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Notre Dame-Boston College Countdown: 10 To 1

10 Games Notre Dame is attempting to win in a regular season for the fifth time since 12-game regular season schedules became the norm in 2006, or 14 seasons ago. The Irish finished 10-2 in 2006 and 2015, and 12-0 in 2012 and 2018.

As a 19-point favorite over Boston College today and then traveling to a reeling 4-6 Stanford team next week, the opportunity is there for the taking.

Notre Dame is gunning to finish unbeaten at home in back-to-back years for the first time since the three straight in 1987-89.
Notre Dame is gunning to finish unbeaten at home in back-to-back years for the first time since the three straight in 1987-89. (Andris Visockis)
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9 Turnovers committed by Boston College this season (four fumbles, five interceptions), which is tied for 9th-fewest in the country.

Conversely, Notre Dame is second nationally in most fumbles recovered with 14 (behind Illinois’ 16), with its four last week versus Navy the most since the 2008 victory at home versus Michigan (35-17).


8 National media outlets among nine seen this week who had Notre Dame projected to play in the Camping World Bowl, held Dec. 28 in Orlando, Fla. The opponent likely would be the No. 3 pick in the Big 12, with Iowa State, Oklahoma State or Texas the front-runners.

The ninth outlet, Sporting News, had Notre Dame going to the NY6 Goodyear Cotton Bowl, also played Dec. 28. The opponent would be from the Group of 5, with Memphis for now at the pole position.


7 Opponents Notre Dame will have played this season who have had or will have a bye the week before facing the Fighting Irish, with Boston College the fourth straight this month (and last one).The Eagles are coming off a 7-point loss at home (38-31) to Florida State, who had just fired its head coach.

All previous six were defeated: New Mexico (66-14), Bowling Green (52-0), USC (30-27), and then this month Virginia Tech (21-20), Duke (38-7) and Navy (52-20). Meanwhile, Notre Dame had bye prior to the Oct. 26 Michigan game and lost 45-14.


6 Consecutive victories Notre Dame has posted against Boston College since 2009, with head coach Brian Kelly owning a 5-0 mark, most recently a 49-20 rout at Chestnut Hill in 2017. Prior to this streak, the Eagles had their own six-game winning string versus the Irish from 2001-08, so consider this the “best of 13” winner.

The next meeting between the two is slated for 2022 — also at Notre Dame before the Irish travel to BC in 2025.

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5 Ranking of Boston College in rushing yards per game with a 282.2 figure, and it comes on the heels of facing a Navy team that was ranked No. 1 at 357.9 but was limited to 281 (with 202 coming after Notre Dame had built a 38-0 cushion).

Leading the charge is 250-pound AJ Dillon, whose 1,431 yards rushing are third nationally, while 240-pound David Bailey with 765 yards provides quality relief.


4 Touchdown receptions by Irish wideout Chase Claypool last Saturday versus Navy. The senior has been on a rampage this month with 20 catches for 332 yards in the three games played.

Against BC he will face a defense that ranks 121st out of 130 teams in pass efficiency defense and one of six that allows more than 300 yards passing per contest (302.3).


3 Ranking of Notre Dame in turnovers forced with 22 (14 fumbles, eight interceptions), which trails only Illinois (26) and Clemson (24). The most produced in one season under 10th-year head coach Kelly was 25 in 2015, his debut campaign.


2 Straight years Notre Dame is looking to finish a season unbeaten at home — which would be a first since 1987-89. The current 17-game winning streak is the third-longest since Notre Dame Stadium opened in 1930 and the fourth-longest in the FBS, behind Clemson (22), Central Florida (20) and Ohio State (19).

The Fighting Irish also join Alabama as one of two teams who have won at least 21 consecutive games versus unranked opposition since 2017.


1 For the first time since 1930, Knute Rockne's final season as head coach, Notre Dame is looking to finish 5-0 in the month of November with victories versus Boston College and at 4-6 Stanford next week.

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