Notre Dame Prepares for Boston College: Key Matchups in the Holy War
After knocking off No. 1 Miami, Notre Dame turns to Boston College with advantages on both sides of the ball heading into the Holy War.
Notre Dame defeated then-No. 1 Miami last weekend, 31-24. It marked the 10th time in Notre Dame history that the Irish defeated an AP No. 1-ranked team. The victory over the top-ranked Hurricanes put them second in college football history in wins over AP No. 1-ranked teams, behind Alabama (11).
The Irish must now restore their energy and focus as they welcome another rival to South Bend: the Boston College Eagles. It’s a matchup known as the Holy War because it features the only two Catholic universities competing in the FBS (NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision).
When Notre Dame Has the Ball
Boston College Pass Defense vs. Notre Dame Passing Offense
Boston College finds itself in 64th place when it comes to pass efficiency defense, with a rating of 128.84. However, they’re closer to the top in passing yards allowed, surrendering 187.3 passing yards per game, as the Eagles are 31st in this category. While facing its highest-ranked opponent, then-No. 21 SMU, and arguably its best opposing quarterback to date, Kevin Jennings, the Boston College pass defense allowed just 160 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 25-16 defeat.
This week they’ll face Heisman Trophy candidate CJ Carr. Last weekend against Miami, Carr completed 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. His performance boosted him up two spots to 17th in passing efficiency, with a rating of 162.75. It also moved him up 10 spots to 25th in completion percentage at .676, but dropped him a couple of spots to 47th in yards per completion, averaging 12.25 yards per catch. The potential is there for another Heisman-like performance, but coach Marcus Freeman may tell his staff to focus on the ground game instead. Edge: Notre Dame
Boston College Rushing Defense vs. Notre Dame Rushing Offense
Boston College’s pass defense appears to be slightly better than its rushing defense, as the Eagles are 87th in the country against the run, allowing 156.6 yards per game. They’ve surrendered 1,409 rushing yards on 348 carries (4.05 YPC) through nine games.
The Notre Dame offensive line and running backs alike should find this weekend’s matchup a bit easier after having faced the nation’s best rushing defense last weekend against Miami. The Irish are ranked 43rd in rushing offense, averaging 175.7 rushing yards per game. Through nine games, Notre Dame has gained 1,581 yards on 319 attempts. Running back Nolan James leads the Notre Dame running backs with 106 carries for 571 yards (5.4 YPC) and nine touchdowns. He’s also caught 14 passes for 141 yards (10.1 YPC) while adding three scores. Edge: Notre Dame
When Boston College Has the Ball
Boston College Passing Offense vs. Notre Dame Passing Defense
Notre Dame’s secondary should be able to catch its breath this week, as Boston College has one of the worst passing offenses in college football. The Eagles are currently ranked 115th in passing offense, averaging 185.6 yards per game. So far this season, Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie has completed 131 of 229 attempts for 1,616 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He’s been sacked 22 times.
Boston College will be facing a Notre Dame defense that is ranked 31st in passing efficiency defense, allowing opposing quarterbacks a rating of 120.62. The Irish are also ranked 8th in passing yards allowed, limiting offenses to 164.8 passing yards per game. Last weekend, Notre Dame held Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah to a 55.8 completion percentage, which was his lowest of the season. Edge: Notre Dame
Boston College Rushing Offense and Notre Dame Rushing Defense
Boston College’s heartbeat on offense can be found in its rushing attack. The Eagles are ranked 54th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 165.9 rushing yards per game. One of their biggest threats running the football is their quarterback. McKenzie has carried the ball 145 times for 676 yards (4.7 YPC) and five rushing touchdowns.
Look for McKenzie’s numbers to decrease, as he’ll be facing the nation’s 9th-ranked team at stopping the run. Notre Dame’s rush defense is allowing opponents just 87.1 rushing yards per game. Last weekend, the Irish held Miami to 101 yards on 28 carries, which is almost less than half of its season average. Edge: Notre Dame
A Situational Edge to Watch
Boston College 3rd Down Conversion PCT Defense vs. Notre Dame 3RD Down Conversion PCT
This is one of the few areas of this week’s game that could remain close. The Eagles are currently 66th in the nation in allowing their opponents to complete .383 of their 3rd-down conversion attempts. Opposing teams have completed 44 of 115 attempts.
Notre Dame completed five of its 14 third-down attempts last weekend against Miami. Notre Dame ranks 44th on the season in this category, with a conversion percentage of .425. The Irish have converted 45 of 106 attempts. Edge: Notre Dame
Daniel Mingea III (pronounced Ming-E as the name gets butchered a lot) began following Notre Dame football in 1993 at the age of 13. He later served as a sports writer for The Vermilion newspaper while at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and parlayed that into a recruiting analyst role for LSU football with Tiger Rag magazine and TigerSportsDigest. Shortly after graduation, he put down the pen and the pad for a gun and a badge to become a probation officer in New Orleans. Three major surgeries set Mingea back forcing him to step away from the field of law enforcement. Now he is focused on getting back to a few of his passions, Notre Dame football and writing.
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