BC-Louisville preview

The season is lost, but now it is about doing something – anything – positive. We are purely spoilers at this point. I hope O’Brien approaches each game with nothing to lose. We need to take big risks, play whoever is showing any spark and hope for a miracle.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
I spent a lot of time this week discussing O’Brien’s job security on twitter. He’s safe and should be. It is not because he’s done a good job this year. The record covers that. I think he should be safe because it would not be fair to Father Butler to take on a coaching change in his very first days on the job. Beyond our internal issues, this coaching cycle would be a terrible time for BC to find a new coach. Multiple elite programs are looking which hurts our chance at lucking into someone good. Also, I think the new leadership needs to raise more money for all aspects of the program and see if it helps O'Brien's on the field product.

Three Simple Keys
1.No blown assignments in the defensive backfield. It is one thing to not have talent or depth. It is another when there is confusion. Last week there was lots of mistakes and lots of guys running free in our backfield. We need to coach these guys up.
2. Keep James involved in the running game. He's not Castellanos, but the guy can move. Leverage that as much as you can.
3. Our Oline needs to win their battles. If we are going to pull off an upset, it will start up front.

Gambling Notes
-- BC is 2-5 against the spread
-- Louisville is 2-4 against the spread
-- Louisville leads the series 10-7
The current line is BC+25.5

Factoid
BC has only won once in L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium (formerly Papa John’s).

Scoreboard Watching
Syracuse and Georgia Tech. Obviously both are future opponents, but at this point it would be great for the ACC if Georgia Tech ran the table, beat UGA and got into the playoffs as a top seed.

I hope to see…a well played game – win or lose. The games have been so frustrating to watch with blown assignments and bad tackling. There is so much to fix, but playing mistake free would be a nice Saturday.

BC is in trouble if…we don't get a few defensive turnovers. If you are going to bend, not break, you need to force mistakes.

What ChatGPT Thinks: "I believe Louisville will win the game."

Bottom Line
I am afraid. Louisville is playing well and we are not. I also wonder if the team is checked out. I just can’t talk myself into a win. I think Louisville will pass at will and we will struggle trying to keep up.
Final Score: Louisville 45, BC 14

BC-Louisville preview

Last week was rough. Not only did we get beat up and make mistakes, but we also had to deal with the tease. For one quarter, hope was alive and so was BC. Yet Lucy pulled the football away again and we ended up flat on our backs. This is not a Bill O'Brien thing. It is life as a BC fan. Last week, I said we need to see if Billy O is the kind of coach who can stop the bleeding. It would be great if he pulls it off this week and give us hope again.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Once again BC is in a national spotlight time slot. This should continue to help our overall TV/Media profile. We are up against the World Series and a dream matchup of Yankees-Dodgers, yet I don't think that will really impact BC all that much. Baseball ratings are down and while we have lot of BC/Dodger fans and BC/Yankee fans, I think most will probably watch both games.

Three Simple Keys
1. Cut the crap with the option plays. TC has to protect the ball, but it is no coincedence that two of the killer fumbles came on option-like plays (a hesitant pitch and a sloppy mesh handoff). To do those things well takes lots of reps. If you do them casually, you make mistakes. Keep TC as a runner, but also keep it simple and make sure whatever we run, we can execute well.
2. Dominate on the Oline. This Louisville D is not strong. But we need to win upfront.

3. Win the turnover battle. If we are doing bend but don't break, we need some key stops and picks.

Gambling Notes
-- Louisville leads the series 9-7

-- BC hasn't lost at home to Louisville since 2016

-- Louisville is 3-4 against the spread this year

The current line is BC+7.5

Factoid
Both O'Brien and Brohm have winning records in the Big Ten.

Scoreboard Watching

Navy-Notre Dame doesn't really impact BC, but I am curious to see if Navy can keep their run going. If the 12-team format is going to work, we will need a few Cinderellas every year to keep it fresh.

BC is in trouble if...we can find a way to get Tommy going. He is dynamic and we've seen if work under Hafley. We can't force him into something he is not. We need to give him space and let him make plays.

I hope to see...a clean Field Goal. Is that too much to ask?

Bottom Line
I don't feel great about the slide, but I am talking myself into a BC win. Tommy has a huge game and the D makes a few key plays. 

Final Score: BC 31, Louisville 17

BC-Louisville preview

I can only speak for myself when I say I never believed. Even as we were making the comeback. Even as big plays were happening, I didn’t think we would upset Florida State. I don’t know if it is a sign of apathy or frustration or being jaded. It probably helps my heart rate, but it doesn’t generate a lot of optimism heading into a game where we are double-digit underdogs again. 

Can we win this week? Sure. Cut back on mistakes. Stop with the penalties. Plus Castellanos seems like that type of wild card where you can never count him out. Now it is up to Hafley to turn those “ifs” into tangible results. He thinks we are close to breaking through. I hope he is right.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
As most probably know the Swim and Dive teams were indefinitely suspended. I feel for the victims as the alleged hazing sucks and I can’t believe anyone even partially endorses this sort of thing anymore. I feel for the kids who weren’t part of it but whose season ends. However, the students will have more eligibility so they can make up the time. What shows my stage of life is my empathy is now with the parents whose kids won’t swim this year. BC Swimming – like most sports outside of football and basketball – has the majority of the team on partial scholarships or no scholarships at all. Parents are paying tens of thousands of dollars for their children to swim at BC. Now they won’t. What a waste.

Three Simple Keys 
1. Stop the drops. It is getting a little better but some of the drops last week were drive killers.
2. Control the clock again. Penalties aside, the Oline is so much better than last year. Leverage that by running the ball and wearing on the Louisville front.
3. Get more pressure on the quarterback. Our front four needs to step it up and close out on their chances at Plummer.

Gambling notes 
-- Hafley is 2-1 vs Louisville
-- Hafley is 6-11 on the road
-- Louisville leads the series 8-7
The current line is BC+14

Factoid
This is the first time we have played Louisville in September as a member of the ACC. The prior schedules had some general patterns to them, but now with the lack of divisions and a rotation of teams on and off, there will be fewer games scheduled with the idea of patterns and time of year etc.

Scoreboard Watching
Florida State-Clemson. I heard and read that many people thought we exposed Florida State. I actually think Florida State was very good but just had a bit of an off day. It will be interesting to see how they look against Clemson. I am expecting them to make a major statement and make our game look more like an aberration.

BC is in trouble if… We get down by double digits again. It is just too much pressure on the offense week in and week out.

I hope to see… A reasonable amount of penalties. If Hafley can’t get control of the trend then he might not be cut out to be a head coach. The shocking number of penalties exposes the way he is managing his staff, teaching his players and even handling the refs.

Bottom Line
I said I didn’t believe last week. I have a sliver of belief now, so I might as well ride it. I think Castellanos puts on a show. We get lucky on some turnovers and hold on for a huge win.
Final Score: BC 28, Louisville 24

BC-Louisville preview

The Jeff Hafley bandwagon is a lonely place right now. Can you blame his critics and doubters? Last week was a disaster. Florida State is good, but we were inept on Offense and wore down on Defense. I don't know where to start on Jurk. I drank the Kool-Aid, but I am not alone. He was on various watch lists and the Senior Bowl people were at the FSU game to scout him for their showcase game! This is a total regression that can't be pinned solely at the feet of the OLine. Phil deserves some heat, but Hafley should carry the brunt of it. The mismanagement of the Offensive Line in the offseason and the transition from Cig to McNulty's playbook and play calling has squandered some elite playmakers, set back a potential pro QB and put the D in huge holes. I trust Hafley to find and develop talent. He has done it before. But if he wants to stick around to coach this talent he has to make some tough and smart decisions now. He has to salvage any positivity and respectability he can out of this season. In the offseason he needs to figure out what his offense is and who he trusts to coach and execute that vision.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
As the games slip away, there is always someone on Twitter who says we never should have fired Addazio. I don't understand that logic. Even if you think Addazio is better than Hafley (I don't), he had seven years to show he was more than a .500 coach. He was never going to be anything more than that. BC athletes and the BC community deserve better than that. Will Hafley exceed Addazio's ceiling? I don't know. But if he can't then BC needs to move on again. Great programs move on from mediocre coaches.

Three Simple Keys

1. Establish the run early. Even if it feels Addazio-ish with run, run, pass, punt, I think BC needs to be stubborn and purposeful early. It will help the D, the Oline and even Jurk.

2. Get Jurk involved in the running game. This is sort of related to Key 1. Jurk can move. We run the read option, but he never keeps it. Having him run will move the chains and set up play action for him later in the game.

3. Allow fewer explosive plays. This means disciplined and smart tackling. 

Gambling Notes

-- Hafley is 0-4 against the spread this season

-- Louisville is 3-4 all time at Alumni

-- Louisville is 2-2 against the spread this year

The current line is BC+14.5

Factoid
This is BC's 141 regular season ACC game.

Scoreboard Watching
FSU-Wake Forest. I think we made FSU look better than they are. If they throttle Wake then we know they are actually "back."

What I hope to see...

A non offensive touchdown. I don't care how it comes: punt return, pick 6, scoop and score. I just would love to see something go our way and create some excitement. 

BC is in trouble if...

We go down early. Hafley even said so himself. Execution and talent are the biggest issues right now, but the mental aspect of this all is also part of the problem. We have zero confidence and show little fight. If we get down early, I think this team could be in for another beat down.

Bottom Line
This is a bad time in a coaching tenure. I can't even talk myself into a win. I want it. I want to believe. I still like Hafley. But I have little faith in the offense being able to manufacture enough points to win the game.
Final Score: BC 17, Louisville 27

Game Day Info: Louisville

No comments this year.

What you need to know.

Weather: Mid 60s .

Radio: SiriusXM 380 .

TV: ACC Network

BC-Louisville preview

We are a year and a half in on Jeff Hafley and it has been overwhelmingly positive. Last week you saw that the honeymoon was over for some of our fans. I am still a big believer and trust his long term plan. What will be interesting is how he handles the remainder of this season. In my opinion the difference between the very good coaches and the all-timers are how they salvage a game or season or program when things are not going their way or they don't have all their weapons. This is where we have to give Hafley time and see what and how he does it. He's never been a Head Coach before. He's also not as experienced on the offensive side of the ball, so he's never been knee deep in a QB controversy/issue. But hopefully he knows enough and is on the same page with his offensive staff so they can smoke and mirror us the rest of the way.

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

Perception -- unfortunately -- is still important in college football. In a usual year, the ACC being a mess would be a big issue. The media would be hammering the conference and us. But all of college football is struggling. It is a missed opportunity for the ACC not to fill that void, but at least the conference is being ignored during a messy chaotic season.

Three Simple Keys

1.  Protect Grosel. Louisville will bring pressure. Grosel needs good protection and needs simple reads.

2. Generate turnovers. If we are going to win, we need to be opportunistic and maybe even get some points off of turnover.

3. Don't allow Cunningham to beat them with his legs. We were bad against mobile QBs last year. If we want to win this week, we need a good plan to contain Cunningham.

Gambling Notes

-- BC is 4-2 against the spread in their last six games

-- Louisville leads the series 7-6

-- Louisville is 4-1 in their last five home games

The current line is BC+6.5

Factoid

The home team has won the last three games in this series.

Scoreboard Watching

As deflating as the last two weeks have been, it could be worse. Just look at Syracuse and Virginia Tech. Both are having frustrating seasons and play each other this weekend. It is relevant for us because we will face both. How they do against each other is important. The winner might have new life, while the loser might fire their coach.

I hope to see...

Carlson bounce back. A lot went wrong last week, but Carlson's muffed punt proved to be a huge momentum swing. Let's hope he puts that behind him and is ready to get back to placing the ball well.

BC is in trouble if...

Grosel is in the pocket too much. I know they have tried and are trying everything, but in my opinion nearly any play when he is in the pocket is wasted. He doesn't make good decisions. If we are going to win, we need to keep it simple.

Bottom Line

I am extremely frustrated with how Grosel has played and Hafley's decision not to throw someone else back there. They obviously believe Grosel is the best and only true option. I hope they are right. I think we keep it simple, the D gets opportunistic and BC holds on.

Final Score: BC 24, Louisville 21

BC-Louisville preview

While BC has done everything right during the pandemic, this is the first true test of BC and Hafley's ability to juggle and change. This game was on, then rescheduled, then back on again but with a different time and date. In theory it should not be a big deal. The team had more than enough time to turn it back on mentally, but you never know. These are still young, immature players in an unprecedented time.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
There is lots of talk about BC's future uniform and shoe deal. If you don't follow this, Under Armour started breaking their current college deals and are not renewing others. It seems highly unlikely they will renew the BC deal and there is plenty of talk that the current deal might be cut short. Is this part of the college sports revenue model reset? Who knows? But taking one major bidder out of the process ultimately makes any deal (including BC's) less valuable. Hopefully Pat Kraft can make a deal that keeps the revenue close to its current levels. What I really hope for is that whatever partner we select, we see an improvement in the selection and options for BC merchandise. I also wouldn't mind seeing BC increase its presence with all potential licencing partners.

Three Simple Keys
1. Stop the run. Louisville's passing game is not particularly consistent. If we stop their run, we will control the tempo and probably keep them from scoring much.
2. Big plays from Zay. Louisville's D is ok. We probably can't chip away at them, so it will be up to get some big plays, which means Zay needs to break a few.
3. Aggressive game management. Hafley made some gutsy calls against Clemson and Notre Dame. We've been off two weeks and are coming off a loss. I think a few big plays could help the momentum and the confidence of the team.

Gambling Notes
-- Louisville leads the series 7-5
-- BC is 3-0 against the spread vs Louisville the last three years
-- Satterfield is 7-8 in ACC play
The current line is BC-1

Factoid
This is technically Senior Day, but obviously no parents this year.

Scoreboard Watching
If Notre Dame beats UNC, they are probably headed to the ACC Championship Game. I know none of us want to see the Irish do well, but if they go undefeated in the regular season and then lose to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, both teams will likely make the playoffs. Two ACC playoff teams is good for the entire conference.

I hope to see...Jurkovec healthy. As we now know, he separated his shoulder towards the end of the Clemson game and that effected his accuracy against Cuse and Notre Dame. We need him healthy for this game and for the season finale.

BC is in trouble if...we turn the ball over. Louisville is somewhat sloppy. If we just play our usual game, we should get turnovers. We can't help them out by giving any back.

Overall
Despite the layoff and the close point spread, I think this is a good matchup for us. I don't think they can score with us and think we will be opportunistic enough to get a few turnovers. If Jurk is truly healthy, this isn't even close.
Final Score: BC 31, Louisville 21

BC-Louisville preview

BC's last trip to Louisville was a turning point. Addazio's job and BC's season seemed on the line and the team responded in a shocking shootout from a previously stagnant offense. Now Addazio takes a team to Kentucky needing another jump start. Could this be the right opponent at the right time again?

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
The Chris Ash firing sparked a new round of media speculation on who is next and Addazio was often listed in the mix. I am on record saying it is time for change, but I have no idea if change will happen. I still think six regular season wins is happening. Would that be enough to save him? I hope not, but after seeing Christian survive, I have no idea.

Three Simple Keys
1. Third down defense. This has been embarrassingly bad. If BC just stops two or more drives a bit earlier against Wake, they win. Louisville should not be as efficient. BC needs sound tackling and pressure on the QB.
2. No false starts and formation penalties. Is it too much to ask? This has been very sloppy this year. Our line should dominate this weekend. Don't let Louisville off the hook with stupid mistakes.
3. No Special Teams mistakes. Aside from the kicking issues, there was a bad punt last week and some sloppy returns. Clean that up.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio has won the last two vs Louisville
-- Satterfield is 27-6 when coaching at home
-- Addazio is 16-15 on the road as BC's coach
The current line is BC+5.5

Factoid
BC's first trip to Louisville was in 1986.

Scoreboard Watching
This is a pretty slow weekend for ACC Matchups. The one most relevant to us is Pitt-Duke. Is Pitt legit? If they look bad, it will make me feel a little better about our matchup with them at Thanksgiving.

I hope to see...
The Oline dominate. Lost among the false starts and hit or miss passing game is that our Oline has been pretty good. The other team is selling out to stop the run, yet we are still controlling the line of scrimmage. Keep that up and BC will be ok.

BC is in trouble if...
We can't get sacks. Like Kansas and Rutgers, Louisville heads into our game with QB uncertainty. This should lead to us wrecking things, not giving them confidence.

Bottom Line
I've been throwing the game in the "toss up" group and actually think we pull it off. Louisville is even less prepared than Wake for our run game. I think we grind away with Dillon and Bailey and the D does just enough to win.
Final Score: BC 24, Louisville, 17

New uniforms, same issues as BC defeats Louisville

In this case, the final score doesn't tell the whole story. For most of the game, BC was either in a hole or letting Louisville hang around based on BC's own miscues and mistakes. But in the end, talent and focus prevailed. I keep hoping for a point when things get cleaned up, but maybe this team is just talented but sloppy. The win -- and the uniforms -- were nice. BC is positioned well for the second half of the season. 

I will have more Sunday and grades later in the week. 

In-game comments post: Louisville

BC is a heavy favorite. Now let's play like it.

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BC-Louisville preview

Last year's Louisville game was a turning point. The offense exploded with Dillon and became an exciting team in the second half of the season. Although the problems are different, BC could use another turnaround this week. Louisville is also desperate after getting run over by Georgia Tech. This is probably a must win for both teams.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Since we are playing Louisville, it is a good time to mention the college basketball world is glued to the bribery trial going on in New York. Louisville has been in the spotlight for the issue, but plenty of other major and mid-major programs are involved. I am for paying the players, so hopefully this will lead to that. BC has not been mentioned yet with any of these bag men, but former BC assistant Preston Murphy has been. I don't know how I will feel if (or when) it is revealed that BC was part of this mess too.

Three Simple Keys
1. Use Brown in the run game. It will work...especially if Dillon returns. No one respects it nor expects it. I know the injury risk is real, but having him keep it three or four times on the zone read will open up plays all over the field. 
2. Keep running. I know I am the only BC blogger or fan advocating for more runs, but this week it will work. Even if Louisville made some adjustments from last week, they are still not a good run D. BC needs to pound it and not look back.
3. Better tackling. I've been harping on this all season. I don't know what the problem is, but it has got to get better soon.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 15-27 in ACC play
-- Louisville is 3-2 at Alumni

-- Addazio is 15-15 following a loss while at BC

The current line is BC-13.5

Factoid
This is the first time that BC has been favored in this matchup since Louisville joined the ACC.

Scoreboard Watching
Future opponent Miami heads to UVA this weekend. When the schedule came out, I thought a Friday night game against the Canes might be our chance to make a statement. But right now Miami looks pretty good. They will be favored vs BC. Let's see how they do against Virginia.

I hope to see...
Game changing plays in Special Teams. How exciting was the punt block last week? I know it can be a crap shoot, but I don't know why we've never gone all in on Special Teams like say Virginia Tech. It would seem to be an area where we could make a difference.

BC is in trouble if...
The offense is stagnant again. We can't have another 3-point half.

Overall
Does it all come down to Dillon? I don't think so. I think there was enough positives for the offense in the second half of the NC State game for BC to move the ball and score. I think they will overpower Louisville and it will be a comfortable and encouraging win.
Final Score: BC 31, Louisville 17

And now we all wait on Dillon news

After his usual press conference and media appearances Monday, Addazio remained purposefully vague on AJ Dillon's injury. He says Dillon is showing improvement but his status for Louisville remains unknown. Ankle injuries can be nagging and take longer than expected to recover. Just look at how Landry's issues became a weekly unknown last year. The oddsmakers have us as big favorites against Louisville already, so the team should win without him. However, having Dillon does change the dynamic of the team and the game.

While our offense did show it can function without him in the second half, Dillon does two things that no one else on the roster can. First he is a home run threat any time he touches the ball. It doesn't mean he will make something out of nothing every touch, but he can do it enough to change games. Second, he draws such attention from the other team, that he opens up plays for other players. The drop off shouldn't be so severe without him, but until someone steps up, it is fact.

Without gossip or insight, I feel like Dillon will get back on the field this weekend. We know he walked on it right after and Vegas clearly baked in his return into the spread. But like last week, we will just have to wait until either Dillon or Addazio tells us some news.

Some postgame talk and looking ahead

Here is Addazio after the game. He is saying the right things. Although he could go a bit further but he's right in a lot of the issues and he is right to take blame. That's the first step in addressing the problem. Now can he fix them? As I said Saturday, many of these Addazio problems are recurring and fixable. Will he make the adjustments?

You know who is buying what Addazio is selling? The oddsmakers. As of Sunday night, we are a 13.5 favorite against Louisville.

Louisville gametime, Addazio says nothing, and Hoops hype

BC is playing another early game. The ACC announced the kickoff for the matchup with Louisville will be 12:30. The game will be on your regional sports network and NESN in the Boston area.

Addazio said nothing Sunday or Monday about the various injuries of BC's star players.

I know we are in football season, but here is a basketball highlight tweet that BC put out. I'm a sucker for this stuff and it makes our very good players look great.

A look inside Power Gym for practice #5 #WeAreBC 🦅 pic.twitter.com/dzsscsrPPT

— Boston College Men's Basketball (@BCMBB) October 1, 2018

Familiar second half struggles in loss to Louisville

There were times in the first half when I felt that BC might pull away from Louisville. The Cards had a long scoreless streak and Robinson was looking great any time he drove to the basket. But Louisville kept it close and took a slight lead at Half. Then they pulled away in the second half as BC could not answer enough Cards' baskets. BC made a run late, but it wasn't enough as they lost to Louisville 77-69.

As I mentioned above, Robinson looked great. Bowman and Chatman were not as great. They got their points but made plenty of mistakes (especially Bowman's painful turnovers). Kraljevic put in some decent time off the bench. Baker got some minutes when Robinson got dinged up and was ok. I don't expect -- or think -- Christian to expand his rotation dramatically, but some of the young guys do deserve the occasional chance to show what they can or cannot do.

The team is back at it again on Wednesday against Syracuse.

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Louisville

Watching the game back was weird. Watching live I got caught up in the excitement of it all. Watching it with hindsight, you realize that Dillon did most of that damage in the second half! If he had been the focal point from the start her might have rushed for 400 yards. It was a very unique performance. We don't know if this game was a turning point or will just be a footnote. We do know that it was fun to watch.

Offense: A

I don't think this game will cause a QB controversy since neither were perfect. Brown started running more. His passes were off throughout. Wade hit his passes early, but anything that wasn't a quick easy throw was a problem. I am not on the Wade bandwagon yet, but he does deserve credit for coming in and helping the team.

Dillon was really good. The numbers and the highlights tell most of the story, but even on more basic plays, he was pushing for an extra yard or two and he made good cuts. Out running DBs is a great sign. Hilliman's carries weren't that effective. He was good catching the ball. Levy got a few more touches but didn't break anything big.

The Tight Ends -- Sweeney, Martin, Garrison, -- all looked good on those short passes and cutting up field after the catch. Unfortunately the other guys didn't get nearly as many clean passes thrown their way. Brown missed Walker, Smith and White. Wade missed White too. Thadd Smith looked good on the sweeps.

Dillon doesn't have that sort of day without the OLine. Phillips looked good and opened up some holes. Montiero was also good. As a group, all five really got a good push on the Louisville DL.

I thought BC was going to have to pass to win. It turns out I was wrong. Even before Dillon's big runs, it was clear BC was going to try to overpower the Cards. Loeffler also deserves credit for going with the hot hand and for giving Wade some easy throws to get acclimated.

Defense: D

Of the different BC position groups, the DLine was the best. Wyatt Ray had a big INT as he dropped into coverage. Ray Smith helped clog the middle. Merritt was solid. Allen got beat a few times by Jackson and still struggles when he is the read point of the zone option. Landry was tentative and didn't look completely healthy.

The LBs missed a good bit of tackles and were really slow when trying to chase down Louisville's skill guys. Schwab was productive but didn't have his best game. Lamot was just ok.

The DBs got lost, fell or burned too many times. They also saved the game with the strip, fumble and fumble recovery. Moore was the best on Saturday, despite some issues. Denis was fine. Harris didn't look 100%. Yiadom was oky. Cheevers deserves credit for the fumble.

I like Jim Reid. I think he is a good guy and can be a good coordinator. But I am worried that we don't have a solution for the zone read. Jackson is a special player, but every team beats us with it. Allen might be too slow for it. I also am getting frustrated with the big plays. If you are going to blitz less, you better be sound behind it.

Special Teams: B

Walker was very aggressive again and it helped set the tone.

The kickoffs were fine. Knoll punted well.

The coverage was good.

Lichtenberg made the game winner. Congrats. He also missed a FG that could have given BC cushion late. I really hope the misses are temporary or Addazio might need to make a change.

Overall: B+

When you score 45 but only win by three, there are some problems. Our special teams issues and defensive issues mentioned above have been consistent and Addazio has not fixed them. We are more than halfway through the season and not finding real solutions. That is why I am far from confident that this will turn into a win streak.

But for one week, a special day from a special player carried BC to victory. Addazio deserves credit for finding a guy like Dillon and getting him to campus. Now he needs to turn Dillon into a reliable weapon who can perform like that every week.

Dillon runs over Louisville

That is why we watch. We watch to see a guy like AJ Dillon breakout on the scene and run over and through Louisville's D. We watch to see Wade come off the bench to make some critical plays. We watch to see BC win on a kick with seconds left. It was a nerve racking ending, but it was certainly worth it.

There were some issues, but I won't harp on that now.

I know some of you fear this type of win will save Addazio's job. Don't focus on that now. Be glad for the players and coaches that bust their asses representing BC. They deserve our support and that was a great win.

The post-game Periscope is below.

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

Post-game Periscope: BC upset Louisville https://t.co/RrMNjdn5JW

— Bill Maloney (@bcatleagle) October 14, 2017

In-game comments post: Louisville

Clemson pulled off an upset Friday night. Iowa State pulled off a huge upset last week. Why not us? Why not now? Let's go BC!

Leave your thoughts and comments below.

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BC-Louisville preview

This season needs something unpredictable to happen. My preference would be for that unpredictable thing to be great and benefit BC. But something has got to change (style of play, scheme, attitude, starters, or anything). There is such apathy and boredom surrounding BC Football right now. Last week a ranked Virginia Tech team on a Saturday night couldn't come close to filling Alumni. We enter into these games expecting to lose and seem resigned when it happens. The blowouts and inability to score makes it all that more predictable. Does anyone have any doubt that if Louisville scores more than 21 points, they will win this game?

There was a predictability and stubbornness to the TOB era, but at least some of the games were in doubt. BC pulled off the occasional upset or the occasional second half comeback. With Addazio, we know that if he is not leading at halftime, we are not winning. I've already called for his job. Now I just want something to shake up the season.
 
What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Are Louisville and BC that different? When the Cardinals' Athletic Department blew up a few weeks ago, it was easy to sit back and justify our losing as more pure than their winning. I am starting to wonder though, should we feel we are doing things the right way? They are winning -- by doing lots of cheating -- but we are losing and still comprising ourselves somewhat. I am pretty sure BC does not use of prostitutes or illegal brides, but I know we make plenty of exceptions for student athletes and accept behavior from coaches we would not accept from normal employees. How much do those degrees of compromise matter?

It is easy to say now we wouldn't make the deal with the Devil. But I want to win. That sort of longing for more was what got Faust too.

Three Simple Keys
1. Attack throw the air and down the field. Louisville's pass D is bad. We need to be aggressive and establish momentum early.
2. Don't allow Jackson to run. I don't know if spying will work. I don't know if that will open up their run game in other ways, but we've been bad against running QBs. We can't let that happen this week.
3. Use the zone read often. There are big plays to be had. Stop worrying about Brown's durability and start worrying about winning games.

Gambling Notes
-- Petrino is 38-6 at home while at Louisville
-- He is 3-0 vs Addazio
-- Louisville has won four straight in the series
The current line is BC+22

Factoid
BC does not currently have any Kentucky residents on the roster. The Bluegrass state was never a hotbed for BC, but with all the Cincinnati recruiting, we managed to pick up a kid or two from Kentucky over the years. It is probably not a surprise that Louisville does not have any players from Massachusetts or any other part of New England.

Scoreboard Watching
As the season moves on and the losses pile up, what other teams are doing becomes less relevant. What does become relevant are how other "hot seat" coaches perform. Their programs will be our competition for a new coach. I will be paying attention to South Carolina-Tennessee as the Volunteers look like they will have the first pick of the top coaches this time around on the coaching carousel.

I hope to see...
Mike Knoll not have to punt. He's having a great year and has a very good chance of ending up all conference, but if he is not punting, that means BC is scoring...or at least trying to score.

BC is in trouble if...
We can't get big plays. Call them chunk. Call them explosive. Regardless of the term, we need a few big plays, because the methodical drives are not resulting in points.

Overall
If you want to call it progress, I think this game will feel a bit like the last week. BC will slow down the Cards, but the game will never be truly in doubt. I think a late score makes the game seem respectable.
Final Score: Louisville 28, BC 20

Louisville game time and other links

Following a national television night game against Virginia Tech, BC will take on Louisville on the ACC Regional Network. That's the regional syndication network powered by Raycom. The game starts at 12:20 pm. Whatever local station carried the Raycom games in your market will probably carry it again. The station list will be ready next week.

Zach Allen had his best game of the season. This was one of the notable highlights. 

New Jersey 3 star Elijah McAllister visited during the Central Michigan game. Most see him as a Tight End, but we are recruiting him as a DE and a Landry replacement.