W2WF: Virginia

Joining the ACC in 2005 gave Boston College new possibilities for conference rivalries. Having forged new rivalries with Clemson and Florida State, realignment helped enhance a matchup with Virginia Tech while eventually deepening the bond with Syracuse.

It was a hope that divisions would form these rivalries while inter-divisional play rotated fresh matchups. The constant presence of a rotating team from the other division creates an important matchup within league ranks while providing the unknown commonly seen by non-conference scheduling. All the while, it would enhance competition because of league ties.

Saturday's Boston College-Virginia game is one of those matchups. Though both are ACC members, they've never met during the Steve Addazio era. There's little to no familiarity, forcing the coaching staffs from both teams to rely solely on film and practice to ready for the upcoming game.

"I think (Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall) has done a great job, and I really like the way they're playing," BC head coach Steve Addazio said earlier this week. "I think they're very, very talented. I think he's done a really good job, and he's developed a nice looking football team. I watched them on tape. I saw a couple of TV games that I saw Thursday or Friday night when we were at our hotel; I saw them playing against Boise State. So I've seen a couple of snapshots, and I'm studying them hard right now on defense."

There is some history. In 1994, the Eagles dominated the Cavaliers in a 31-13 victory in the Carquest Bowl. In 2005, BC won at home, 28-17, in a game best remembered for Mathias Kiwanuka's incident with lineman Brad Butler. Though Steve Addazio hasn't coached against Bronco Mendenhall, the Virginia head coach saw two games against BC while at Brigham Young.

But there isn't enough to sustain a true rivalry. Saturday will feel like a non-conference game because BC and Virginia won't play each other in the regular season for the next seven years.

That doesn't make the game any less important, however, and it does nothing to diminish this season's matchup. Virginia is 5-1 on the season, one win away from bowl eligibility for the first time since 2011. Boston College is 3-4 but more seasoned, having played a tougher schedule and coming off of a huge win at Louisville.

"What does that win do for you?" Addazio asked. "That win gives you a little bit of fruit. That win gives you a little bit of confidence. But if you don't handle your business, that'll erode real quick. We've got to keep building."

Here's what to watch for as the Eagles travel to one of the original "Public Ivies."

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Weekly Storylines

Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name.

With so little live information, it's worth starting at Virginia's ground level. A former defensive back at Oregon State, Bronco Mendenhall cut his coaching teeth in the Western United States. He pioneered the New Mexico defense that produced Brian Urlacher in the 2000 NFL Draft's first round before moving to Brigham Young, where he eventually became head coach in 2005.

Under Mendenhall's guidance, BYU enjoyed four straight 10-win seasons, winning back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships in 2006 and 2007. The Cougars made a bowl game every year in his 11 seasons, winning back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships in 2006 and 2007. From 2005-2010, BYU never finished lower than third in conference, a string broken only by their move to become an FBS Independent in 2011. After taking BYU to a sixth Las Vegas Bowl in 2015, the head coach came east for the first time, accepting the position at Virginia.

He is widely recognized as a defensive pioneer, and his metrics-based approach is engineering a complete turnaround at Virginia. Using a multiple front defense, the 'Hoos are among the nation's best statistical units in 2017, with a defense capable of stopping teams both on the ground and in the air in key situations.

"They're a physical, stout, run-stopping defense," Addazio said. "Their coverage plays tight coverage and different coverages. I think they're well put together, well coached. Andrew Brown is one heck of a player on the defensive line, and Quin Blanding (is solid) on the back end."

Virginia heads into the BC game ranked No. 10 nationally in passing yards allowed and No. 52 in rushing defense. Earlier this season, Boise State threw for 353 yards and a touchdown, but the defense held the Broncos to one yard per carry. Last week, the Tar Heels rushed for 211 yards but threw for just 46 with three interceptions. Because the defense can offer multiple sets and looks, the Cavalier defense can become very fluid to defend any offense.

"We see a lot of these (defenses) all year round," Addazio told the ACC media this week. "(The) style of team we are, we see a lot of multiplicity on defense. We see four down, we see three down, we see a lot of zone pressure, (and) we see man-fire pressure. We get it all and we practice against it all."

Situational football will almost assuredly play a large factor for BC. Virginia is the best red zone defense in the country, placing an extreme criticality and premium on opportunities and points.

Take it to the Benkert

Virginia's defense experienced a dramatic renaissance under Bronco Mendenhall, but the offense isn't too far behind. Led by quarterback Kurt Benkert, the unit's made dramatic improvements since taking over last season.

Now a senior, Benkert became the starter last season following the graduation of Matt Johns. He made an immediate impact, throwing for five touchdowns in his first two games. Against Central Michigan, he went 27-of-43 for 421 yards and five scores, ending any debate about his potential. Though he threw for less than 200 yards in four of Virginia's last five games, Benkert finished with over 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns.

"It was a unique situation (in the beginning) because there were experienced players and an existing starter already here," Mendenhall said of the quarterback room. "I really, really liked Matt Johns, who had done so much for our program. So that was a unique thing."

Johns finished his career ranked No. 10 in passing yards in Virginia program history after amassing 4,233 yards between 2013-2016. Benkert stands to pass that on Saturday with one yard after just a season and a half as the team's center.

"There was an upside to Kurt as far as the way he can make every throw," Mendenhall said. "Then the possibility of having him two years ended up making a lot of sense to us."

Stopping Virginia means limiting Benkert. He's a different quarterback than anything the Eagles faced this year because he's a traditional pocket passer. He can scramble for yardage, but he's not going to rush for 125 yards against a defense.

He's also developed into the type of quarterback who doesn't need it. He passed for 250 yards in every game except the win over Duke, but even in that game he threw for three touchdowns. The only game in which he didn't throw for multiple scores is the only Virginia loss this year against Indiana back in September.

It creates a reputation leading to playing time on Sundays. With over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns to just three interceptions, this is a dangerous player taking snaps against the Eagle defense.

"When your quarterback goes out, your team is altered," Mendenhall said. "We're a long way away from the succession planning we need to have a stable program. We have Kurt, but Lindell Stone is our next quarterback, and he is a true first year. I'm so glad Kurt is with us, but we're one play away from having a different football team."

Land of Confusion

This week's injury report listed quarterback Anthony Brown as probable with his shoulder injury. That means he will likely be active, and as Steve Addazio said this week, that also means he will start.

Brown's appearance means BC can throw two distinct looks at the Virginia defense. On one hand, BC uses different formations with the redshirt freshman calling signals. There's more variation in formations and play calling, and it's not the same as the straight up power running game the Eagles called against Louisville.

"(When) you get a guy like Jon (Hilliman) or AJ (Dillon) with a hot hand rolling, you're going to just roll," the coach said. "Within that we were still trying to operate our first and second down throws in there until maybe the very end, when we were trying to handle that clock and everything."

It's hard to ignore the power running game's success, and there should be a desire to watch it grow. The offensive line matured and imposed its will against Louisville in the second half, especially in the third quarter when the BC offense controlled the clock for nearly the entire frame. But "pounding the rock" doesn't mean the offense is going to or even should abandon its fundamental style.

"I think we consciously want to keep a mix," Addazio said. "You got to stay on schedule on first and second down so you're getting manageable thirds. We did a much better job (of that). When you have more manageable down-and-distance on third and you can convert your thirds at a higher rate (BC was 9-of-18 on third downs against Louisville), then you have an ability to stay on the field. The more you stay on the field, you more you impose your will and the more plays you have the ability to run."

Different looks can confuse a defense. Calling pass plays and run plays without any type of regularity or predictability can cause them to be in the wrong alignment, at which point tempo can become a factor. If the defense is mentally a step behind, the offense can push the throttle and keep it from catching up or adjusting.

"They've actually played with some tempo," Bronco Mendenhall said. "They have a mobile quarterback but more traditional in the sets they're aligned in. They have some 11 personnel sets, they prefer to have multiple tight ends in, if possible. Tight ends and wings, the appearance of two backs in the backfield with run and play action, a physical run game with play and power and counter and play action that comes off of that. They're not afraid of tricks or gadgets when they cross the 50."

Road Warriors, Part Deux

After facing a familiar opponent last week, BC travels once again this week, but the difference in opponent is stark because nobody can really make sense of Virginia. Though the 'Hoos are 5-1, only two of the wins are against teams currently over .500. The lone loss came to an Indiana team that's currently 3-3 but endured losses to three ranked opponents, including two ranked in the top five.

Because BC hasn't seen Virginia in so long, there can be a tendency to discount its record because it went 2-10 last year and 4-8 in 2015. But that would be shortsighted simply because no team gets to 5-1 overall by accident.

"I think this league is a great league," Steve Addazio said. "There's a lot of really good football teams in this league. There's a lot of really talented players and a lot of good coaches in this league. So we're up against it every single week and we're up against it again this week. It's just the nature of this conference. And you've got to be prepared."

Heading to Louisville last week was the perfect recipe at the right time. Tucked away from any outside distraction, the Eagles had a chance to simply grow as a team before executing in a hostile environment. In a one game sample size, it's very good.

Doing it again introduces the layers of fatigue. Road trips shorten the week, so doing it for consecutive games enhances the challenge. As a result, this week requires laser focus and an attention to detail so BC can come home next week against Florida State with another win in its pocket.

"We better have (great days) or we're not going to be in a position to go down and have an opportunity to beat Virginia at Virginia," Addazio said. "That's the way I occupy my mind. I can't look in the rearview mirror. You got to fight that. As a coach, a player, a program, you got to look forward and you got to have belief in where you're headed. I think that's critically important to be always forward thinking, not rear thinking. When you win, everything tastes better, the sky is bluer (and) the sun is brighter. But we got to get better."

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Meteorology 101

This time of year is a wonderful time in the mid-Atlantic. Humid, warm days transform into cool nights - fully indicative of autumn in Virginia.

Saturday calls for mostly sunny skies with temperatures creeping towards the 80 degree mark. A midday kickoff likely will be cooler, but lighter humidity will create a stellar gameday atmosphere in Scott Stadium.

Keep an eye on that heat later in the game. Players can cramp if they're not used to playing in hotter temperatures, which will put a premium on pacing the team throughout the game.

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Scoreboard Watching

After losing significant time to Hurricane Irma earlier this season, Florida State is starting to gain traction. Though a loss to Miami hurt, wins over Wake Forest and Duke have the Seminoles finding their legs heading into a major midseason game on Saturday. Hosting Louisville, a win will do wonders in the drive for a bowl game while losing will have far-reaching implications for a team with games left at both Clemson and Florida.

As for Louisville, Saturday's game is critical as well. The Cardinals are still 4-3 and through arguably the toughest part of their schedule, but a loss to FSU would be their third straight. And while they already played Clemson, Wake Forest, Virginia and Syracuse are all dramatically improved. Entering that stretch with a losing streak, especially after last week's loss to BC, would make the road more uphill.

That games kicks off at noon as a juggernaut starter to the weekend. After slaying Clemson, Syracuse draws No. 8 Miami, another undefeated ACC team harboring national championship aspirations. That game is at 3:30 in South Florida.

At 2-5, Pittsburgh heads to Duke in a game where a loss would severely damage the Panthers' bowl hopes. With games ahead against Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami, the road to a postseason game would become significantly harder with a loss to the Blue Devils. Duke, meanwhile, is 4-3, and a win would separate it from the rest of the Coastal Division pack.

Later at night, Wake Forest plays Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Though both teams have an inside track to a bowl game, wins would give them both a leg up in the race for potential positioning and placement among the tiers.

The final game on Saturday is a midday game between Virginia Tech and North Carolina. The Hokies can become bowl eligible with a win, while a loss would render the Tar Heels ineligible with a seventh loss.

BC's final non-conference opponent, UConn, is at home on Saturday at noon against Tulsa.

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Prediction Time/Pregame Zen

It's never been my goal to be king of the prom. It's been my goal to do the right thing and get the job done. -Gregg Popovich

Boston College hasn't won consecutive road games since 2014, which is, ironically enough, the last time it won road games on consecutive weeks. That season, the Eagles beat Wake Forest, 23-17, before heading to Virginia Tech for a 33-31 win.

The Eagles beat Louisville with raw horsepower. It wasn't pretty, and it didn't need to be. They simply needed to execute one play after another to move the chains. Moving the chains enough eventually put the team in a position to score either by attacking the red zone or by creating an explosive play.

I would love to see something similar against the Cavaliers. The Eagles are starting to form the nucleus of something special. After a roller coaster start to the season, a win on Saturday allows BC to start rolling down its tracks towards the Florida State game. Virginia is a good team, and this is going to be a highly competitive game. But there's a way to victory built on teammates working together and building the next step by executing their respective jobs.

BC and Virginia will kick off at 12:30 p.m. on ACC regional sports networks. It can be seen locally on NESN or via the ESPN app outside the ACC television markets. The game will also be broadcast on the BC IMG Sports Network, which can be heard on WEEI 850 AM, Sirius/XM channel 81 and via TuneIn.

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