Countdown to Kickoff - Syracuse - Boston College Athletics

Long-time rivals get together for the final game of the regular season as the Eagles head to Syracuse for a Saturday matinee at the Carrier Dome.

Boston College (6-5, 3-4 ACC), fresh off their win over UConn at Fenway Park last weekend, enter having won four of their last five.

With a bowl bid already in their back pocket, evening up their ACC record and jockeying for bowl position is the order of the day for the Eagles as they line up against their former Big East and current ACC foe in a series that dates back to 1924.

"Once you start to win then you can really buy into it," graduate student quarterback Darius Wade said. "Yes, what we're buying into - our offense, our defense, our whole team philosophy - it does work. All we have to do is keep at it and keep grinding and it's going to pay off for us in the end."

"It's been an Eastern football rivalry," Boston College head coach Steve Addazio said. "Of course, being in the same conference, on the same side of the division adds to that. It's just an ACC team 4 1/2 hours up the road, and we're going to clash and battle each other. I love that in college football."

It will be Senior Day for the Orange (4-7, 2-5 ACC) who are looking for a little solace in a roller-coaster season that has seen them drop four-in-a-row since their massive upset over second-ranked Clemson in mid-October.

Syracuse senior wide receiver Steve Ishmael is 25 yards shy of breaking Marvin Harrison's program record for career receiving yards (2,728) and needs only one more reception to break Amba Etta-Tawo's single season mark of 94 catches, set a year ago.

Though Syracuse has allowed 120 points in their last two games, they do own a 31-19 advantage in the head-to-head versus the Eagles, including the last two matchups.

"When I was at the other place, it was a big deal," added Addazio of his time coaching at Syracuse. "It's a big game, circled on the schedule."

With a 12:20 p.m. EST kickoff, the ACC Network (myTV38 in Boston) has television coverage of the game, with Tom Werme calling the plays, alongside Dave Archer (color) and D.J. Shockley (sideline).

Radio coverage on the BC IMG Sports Network begins at 11:50 p.m. on WEEI 850 AM and nationally on TuneIn and on Sirius channel 108 and XM channel 193, with the "Voice of the Eagles" Jon Meterparel on the call, accompanied by Pete Cronan (color) and Scott Mutryn (sideline).

What they're saying

"We've got a big game. Heading up to play our rival game against Syracuse in the carrier dome. I know from personal experience what it's like to go on the road and play up there. It's always a tough environment. It's always a great football game…This is a talented football team. They've been in some unbelievable games. You all saw how they beat Clemson and how they've played really well against elite teams in our league, and I respect all that." – Boston College head coach Steve Addazio

"Senior day in the Dome, versus Boston College. I think about (linebacker) Zaire (Franklin) and (linebacker) Parris Bennett and (redshirt senior offensive lineman Jamar McGloster) "Big Moo" and the people that are on this football team and what they've gone through from the Scott Shafer to the Dino Babers thing and the transition that they allowed us to implement with them being in the program. They've had some big wins, Virginia Tech and obviously the Clemson win, and, obviously some disappointments. But, overall I think it's going to be a fantastic situation where we get to celebrate those guys and hopefully send them out the right way." – Syracuse head coach Dino Babers.

"I really like the Dome. It was a very cool atmosphere. It's very unique. It gets pretty rowdy in there, they have a very good fan base...It's definitely a rivalry game, it's been pretty scrappy over my four years of being here. So, I'm definitely excited to see how this year turns out." – Boston College graduate quarterback Darius Wade

Countdown to kickoff

10…The Orange defense is tied for tenth in the ACC in first downs allowed, giving up an average of 20.4 per game.

9…Boston College defensive end Zach Allen, recently named the Bulger Lowe Award recipient as the best defensive player in New England, is ninth in the ACC with 47 tackle assists. The junior has registered 89 total tackles on the season, 11.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks and five QB hurries.

8…Syracuse senior receiver Steve Ishmael is second in the nation with an average of 8.5 catches per game this season. His 94 catches on the year are also second in the country, while his 105.5 yards per game average ranks sixth.

7…With an average of 8.2 tackles per game, Eagles linebacker Ty Schwab is tied for seventh in the ACC. Seemingly everywhere, the senior has 90 total tackles on the year (sixth in ACC), 8.5 tackles for a loss (T12^th in ACC), four sacks (T10^th in ACC), two interceptions and two QB hurries.

6…In their six wins this season the Eagles are averaging 35.2 points per game. They have scored 35 or more points in each of their last four wins.

5…Boston College is in search of their fifth win of the season away from Alumni Stadium. The Eagles have gone 3-1 on the road and 1-0 at neutral sites.

4…With 1,239 rushing yards, Boston College's AJ Dillon is fourth in ACC history among freshman rushers. He also sits tenth in program history for rushing yards in a season, just four yards behind ninth place Montel Harris (1,243 in 2010) and 50 yards behind eighth place Mike Esposito (1,298 in 1973).

3…Syracuse linebacker Parris Bennett sits third in the ACC with 101 total tackles on the year. Five times this season the senior has registered ten or more tackles in a game.

2…Junior free safety Lukas Denis is tied for second in the country and tops in the ACC with six interceptions. The Everett, Mass. native is also tied for fourth in the ACC with nine pass breakups and is sixth in the ACC with 45 solo tackles for the Eagles.

1…The Boston College offensive line have allowed just 12 sacks on the season, tied for least in the ACC and sixth fewest in the country. Behind the Eagles heavies the offense has also been able to average 214.3 yard per game on the ground, fourth best in the ACC.

Countdown to Kickoff - Syracuse

Players Mentioned

Zach Allen

Lukas Denis

AJ Dillon

Ty Schwab

Darius Wade

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