that still stuck with me. I am probably reading too much into it, but we'll see.

The Special Teams issues were already noted, but the whole useless possession at the end of the half was a killer. Being aggressive is the right thing to do. Get one more score. And BC moved the ball a bit but wasted time and plays with penalties. That left them in a no man's land of leaving Louisville time. Addazio only helped by calling a timeout. And then there was the block. It was not a text book two-minute drive.

Aside from the mistakes and the issues late, the whole team seemed off from the start. It wasn't a good night for anyone. I am glad we have an extra week to prepare for FSU. Everybody needs it.  

Crushed by the Cards

In my preview I wrote that we were playing with house money. It doesn't feel that way when we lose. We are not good enough to have an off night and still win. We also have no hope of winning if Murphy doesn't play well...and he didn't. There is a lot to digest. I will have my thoughts and grades up late Sunday.

In-game comments post: Louisville

On a cold, dark knight, just after the full moon, two birds met near the woods by the old reservoir...

Ok, it is probably too late to still be doing Halloween stuff, but I thought I would put a different twist on things. This should be a good game. It is strength vs. strength. Let's hope our guys pull through. Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

Tweets of the Week

Meanwhile, Steve Addazio has done another terrific job. Not many expected BC to have 6 wins after 10 weeks. His team has a defined identity.

— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) November 1, 2014

Those aren't fans in tents at WVU, that's student housing. #mountainfolk

— Chadd Scott (@ChaddScott) October 31, 2014

When I was a kid I swore I would always be the guy giving out full-size candy bars on Halloween. Yet another unfulfilled dream.

— Kris Atteberry (@tteberry) October 31, 2014

St. Ignatius in the #Halloween spirit. #Jesuit (Photo by @MCHeadmaster) pic.twitter.com/Vj90q9tIAi

— Boston College (@BostonCollege) October 31, 2014

What Addazio's proven is that if your a RB recruit or a Dual Threat QB. You should seriously consider Boston College.

— Mike Loyko (@NEPD_Loyko) November 1, 2014

Game Watches: Louisville

Back in prime time and on a roll. What a perfect time to watch the game with other BC fans!

I heard from a Philly area fan that he went to the Game Watch and there was no one there. I only post what is either emailed to me or listed online. If you have questions about what your chapter is doing, please reach out to the local chapter president. It has been my experience that most are more than happy to help.

Chicago Game Watches
Nic and Dino's Tripoli Tap
1147 W Armitage Ave
Chicago

Finley Dunne's
3458 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago

Dallas Game Watch
Corner Bar
4830 McKinney Ave
Dallas

Denver Game Watch
Whittier Pub
2000 East 28th Ave
Denver

Houston Game Watch
J.Black’s
110 S Heights Blvd
Houston

New York City Game Watches
Joshua Tree
513 3rd Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Brazen Fox NYC
106 3rd Avenue (at 13th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Philadelphia Game Watch
Fox & Hound
1501 Spruce St.
Philadelphia

Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher's Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street
Phoenix

San Diego Game Watch
The Beer Company
602 Broadway St.
San Diego

San Francisco Game Watch
Shanghai Kelly's
2064 Polk St.
San Francisco

Washington, D.C. Game Watch
Irish Whiskey Public House
1207 19th Street Northwest
Washington, D.C.

BC-Louisville preview

Now we are playing with house money. We are going bowling and have exceeded most people's expectations. But I don't want to stop. I don't think Addazio is content to stop either. With that in mind, BC needs to come out fired up Saturday night. This isn't a must win, but a win would be one more big boost to the program.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
In one of my spitballing posts years ago I thought BC might have been a good landing spot for Bobby Petrino after his Arkansas fiasco. I knew then that it would never happen, but I still don't know if we should ever write off any coach (in any sport) due to baggage. All hires have their issues. The nice thing about people with baggage, is that most of us know the issues up front. If you can manage around them and the coach is willing to adapt to BC, it can work.

Three Simple Keys
1. Don't abandon the power runs. With Hilliman dinged up, BC might try to do more on the edges or even pass. That's a mistake. The OL handles the power stuff well. It also sucks in the defense and creates other things. Let Willis and Outlow run between the tackles if necessary.
2. Bring more pressure than ever. In both their road losses (UVA and Clemson) Louisville's QBs were flustered and sacked. That's how you slow them down. BC cannot ease off or play back.
3. A big game from Keyes. It feels like feast or famine with him. We need a big game and no missed tackles and no bad penalties.

Gambling Notes
-- Petrino is 29-21 all-time on the road
-- Addazio is 2-3 as a home underdog while at BC
-- Addazio is 7-6 in ACC games
The current line is BC+3

Factoid
BC and Louisville played three times when both were independent. The teams played twice when Louisville was an independent and BC was part of the Big East. During the last matchup, Louisville was a member of Conference USA and BC was still in the Big East. This is the first game when both are in the same conference.

Scoreboard Watching
There is not one game that has huge consequences for BC. However, three of the ranked ACC teams (Clemson, Georgia Tech and Duke) all have conference games. From a ACC respectability standpoint, it would be best if none of them trip up this weekend.

I hope to see...
The defense dominate the 4th quarter. Do the other teams adjust to our blitz? Are our guys tired? Is it the offenses fault? It doesn't really matter. Too often the opponent is able to move the ball late and make these last few wins tight. I don't want that to happen this week.

BC is in trouble if...
Murphy is really hurt. After the limp at Lane, many commented and noted that he's been gimpy in the past and always managed to recover. I hope so. I hope I am just reading too much into it. If he cannot move well, BC will have trouble moving the ball.

Bottom Line
I am not comparing our talent to Florida State, but the Louisville-Florida State game was telling to me as the late 'Noles scores came on the ground. I think we will do the same thing. Like last week, Day needs to remain patient and the big plays will come. It will be a back and forth game, but a few long TD runs in the 4th seal it for BC.
Final Score: BC 28, Louisville 24

Murphy dinged and other links

We all worried as Tyler Murphy limped to the goal line on his 4th quarter TD run. He's been gimpy at other times this season too. Addazio is admitting to a "thigh bruise." So far there are no indications he won't be ready to run against Louisville.

Wednesday night's hockey game with UConn is not a big deal from a regular season standpoint. However, it is a big deal for UConn hockey and former BC assistant Mike Cavanaugh. When York retires Cavanaugh will obviously be a candidate to replace him. A lot depends on how he does in Connecticut.

The Cousy Award added Hanlan to their watch list. BC will have to win a lot of games for Hanlan to win national awards, but I do think he can make first team All ACC.

Big winner: Damien Woody

If you've watched ESPN the past week, you probably noticed Damien Woody's return. He's been in TV seclusion since June while he competed and filmed the NBC show The Biggest Loser. Because of the ongoing nature of the show, he cannot reveal the final results of his weight loss, but it is clearly significant. Many former football players struggle with their weight after their playing days are done. I am glad to see Woody take control of his. This loss will clearly improve his healthy and has already helped his media career.

Finally time to start talking bowls

I've avoided too much bowl talk because for fear of it being premature. Now that we've become bowl eligible, I'm comfortable stoking the speculation a bit.

For most of the season, the ESPN folks slotted BC to Detroit or St. Pete. More recently focus shifted to the Pinstripe Bowl. Now Fox's Stewart Mandel thinks BC could rise as high as the Music City Bowl. While I am personally excited by the chance to see the team in Nashville, I am not fooling myself into thinking BC is ever going to be a local bowl committee favorite. Given that we are always in the also-ran bowls, these are my priorities for bowls:

1. Good destination for the players. This is still their reward. Good weather and good activities should be our priority. Of this year's realistic crop, the Bitcoin Bowl is probably the best destination. However, it would mean being away from home on Christmas.
2. Opponent. A Power 5 team is always preferred. It generates incremental interest and legitimacy the game.
3. Proximity to BC fans. While the attendance at Gillette was encouraging, I still have doubts about our fanbase travelling to any BC bowl. The Pinstripe would be a good test of that prejudice. The Milatary Bowl might get a decent BC contingent.
4. History of the bowl. Most of these games have been thrown together in the last ten years by a few locals and ESPN. The older, more established second-tier bowls offer a little history and aren't always looking for BC to buy tickets. That happened last year with the Independence Bowl. The same thing might happen this year if we get selected for the Sun Bowl.

We cannot play our way into the playoff or even the Big Six New Year's Games. But that doesn't mean that winning out won't make us more desirable. Now let's go out and shake things up and see where we land!

How good is BC's Offensive Line?

In most of the pregame previews of BC, announcers and writers will note BC's veteran Offensive Line and point to the unit as the team's key for success. The Oline has been good, but is not an all-time great OL crew by BC standards. They are probably not even as good as last year's line. The fact that we are playing as well with this group is a credit to the coaches and to Tyler Murphy (who is making them look pretty good).

Virginia Tech played heavy run all day and it made things feast or famine with our offense. The line did okay with their overloaded numbers but still had some problems with the Hokie speed up front. As I mentioned in my review, there were plays when the line looked great and others when they didn't. As a whole this group is not as consistent as great OLines should be. For a group that is not asked to pass protect much, they are pretty good at it. Rarely when Murphy drops back does the pocket collapse. They also haven't missed many blitzes. They move pretty well with the pulling. The bigger issues tend to be winning at the line, getting to the second level with consistency and speed guys on the edges.

Gallik will probably earn All ACC honors. He's been good, but the award will also be in part due to reputation and wanting to reward BC's offense. Silberman looks all conference one week and then average the next. With a few more good games, he might get some conference honors. The rest? Probably not. I also don't know how much NFL talent is in this group. Gallik will probably get drafted, but the others all look like potential Undrafted Free Agents. In my opinion, the best Lineman we had this year was Harris Williams. His injury hurt, but his 6th year will be a good foundation for next year's line.

If I were to rank this group among the other BC offensive lines during the last 20 years, I would put them behind all the Henning lines, the early and middle TOB lines, last year's OL and the Jags lines. I would put them ahead of TOB's final season (which had a shaky interior line) and the final two Spaz seasons.

This all might seem like whining while we are still winning. I am not trying to be negative. This group is a reason for our success. However, I think they are being coached up and supported by the guys in the backfield. If everyone else wants to chalk it up to "OLine U," that's fine. I just want us to keep on winning.

Brown talks and other links

BC posted a candid video of basketball transfer Aaron Brown at one of the team's practices. There's not a whole lot of action shown, but it is a different way to become more familiar with Brown.

The basketball team scrimmaged Rutgers over the weekend and won. Every coach treats these sorts of games differently so don't try to glean too much from the pseudo game. I am just glad Clifford looks healthy.

The ACC named Manny Asprilla its Defensive Back of the Week.

This is from last week, but I failed to mentioned that BC remains one of the leaders in graduation rates.

Don't forget about "Tales from the Boston College Hockey Locker Room"

If you want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping, consider giving out copies of Tom Burke and Reid Oslin's "Tales from the Boston College Hockey Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Eagles Hockey Stories Ever Told." The book is ideal for any BC Hockey fan. It is available at the BC Bookstore, Conte, Amazon and all the usual book sellers.

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: Virginia Tech

Addazio continues to surprise in the best ways. For a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve and chews out any official within reach, he stays remarkably calm when BC is down. Down early and he's composed. Blow a big lead and he seems engaged, not stressed or defeated. It is not what I expected and I think it makes for good game management. I hope Addazio is with us a long time and keeps winning because I am going to feel stupid for this fawning if this all falls apart.

Offense: B

There were a few people who commented that Murphy should have done a better job throwing away the ball, but that's nitpicking in my opinion. Any time he was caught for a loss, it was usually because of some poor blocking. His percentage wasn't good but I thought he threw the ball pretty well. His overthrow of Phillips on the open post was the only costly mistake. His decisions on the option were very good -- including Willis' TD.

Willis didn't get a ton of touches but made the most of an open hole. He's not the power back and hasn't been as explosive this season, but I still think there is a lot for him to do. He's our best in the zone read. I don't understand playing Hilliman so much if he's hurt. Outlow looked strong as his sub.

Alston made a nice catch. He wasn't able to break a big one on the sweep. Bordner's 4th quarter catch was huge. He blocked well too. Callinan blocked well and held on for his TD. Phillips had a nice catch. McClary dropped a catchable ball.

The Offensive Line was not great. Part of it was VT stacking things, but they weren't consistent as a group. Silberman seemed to have problems with their speed. So did Betancourt. The interior guys were better but still had trouble. Kramer gut blown up in one of the short yardages. It wasn't all bad though. There were some good pulls and the jumbo group was solid.

VT invited us to pass and we stuck with the run...and it was the right call. I thought the approach and the adjustments were good. I thought it was smart to go heavy jumbo in the second half and that led to Murphy's final TD and a long pass to Bordner.

Defense: B-

Once again I thought the DLine was the best unit on the Defense. Moore had his best game and got good penetration. Mihalik played well. Wujciak sacked Brewer and had good pursuit throughout. Adebayo played well too. Kavelec wasn't as active.

Daniels had a great game in run support. His coverage wasn't as good. Keyes brought pressure but also missed a few chances. Strizak was good and Duggan is looking better.

Asprilla made multiple plays in coverage. Brown had his most productive day too. Simmons was good but not as active after getting dinged. Yiadom played well.

I don't know why QBs get better against us in the second half. It is not because we go stale or vanilla. Brown still brought pressure in the second half. But the OLine and Brewer adjusted and did a better job of picking it up. That led to BC not being able to get off the field on 3rd or 4th down. The Defense has come a long way but I still don't feel comfortable with a lead.

Special Teams: C

Allowing VT to gouge us with a fake punt was terrible. Addazio took the blame for it himself in the postgame. Our regular coverage on punt and kick returns also allowed big plays again. I don't know why this is such an issue.

Howell is our special teams at this point and of course he's inconsistent. Many of his punts were perfectly placed but he still had some short ones. His kickoffs with the wind were good. And his field goal was huge.

Willis nor Alston did anything special with their respective kick and punt returns. Dudeck nearly took a knee with his return.

Overall: B+

This is another game where the overall grade is better than the individual parts. Even though this was not a great (or even good) Virginia Tech team, it was still an ACC conference win on the road in Lane Stadium. That counts for something. It was also a game that saw us display the right amount of patience and the right amount of aggressiveness.

As I mentioned in the Special Teams section, the only real mistake Daz made in managing the game was not being ready for the fake punt. Otherwise he used the clock and timeouts well and didn't lose faith when we fell behind. In fact kicking the field goal was a gutsy call that turned out to be the right one.

I didn't think we would get to six wins by now. This team is overachieving again and that only happens when a coach is doing a good job.

Bates had the best seat in the house

Sometimes when you score a TD, you're greeted by fans or teammates. On Tyler Murphy's final TD drive, he ran right into BC AD Brad Bates. Not a bad way to end the day for either guy.

Thanks to Mod34b for the GIF.

It's never easy, but BC is bowl bound again

I don't like the trend of winning sloppy and winning ugly...but I love winning! BC pulled out another close one in Blacksburg to become bowl eligible for the second-straight season. Many BC fans feel bowl eligibility is a low bar as far as season goals go, but we cannot overlook where things were just two years ago. The story of this game was familiar. Murphy carried the team and everything else was wildly inconsistent. The D would make a great play and then look terrible. Special Teams would pin them deep in VT territory yet fall for a fake punt. The offensive line would open a hole and then look like they were slipping on banana peels. There's a lot to improve.

But winning on the road in conference is still an accomplishment and this team can still finish strong.

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades up late Sunday.

In-game comments post: Virginia Tech

The weather forecast for Blacksburg looks terrible. I remember another bad weather day in Hokieland a few years back. That ended well. I don't need the same dramatics now...just another win. Leave your thoughts and comments on the game below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

500 BC wins for York

Just before the Eagles eat, cap'n Michael Matheson presented Coach York with his 500th win puck at BC. #InYorkWeTrust pic.twitter.com/Hr1TL46vsp

— BC Hockey (@BCHockeyNews) November 1, 2014

Last night Jerry York picked up his 500th win as BC Coach. The win is yet another reminder how lucky we are to have him as a member of our community and leading the hockey team.