For the second week in a row, No. 16 Notre Dame (8-2) will face a top-5 ranked ground attack when it hosts Boston College (5-5) on Senior Day the Saturday (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
Although the Eagles are the fourth straight Fighting Irish opponent this November coming off a bye — and seventh overall — their disappointing campaign was compounded by a 38-31 loss at home on Nov. 9, the week before the Nov. 16 bye, to a reeling Florida State team that had just fired its head coach..
Bye weeks were of no help the past two weeks to Duke and Navy versus the Irish, who rolled to 38-7 and 52-20 blowouts, respectively. Another rout is anticipated with Notre Dame installed as a 19-point favorite, particularly because of the poor numbers by the Boston College defense.
Boston College Running Game Vs. Notre Dame Run Defense
Seventh-year Boston College head coach Steve Addazio, 60, is about as old-school in his approach to his craft as any coach in the country.
Thus, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Addazio wants to build his offenses around an outstanding offensive line — led by junior right tackle Ben Petrula — and a bruising running attack. Addazio has milked that formula this year with Boston College ranking fifth in the country with an average of 282.2 rushing yards per game, led by junior workhorse running back AJ Dillon.
A 250-pound battering ram, Dillon averages 145.1 rushing yards per outing, which ranks third in the country. He was a long-shot Heisman Trophy candidate in the preseason, but already has 1,451 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground this year, after recording 2,697 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns as a freshman and sophomore.
Dillon, the grandson of former Notre Dame All-American and College Football Hall of Fame receiver Thom Gatewood (1969-71), has averaged 176.5 rushing yards in his last four games. In two of those contests he eclipsed the 200-yard mark.
