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Preview: BC Looks to Continue Momentum in Regular Season Finale Against Pittsburgh

After an impressive 41–21 win over North Carolina that granted Boston College football bowl eligibility, the Eagles now look to continue their momentum against Pittsburgh before heading into postseason play. 

Head coach Bill O’Brien will be looking to end his first season on a high note after an up-and-down season that included an AP Top 25 placement followed by a three-game losing streak and eventual quarterback swap

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has gained bowl eligibility but is struggling. The Panthers have lost four straight games after starting the season 7–0, and were most recently blown out by Louisville 37–9.

Who is BC Playing?

Pittsburgh

When is BC Playing?

Saturday, Nov. 30, at 3:00 p.m.

Where is BC Playing?

Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 

How to Watch:

The game will air on The CW Network and BC Sports Network on WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM. 

Series History:

Pitt leads the all-time series against BC 18–15. The Panthers won last year’s matchup at Acrisure Stadium by a final score of 24–16.

The Panthers played a complete game in that matchup to pick up a solid home win. 

Then-starting-quarterback Nate Yarnell threw for 207 yards and a touchdown, but has since been replaced by redshirt freshman Eli Holstein. Defensively, the Panthers picked off Thomas Castellanos twice and sacked him six times. 

The Eagles struggled offensively, only managing one touchdown on a 24-yard pass to Lewis Bond. Kye Robichaux was one bright spot on the BC offense, as he picked up 118 yards on the ground but couldn’t break into the endzone. 

On the other side of the ball, BC looked incapable, allowing 404 total yards to what was the worst offense in the ACC at the time.

What to Expect From Pittsburgh:

Offense

Holstein left Pitt’s last game against Louisville with an injury to his left leg, meaning that the Panthers will likely be without their starting quarterback this weekend. The likely replacement will be last year’s starter, Yarnell. Against Louisville, Yarnell went 11 of 23 for 96 yards with one touchdown and one interception. 

With Holstein out, the Panthers may look to rely more on the run game and junior running back Desmond Reid. 

But that might not be a viable path to success with a rushing attack ranked 89th in the nation in total yards, and a running back in Reid who hasn’t broken 100 yards rushing since Pitt’s fifth game of the season.

If there is one reliable method for generating points for the Panthers it’s kicker Ben Sauls. Sauls is 17 of 20 on field goals this season, going 4 of 5 from 50-plus and 7 of 9 from 40–49 yards. His 58-yarder against California is also tied for the eighth longest field goal in FBS this year.

Defense

Pitt’s run defense currently ranks 25th in the nation in yards allowed per game. Defensive back Donovan McMillon leads the team with 97 tackles. McMillon has also grabbed an interception, forced a fumble, and recorded seven pass breakups. 

But McMillon is where the Panthers’ secondary begins and ends. The unit posts a rank of 117th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game and has grabbed just 12 interceptions. 

While Pitt’s secondary leaves much to be desired, its pass rush is one of the strongest in the nation, recording an ACC-leading 37 sacks this season and ranking fourth in the nation in the category. 

In addition to McMillon, BC has to pay just as much, if not more, attention to linebacker Kyle Louis, who might be Pitt’s biggest weapon on defense. 

The sophomore linebacker has recorded seven sacks, four interceptions, 93 tackles, and 15.5 tackles for loss this season. O’Brien will have his hands full prepping the team to face Louis on Saturday. 

Outlook:

BC will need to rely heavily on its air attack this week. With Pitt’s porous secondary and strong run defense, quarterback Grayson James has to be unafraid to let it fly to give the Eagles’ offense a chance. 

On the defensive side of the ball, it should be business as usual for the Eagles. The Panthers offense has no consistently standout playmakers, and scored just nine points last week. If BC’s offense shows up, the Eagles should be capable of finishing the season off with a win.

November 29, 2024

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