Signs of hope among Boston College football fans dwindled as the Eagles’ 17–10 lead quickly morphed into a 23–17 deficit after Georgia Tech scored two unanswered third-quarter touchdowns during BC’s Week Eight matchup.
Then came magic from the Eagles.
A flurry of rushing touchdowns—two short Kye Robichaux rushes and one electrifying Thomas Castellanos 43-yard breakaway run—put BC on top to defeat the Yellow Jackets 38–23.
Last Saturday’s win over Georgia Tech gave the Eagles a winning record for the first time since the 2021 season. They currently sit at sixth place in the ACC with a 4–3 record.
Who is BC playing?
Connecticut
When is BC playing?
Saturday, Oct. 28, 12 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
How to watch?
The game will air on ACC Network and Boston College Sports Network on WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM.
Series History:
Boston College leads the series with an all-time 12–1–2 record against UConn. The Eagles are 6–0–1 in away games against the Huskies.
The two teams first met in 1908 in a game that ended in a 0–0 tie. The only other tie between the teams came in 1910 in a game that also ended in a 0–0 score.
The Eagles did not play the Huskies from 1928 until 2000, when UConn moved up to the FBS. Since 2000, the programs have met seven times, and BC has won six of those seven games.
The Huskies notched their first-ever win against BC in their most recent meeting, beating BC 13–3 last season. The win marked UConn’s first victory against a Power Five opponent since 2016.
What To Expect From UConn’s Offense:
The Huskies’ offense, led by second-year offensive coordinator Nick Charlton, has consistently struggled to score, tallying under 20 points in four of its seven games. The group overall is averaging 20.6 points per game off 188.3 passing yards and 141 rushing yards per game.
Redshirt junior Ta’Quan Roberson took over at quarterback in Week Two when starting quarterback Joe Fagnano suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Since then, Roberson has thrown eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Eagles can expect a Huskies receiving core led by tight end Justin Joly and receivers Cameron Ross and Brett Buckman, all of whom have over 300 receiving yards so far this season.
UConn’s passing game ranks No. 109 in the country and should be a manageable task for the Eagles’ defense, led by BC cornerback Elijah Jones. Jones is coming off a two-interception game at Georgia Tech—a performance that earned him ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors.
The Huskies’ run game has lacked proficiency since losing two running backs in September: Devontae Houston, who transferred, and Brian Brewton, who stepped down from the team. These losses came after running back Nate Carter transferred out of the program last season, leaving UConn already thin at the position.
Sophomore back Victor Rosa has claimed his place in the backfield as the team’s primary rusher. Rosa leads the Huskies in rushing with 405 yards this season.
The Huskies have tallied over 200 rushing yards in a game once this season compared to the Eagles, who have done so in four of their first seven matchups.
What To Expect From UConn’s defense:
Jim Mora, UConn’s head coach, who doubles as the team’s defensive coordinator, has seen little convincing success from his defensive unit.
The group has given up 244.4 passing yards and 156 rushing yards per game, ranking No. 99 in the FBS in total defense this season.
The Huskies have failed to gather interceptions, interrupting only four passes this season.
They’ve also compiled a mere nine sacks, which places them among the bottom 10 teams in the FBS for average sacks per game.
Overall, Mora’s defense has struggled to defend the rush—which is good news for the Eagles, whose run game is currently the best in the ACC at an average of 211.3 yards per game.
Castellanos, one of only four quarterbacks in the country with 1,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards, will almost certainly look to incorporate frequent run-option plays in order to exploit UConn’s lackluster rush defense.
A win for the Huskies would require them to improve their rush defense in a big way and find an answer for the BC’s prolific runners in Castellanos, Robichaux, and Pat Garwo III.
Outlook:
In order to become bowl eligible, the Huskies need to win out their last five games, beginning on Saturday in Chestnut Hill.
Robichaux is coming off a career game at Georgia Tech, which included two touchdowns, 165 rushing yards, and 54 receiving yards—a performance that earned him ACC Running Back of the Week honors. If Robichaux can pick up where he left off, the Eagles will likely be able to pick up ground yardage with relative ease.
The game’s outcome will depend heavily on UConn’s ability to stop Robichaux, as well as Castellanos when he mobilizes himself.
Due to UConn’s semi-absent run game, the Eagles will need to tightly cover receivers downfield in order to prevent Roberson from developing a rhythm with his receiving core. If the Eagles can limit the production from UConn’s Joly, Ross, and Brent, they will likely grab another win, improve to 5–3, and make it one step closer to bowl eligibility.
