BGI Staff Predictions: Notre Dame vs. Boston College
Notre Dame will look to get back on track this weekend when it travels to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to take on rival Boston College.
The Blue & Gold Illustrated staff has broken down the game, and now it's time to make predictions.
Lou Somogyi, Senior Editor
This series has been earmarked by low-scoring games and a lack of aesthetics. In the 12 games between the two since 2000, the average number of points scored between the two is 36 (including a 19-16 Irish victory in 2015, the most recent meeting) and the only time one team has scored more than 30 was the 31-13 Irish win in Brian Kelly’s first season back in 2010.
I could see a bloodletting by Notre Dame after last week, but will stay conservative. The main theme is Boston College just does not have enough firepower to out-score the Irish.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 27, Boston College 10
Bryan Driskell, Football Analyst
We will find out a lot about the Notre Dame football team on Saturday. Good teams respond to disappointment like the Irish faced on Saturday with fury.
Last season, Clemson responded to its only loss by blowing out its next two opponents and winning the ACC to get into the playoffs. When Ohio State dropped a home game to Virginia Tech in 2014, it blew out Kent State 66-0 the next week and averaged 56 points in the four games following that loss. After dropping a home game to Texas A&M in 2012, Alabama beat its next two opponents by a combined score of 98-0.
How will Notre Dame respond to getting beat last week? Well, we don’t know, but how it does will tell us the character of this team. If Notre Dame comes out and plays with a chip on its shoulder then good things will come. If the team as a whole is still licking its wounds and feeling sorry for itself this will be a close and ugly game, and Notre Dame will disappoint the remainder of the season.
I think Notre Dame responds well.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 37, Boston College 9
David McKinney, Recruiting Reporter
Notre Dame is looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Georgia, and this game is the perfect opportunity. The Eagles have struggled against mobile quarterbacks already this year, so look for Brandon Wimbush to take advantage early.
That should open some things in the passing game, and Notre Dame should be able to build a solid lead early. Boston College will pick up a garbage time touchdown, but the Irish will head back to South Bend with a comfortable win.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 37, Boston College 24
Corey Bodden, Recruiting Reporter
Boston College is struggling on offense so far, averaging a measly 16.5 points per contest against Northern Illinois and Wake Forest. I don’t see the Eagles faring much better against an Irish unit and team that will be fired up after last weekend’s disappointing home loss against Georgia.
Defensive end Harold Landry is going to be a handful for Irish tackles Mike McGlinchey, Tommy Kraemer and Robert Hainsey. The Eagles will likely move him around to get him in the best position possible to disrupt Brandon Wimbush and force a turnover.
The Eagles seem to play the Irish tough whenever they meet and I don’t expect this one to be any different. Boston College’s defense keeps them in the game for a while, but the Irish offense eventually finds a way to pull away late and come away with a two-touchdown victory.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 27, Boston College 13
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