For as formidable as the Boston College defense has been over the last two seasons, the excellence has been wasted by the ineptitude of the Boston College offense.
The Eagles rank 117th in scoring offense this season, averaging a paltry 21 points per game. They were shut out on the road against Virginia Tech and have looked less than scary in their other conference games. With senior starting quarterback Patrick Towles looking less and less likely to play, the Boston College offense will have to rely heavily on their running game against a stout NC State run defense. On Halloween weekend, the only thing scarier than the costumes and horror films may be how bad Boston College’s offense is.
Quarterback
Wolfpack redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Finley struggled badly against Louisville, throwing two interceptions and looking rattled on the road. Finley has struggled on throws over 10 yards but is still a competent game manager. Facing the Eagles secondary that is not great at forcing turnovers, Finley should have good numbers. He will need to get the ball out quickly against the strong Boston College defensive line.
If Towles, who is battling a pulled hamstring, can’t go on Saturday, the Eagles will have to start redshirt sophomore Darius Wade. Wade was the Eagles’ starting quarterback at the beginning of last season before breaking his ankle against Florida State. In the offseason Towles transferred from Kentucky and took the starting job. Towles hasn’t been particularly dominant when he has played anyway, completing only 48.1 percent of his passes with four interceptions. Compared to what Boston College had last year though, he has been an upgrade.
Advantage: NC State
Running Back
Senior running back Matt Dayes gave the Wolfpack a scare when he left the game against Louisville with an injury. Luckily for NC State, Dayes will be back against Boston College. Dayes had a rough day against the Cardinals, rushing for only 13 yards on five carries. If the Wolfpack offense wants to get back on track this weekend, it will have to start with getting the ground game restarted.
The Eagles are 67th in the nation in rushing offense, led by redshirt sophomore Jon Hilliman, who has run for 337 yards and five touchdowns.
Advantage: NC State
Wide Receiver
The Wolfpack has lacked a go-to playmaker this season, with redshirt sophomore Stephen Louis and freshman Kelvin Harmon having good but inconsistent seasons. The Wolfpack needs to get more production from its wide receivers to help the offense start clicking again.
The Eagles have three wide receivers that have double digit catches this season, but few lack big play ability in the Eagles’ offense. The Boston College offense ranks 120th in passing, meaning none of these guys are significant threats.
Advantage: NC State
Tight End
The Wolfpack has junior Jaylen Samuels, who has not touched the ball as much this season as he did last year. He still leads the Pack in receiving and has scored seven touchdowns this season. The Wolfpack offense still runs through him and Dayes.
Eagles sophomore tight end Tommy Sweeney has 10 catches for 141 yards this season and senior Michael Giacone has yet to haul in a reception this season. The Eagles can’t match a playmaker like Samuels.
Advantage: NC State
Offensive Line
Penalties have killed the production of the Wolfpack offensive line and have held them back from being a very good unit. The Wolfpack unit has allowed 21 sacks this season, but has opened up large holes for the running game against lesser teams.
Graduate student Jimmy Lowery is the most experienced player on the Eagles offensive line, with three of the five starters being underclassmen. Boston College struggles in the running game but has been excellent in pass protection this season.
Advantage: NC State
Overall
The Wolfpack and Eagles tie on defense, but win the offensive battle pretty heavily. The Boston College offense is one of the worst units in the country and for that reason, the Wolfpack should be victorious on Halloween weekend.
Junior tight end fullback hybrid Jaylen Samuels goes up for a catch against the Wake Forest defense. Samuels had 24 yards on the ground and 50 through the air during the 33-16 win over the Demon Deacons on Oct. 1 in Carter-Finley Stadium.
