W2WF: Syracuse

Football season begins in the unforgiving heat of August. It swelters with practice as players return from summer training. It starts a countdown of anticipation to that first game, building with each week and every scrimmage. The long grind begins shortly thereafter with a flourish of competition and the first glimpse into the unknown.

Four months later, the season ends with the same flourish. The final game usually ends with a team's most intense rival, the one game per year every player and fan lives to participate in. It's the one time of year where time can feel like it's standing still. For Boston College, that comes on Saturday in the Carrier Dome against the Syracuse Orange.

A true rivalry requires a number of different characteristics. It needs history. Boston College and Syracuse first met in 1924 and have played 51 times since. They met annually from 1971-2004 and helped charter the Big East Conference together. The series went on hiatus when the Eagles left for the ACC, but the teams committed to each other as non-conference foes in 2010. Three years later, they once again became conference divisional rivals when the Orange themselves left the Big East.

It needs moments. It's hard to consider schools like Connecticut or UMass as true rivals when they don't have signature wins - or wins at all - over Boston College. But Syracuse is a different story. Syracuse has an all-time edge over the Eagles, 31-19, but both teams have signature victories.

BC has Tony Thurman's game-clinching interception in 1984 in Foxboro that clinched both the Cotton Bowl and the Heisman Trophy for the program and Doug Flutie. In 1993, Glenn Foley's 400-plus yards passing led the Eagles to their first-ever win at the Carrier Dome over a then-undefeated, No. 13-ranked Syracuse team. And in 2010, Mark Herzlich's interception locked down the only meeting between the teams between the Big East and ACC eras.

Syracuse has the longest winning streak in the rivalry after taking six straight from 1987-1992. It was part of a streak where the Orange won 10 times in 12 years. It has three wins in the four games since joining the ACC in 2013, none of which have been by more than a touchdown. And it has the dreaded "Diamond Ferri Game" from 2004 - a game that needs no introduction beyond its name.

The history and moments create familiarity. Steve Addazio was once an assistant on Paul Pasqualoni's staff at Syracuse between 1995-1998. Pasqualoni now returns the favor as defensive line coach in Chestnut Hill. He's the second-winningest coach in Orangemen program history, having won 107 games and four Big East crowns between 1991-2004.

Then there's the geography. Syracuse and Boston College are separated by less than five hours' drive time. It creates a rivalry on the recruiting trail, just as it does on the football field.

"There's a couple of teams you'd like to see realigned on our side because it's just the old Eastern football," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "I think that's awesome. Fans can drive to the game, all that kind of stuff. Back in the day, even more so. I mean (we were) really, really, really battling for same recruiting areas and everything. When I was (at Syracuse), we recruited this whole area back in the day. I think it's good for Eastern football, and I think it creates fun rivalries. So, I'm excited that that's become the focus again because I think in every conference, there should be rival games."

Boston College and Syracuse is an old football rivalry born out of geography, tradition and history. It has its historical moments. On Saturday, the last regular season game of a long grind comes to fruition with the latest revival of that very same matchup. From the old Big East to the new ACC, it's a big moment, one that's been circled since the season schedule was released.

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Weekly Storylines

Grate, zest, and peel.

The Syracuse Orange defense has a number of stout, physical defensive players. Paris Bennett and Zaire Franklin form a devastating core at linebacker with a combined 178 tackles, over 15 of which have gone for losses. Bennett has 101 tackles by himself, officially recording one of Syracuse's seven fumble recoveries. Franklin, meanwhile, is the type of player who wound up with the Orange but is well-known to Eagles' coaches because they all work in the same recruiting areas.

"I knew Zaire Franklin coming out of high school in Philadelphia," Steve Addazio said. "That was about the time I was coming out Temple (to come to BC). I think Zaire has got a real knack. He's a real football player, real nose for the ball. I think he's outstanding. We've played against him a bunch."

Those two players will patrol and disrupt the line of scrimmage, so it becomes important for BC to attack Syracuse in its teeth. The Orange rank No. 87 in rushing defense only because of struggles the past three weeks. After holding Central Connecticut State and Middle Tennessee to under 100 yards (and 105 yards to Central Michigan), LSU and NC State ran over Syracuse for 151 yards and 256 yards, respectively, with three touchdowns apiece.

Syracuse rebounded with decent showings against Pittsburgh, Clemson and Miami, but the last three games have been disastrous. Florida State ran for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and Wake Forest and Louisville scored five times apiece with well over 350 yards. Last week, the Cardinals gashed the Orange for 411.

"We're pretty multiple right now," Addazio said of his offensive formations. "We really are pretty multiple. The quick game was started underneath the center with a quick three-step drop. I think play actions, quick game, those types of things - we see a lot of pressure every week. Very few people don't bring pressures against us. Now when they bring pressures, are they bringing zone dogs? Are they bringing man pressures? Those are all the different questions."

Boston College has never hidden its style of play, so it's hard to expect run-first to change, especially given the Orange's struggles the past three weeks. Syracuse's success hinges on knowing the Eagles will pound the ball at the line of scrimmage and the subsequent attack at that mentality.

"Most people want to stop the run by getting an eighth man in the box or one more than you have formationally," Addazio said. "Whether you blitz or line up to it, they want to get there to it. That's not anything new - same old, same old."

Jump on their backs.

The Boston College injury report continues to grow, with Kam Moore ruled out for the season last week and John Lamot added to the list of questionable players alongside Harold Landry. Four players from the Week One starting lineup are now out for the year, and multiple backup replacements joined them later down the line. If Lamot can't go, BC will have to start its fourth different linebacker at one position.

When players are hurt, teams have to use a "next man up" mentality. It's somehow managed to work, and BC enters Saturday ranked No. 42 in scoring defense. The Eagles remain particularly strong against the pass, ranking third nationally in efficiency and standing at No. 24 in yards allowed.

A big part of that is Ty Schwab. The senior is playing out of his mind this year, recording 90 tackles with just under 10 for losses. He's likely to hit the 100-tackle mark with two games remaining, which emphasizes how he rose to the occasion when teammates went down injured.

"He's playing really hard, relentless football," Steve Addazio said. "He's all over the place (and) plays very physically. He's preparing real hard. Football is Ty Schwab's world. He's all about it. He's fun to coach and great to be around."

Lukas Denis is another storyline to watch. His six interceptions are on the cusp of breaking into the Boston College record books. He needs one more pick to tie DeJuan Tribble for fourth all-time in a single season. Tony Thurman holds the record with 12 picks in 1984.

It's just a flesh wound!

Boston College isn't the only team dealing with injuries late in the season; the Orange could be without both of its best offensive weapons on Saturday by listing both quarterback Eric Dungey and running back Dontae Strickland as questionable.

Dungey would be the biggest blow; he has over 3,000 yards this year as a dual-threat in Dino Babers' "Orange is the new fast" offense. He threw for 385 yards against NC State earlier this season, then followed it up with 365 yards against Pittsburgh. A week later, Dungey gashed Clemson for 339 all-purpose yards, 278 of which were passing, with three touchdowns.

He suffered a right ankle injury against Florida State but returned to rush for 100 yards and a touchdown while passing for 278 yards and two scores.

"I feel like he may be one of the top three quarterbacks or two quarterbacks in our conference," Steve Addazio said. "I think he's one of the better quarterbacks in the country. Aside from his physical skill set, I think his intangibles, his toughness (and) his leadership are completely dominant in their football team. I'm very, very impressed by him."

If Dungey can't play, quarterback duties fall to Zack Mahoney or Rex Culpepper. Mahoney is 46-for-90 on the season for 471 yards and three touchdowns, but he's also thrown four picks. Culpepper is 21-for-41 on the season in limited action, and he's the son of Brad Culpepper. Rex's father was a standout at Florida, winning All-American honors in 1991, and has since gone onto appear with wife Monica in the Survivor television series. Both quarterbacks played last week against Louisville and threw two picks, ultimately skewing their respective statistics.

"Zack Mahoney has a world of talent," Addazio said. "He throws the ball extremely well. I've watched him play, and I'm really, really impressed with him. I know Rex Culpepper, (and) I knew his dad when I was at Florida. He comes from a great football bloodline. Whichever one of those guys play, I have the utmost respect for all three of them. I think they're all super talented and really, really impressed by all of them."

Strickland, meanwhile, has 482 yards this season with four touchdowns. If he can't go, the running back responsibilities largely fall on Moe Neal. Neal has about 80 yards less on the season than Strickland, but he averages over five yards per carry.

"Both are very, very good running backs," Addazio said. "I think Strickland is an exceptional back. He's averaging close to four yards per carry and he's a tough, physical back."

Everybody loves somebody...sometimes.

It's really hard not to love Syracuse head coach Dino Babers. In 2015, Syracuse averaged under 63 plays per game. Babers, who coached Jimmy Garoppolo at Eastern Illinois before moving to Bowling Green, immediately upped that number by a factor of 20 to 83.8 players per game last season. This year, the Orange are up over 90 plays per game.

His postgame speech from the Clemson win was one of those electric moments that defines a coach. With ESPN cameras rolling, he stood in his locker room showering respect on the Tigers. He then rallied his team with humor and passion. Watching the Orange rally around their coach's "whose house, our house" speech was a reminder of Steve Addazio's "the team and the family" or "playing on the edge of the coin" and echoed celebrations in the locker room with his players following some big wins.

It's easy to love Dino Babers, and he would probably a personal favorite if not for one fact: he's coaching Boston College's rival. So, it's okay to love him...sometimes.

"I know Dino (and) respect Dino a lot," Steve Addazio said. "I think Dino has done a great job. So, they'll be well prepared, well coached, and I'm sure highly motivated. We're in for a huge challenge up in Syracuse. We've certainly got enough work to do in our three phases. So, we're busy preparing hard."

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Meteorology 101

The Syracuse forecast is calling for potentially sloppy weather on Saturday afternoon. It's going to be in the 40s with temperatures dipping down towards the end of the game, so it's probably going to be that raw, bone-chilling cold that pierces the body while sitting in the stands. I would pack a few extra layers if you're heading up to Syracuse.

Hold on a second, I have a text coming in. Syracuse has a dome? Oh. Well. Carry on then.

"We'll have the perfect weather," Steve Addazio joked during his press conference. "It's probably a great advantage for them too, but obviously, we're not going to deal with elements. That's not going to happen."

I actually have a personal story involving the Carrier Dome. In 2004, I went to the Syracuse-Florida State game with my brothers. We drove out to Albany the day before the game and got stuck in traffic on the Mass Pike somewhere west of Worcester. We weren't moving, but we were stuck next to a camper with a television on through the window. The TV was on the Red Sox game against the Angels, and I watched David Ortiz hit the series-winning, walk-off homer at Fenway Park on that camper's television.

The next day, sitting at the Carrier Dome, I heard the Yankees finish off Minnesota after Alex Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch. It set up Red Sox-Yankees in the American League Championship Series, and the "Greatest Comeback in Sports History" ensued over the next week.

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Scoreboard Watching/Bowl Game Watch

Syracuse isn't going to a bowl this year, but the Orange can do some damage to BC's bowl positioning with a win. It's one of a number of games that can upset the bowl pecking order as the ACC finishes its regular season.

Let's start with Friday. Miami heads to Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech heads to Virginia. Virginia Tech is currently ranked No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings, which positions them for the Orange Bowl if Miami and Clemson both get into the semifinals after the ACC Championship Game.

That leads to Saturday. NC State has two league losses but is ranked behind Virginia Tech. That means the Wolfpack need a Hokies loss and a win to slide back into Orange Bowl contention, but it would also put the Camping World Bowl back into play. If Virginia Tech were to slide down from the Orange Bowl, NC State would fall back into Tier I unless the ACC absorbs the Citrus Bowl or unless it can pass the Hokies' ranking.

Behind that, things will get really weird. A Virginia Tech loss would drop the Hokies to 4-4 in league play, and there's a massive chunk of teams with that record. Louisville and Georgia Tech are both 4-4 and play non-conference games this week against Kentucky and No. 7 Georgia. But the Yellow Jackets will only play 11 games this year because their game against Central Florida was cancelled. So, a loss actually renders them ineligible for a bowl altogether unless they receive an NCAA waiver.

Then there's Wake Forest, who is 4-3 in league play. A Demon Deacon win over Duke coupled with a Virginia Tech and NC State loss puts Wake into play for the third-place finish by virtue of last week's win over the Wolfpack. It would also render the Blue Devils ineligible for a bowl at 5-7 unless they receive a bid based on academic progress.

That leads us back to Boston College. A win can propel the Eagles as high as potentially fourth or fifth place in the ACC, while a loss opens the door for Florida State. The Seminoles play Florida today in Gainesville. A win combined with a win next week against Louisiana-Monroe clinches bowl eligibility with a 3-5 conference record. Though BC has a head-to-head win, the tier selection system opens the door for a bowl to potentially choose the Seminoles over the Eagles. Also, as a side note, Virginia has an identical 6-5 overall record and 3-4 conference record as BC, though the Eagles have a head-to-head win.

There's a bottom line here. BC needs to beat Syracuse in order to earn a Tier I bowl game. The rest of the slotting system is out of its control, and it's going to be a chaotic, wild weekend in the ACC. The bowl system is only partially dependent on finishing position, but it's also showing just why this conference is one of the most competitive in the nation.

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Prediction Time/Pregame Zen

Everyone is half win and half lose. The losing half is afraid. The winning half is fearless. The half-to is inside. It's where the fear lives. The half-to. Let's see it.
(Walks Away) What the heck was I talking about?

-Chet Steadman, "Rookie of the Year"

BC reenergized its reputation this season as a bruiser football team built on good, old-fashioned horsepower. The Eagles show their hand, lay the cards on the table and dare teams to beat them. It's been a two-month run of near-dominant football, and it's showing glimpses into the potential of the future.

There's still one game left that rides so much. A win could send the Eagles into a coveted Tier I bowl and give them a matchup against one of those big-name opponents. A loss could wind them back up in a Tier II bowl, which is still an honor in its own right. A team wants the tougher competition, and it likely rides on Saturday against Syracuse.

But BC has been here before. A potentially bigger bowl looms in a rivalry game against Syracuse. It's the type of atmosphere that makes the Orange rise to the occasion, especially with the passion and intensity of a coach like Dino Babers. Saturday is going to be an all-out battle for Northeast supremacy. It's what makes it a rivalry and what makes the rivalry worth watching.

The Eagles and Orange kick off at 12:20 p.m. on the ACC Network, seen locally on myTV38. The game can also be heard on the Boston College IMG Sports Network beginning at 11:50 a.m. with Jon Meterparel and Pete Cronan on the call with Scott Mutryn on the sidelines. Fans can listen locally on WEEI 850 AM, nationally on TuneIn and on satellite radio at Sirius channel 108 and XM channel 193.

Boston College Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Lukas Denis

John Lamot

Harold Landry

Ty Schwab

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