Boston College and Syracuse are trending in opposite directions entering Friday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference contest on the Orange’s home turf.
The Eagles (5-3, 2-2) have won four in a row, while the Orange (4-4, 0-4) have dropped four straight and are the only remaining winless team in ACC play.
Boston College allowed at least 27 points in each of its first four games but has not yielded more than 24 in any game during its current winning streak. The Eagles are coming off a 21-14 triumph against UConn in a game in which the Eagles’ Kye Robichaux ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
Syracuse, meanwhile, is looking to recover from a brutal stretch in which it lost to Clemson, North Carolina, Florida State and Virginia Tech by a combined margin of 150-34. On the bright side, the Orange have won two straight matchups with the Eagles, including 32-23 a season ago.
Friday’s contest will be the Eagles’ third road game in the last four outings, although the team certainly won’t be getting any sympathy cards from the Orange.
Syracuse has not played at home since its Sept. 30 loss against Clemson.
“(It’s been) a long time,” Orange coach Dino Babers said about returning home. “I think back to other offenses having trouble during their snap counts, other offenses jumping offsides. Hearing the crowd get excited, watching the defense get excited to get another opportunity 5 yards back. I want those good times again. There’s no place like Dome. This is the perfect time for us to come home. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered.”
Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has conducted some of this week’s practices indoors with pumped-in noise to simulate the upcoming conditions in Syracuse, N.Y.
“We turned on the music as loud as you can make it, so you can’t hear anything,” said Hafley. “It won’t sound exactly the same, but we can make it so you really can’t hear. … I’m sure the game will be loud; I’m sure there will be a great crowd and a great atmosphere. It usually is there, and it’s a Friday night game.”
–Field Level Media