W2WF: Florida State

There are a thousand jokes to be made about getting older and how we all fight the inevitable. I'm okay with them all, especially the ones my wife likes to make about my hair turning gray. It's fun to laugh at, especially since I feel better physically and mentally at 34 years old than I ever did when I was 24.

I try to laugh at the moments where I think about getting older, but there are those occasions where I let myself reflect on the passage of time. It really feels like it flies, especially when I don't pay much attention to it, and it leaves me feeling a combination of appreciative and melancholy. I try not to think about wasted time, but I know there are those moments where I stared at a clock, feeling like the hours dragged through interminable days. I usually resolve myself to my past in those moments of reflection, and it always amazes me how much I can recall with vivid memory.

September 11, 2001 was one of those days. I was a junior at Malden Catholic High School, and I remember every detail of when I found out that airplanes struck the World Trade Center towers. I remember our headmaster, Bro. Robert Green, announced over the loudspeaker during our homeroom period, itself an anomaly to our daily routines. He asked for attention and paused, then asked again in a way that quieted the entire school. He told us the news and led us in a short prayer recitation before we all attempted to go about our days as normally as possible.

The surreality of it all came into full view through its scope. Nobody I personally knew passed away, but I watched the horror and news trickle through to people I knew and had relationships with. Beyond that, I remember the peaceful quiet with no planes in a cloudless sky after school, and I remember sitting on my porch with my mother, an immigrant who naturalized into American citizenship in the 1960s, feeling a sorrowful pride in my country.

The range and flood of emotions only compounded with the stories of ordinary Americans who became heroes, and it's something that has continued over the past 18 years. The story of Welles Crowther resonated with me when I first watched the ESPN documentary in 2011. I was in my mid-20s when I first heard of his story, four years into my professional life. The story of his passion for becoming a firefighter and how he essentially became one for that one day left a resounding impact on everything I believed.

Everything about 9/11 is always steeped in tragedy and sadness, but the stories of heroism provide constant reminders of hope in humanity, even this far into the future. Welles simply did his duty, and his light shines like those two blue beacons every year that originate at Ground Zero. It creates hope in my soul and speaks to the goodness that exists within ordinary people thrust into extraordinary events.

It has been 18 years since 9/11, and I'm now 10 years older than Welles was on the last day of his life. His father, Jefferson Crowther, passed away this year. It makes it difficult to reflect on the passage of time because I worry that we would lose the inspiring feelings of hope he instilled in so many.

But if time's going to move forward, it's our duty to remember people like Welles in the way we know best. He was an athlete and, more than that, a Boston College Eagle. He wore the maroon and gold for the school's old lacrosse team, so there's no better way to honor his memory than by suiting up with his red bandanna and competing hard with his name emblazoned all over the campus. It's a way to remind everyone of his message, that ordinary people can change the world with their humanity.

This game is an annual necessity for us as a Boston College community. He is one of ours, and we can keep his spirit alive through a communal gathering designed to tell his story.

In the spirit of competition, here's what to watch for as BC takes on Florida State on Saturday:

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Weekly Storylines

Elephant in the room

It goes without saying that this game is going to be incredibly unique for Florida State. The Seminoles fired Willie Taggart on Sunday after losing to Miami last week, relieving their now-former head coach of his duties after less than two full seasons in Tallahassee.

It's a necessary discussion piece because it's always noteworthy when a team makes a change during its game week, but there isn't much else to discuss beyond that. Boston College readied itself for this game as it would for any other opponent, and the coach on the other sideline didn't alter any kind of preparation in the Eagles' practice plan. That's probably a good thing because the message from the Seminoles is crystal clear: this team will be ready to play.

"They're our kids, and they're going to fight to uphold Florida State University," interim head coach Odell Haggins said. "We are committed to graduating kids and winning national championships. One thing about (the program), a testament to Willie Taggart, the kids came out (this week), they ran hard, they practiced hard. The culture has changed."

It's a hard-pressed search to find a coach more committed to Florida State than Haggins. He played for the Seminoles in the late 1980s through 1990 and earned his degree from the university in 1993 after his playing career ended. He immediately became an assistant coach in 1994, becoming the defensive line coach two years later, and he has remained in that position ever since.

He has also been in this position before. In 2017, he served as interim head coach for the final two games after Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M. He went undefeated, motivating the Seminoles to a win over Louisiana-Monroe to clinch bowl eligibility before leading the team to an Independence Bowl victory.

"I love coaching," he said. "I'm going to do whatever I have to do to help this program out, to move forward."

Green Akers

The inconsistency plaguing Florida State this season makes predicting the Seminoles almost impossible. A first glance at the offense finds a depth chart littered with playmakers at wide receiver and an elite running back, and a cursory look down the season's performances offer a glimpse into its potential in games against opponents like Louisville.

The running game is especially confusing. Running back Cam Akers is having a career year and will most likely eclipse both 200 carries and 1,000 yards on Saturday. His 12 touchdowns are a career-high, and he's averaging over 100 yards per game. But beyond him, there isn't much, and the rushing numbers rank in the bottom third of the national rankings.

"I watched them on tape, and they have playmakers on offense," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "(They have a) very talented team. It will be a real challenging game for us."

It's reasonable to pitch a scenario for Akers to provide the difference in this game. He recorded his only 100-yard game of the season last year against BC when he averaged nearly eight yards per carry, and the Seminoles won by a point, 22-21. He went for 110 yards on 14 carries in that game, scoring a touchdown that pushed the Seminoles ahead in the third quarter.

That was a far cry from his freshman year when BC throttled FSU, 35-3. He only mustered 42 yards on 18 carries in that game and was held off the score sheet.

Throw me a bone here.

Sophomore James Blackman started the season for Florida State at quarterback, lighting up the stat sheet in the first three games with nine touchdowns and only two picks. He was dominant against Boise State, throwing for 327 yards and three scores, then followed it up with three more touchdowns against ULM, though he threw two picks and the Seminoles only escaped in overtime.

But after Blackman threw three more touchdowns against Virginia, he went down injured against Louisville, forcing Wisconsin transfer Alex Hornibrook into action. He promptly threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-20 passing, then started the next week against NC State with 316 yards and three more scores.

The quarterback play, for some reason, lost its throttle after that. Blackman and Hornibrook both struggled against Clemson before the younger QB played at Wake Forest. Over the past two weeks, Hornibrook has become the go-to signal caller, but his performances haven't exactly lit the world on fire.

That likely won't matter, though, because FSU has enough firepower to create big, explosive plays at any moment. Wide receiver Tamorrion Terry lit up BC last season, hauling in a 74-yard touchdown catch en route to a 112-yard performance on just three receptions.

"We need to play fundamentally sound football," Haggins added. "As a football team, in all three phases, special teams, offense and defense. We need to play fundamental and be ready to play Florida State football."

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Countdown to Kickoff

10…BC averages 10 more seconds of time of possession than FSU per game. Both teams are just over 27 minutes of possession on average.
9…The Eagles have nine interceptions this season, good enough for 23rd overall in FBS.
8…AJ Dillon has only made eight starts in his career where he didn't reach 100 yards rushing.
7…FSU holds the series long winning streak with a seven-game run from 2010-2016.
6…BC has scored first in six of its games this year, with a 5-1 situational record.
5…Only five teams allow more sacks per game than FSU in the entire FBS. In contrast, BC ranks third overall in sacks allowed per game.
4…Boston College holds four victories over Florida State since joining the ACC in 2005. Three of those four were in Chestnut Hill.
3…BC's defense ranks 17 spots below the Seminoles in scoring defense, but the difference in those spots is just a field goal per game.
2…AJ Dillon and David Bailey are ranked second nationally for combined yardage by two players, behind only Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard/Spencer Sanders (QB) combo. The "Buffalo Boys" are tops nationally for totals exclusive to just running backs.
1...BC needs one more win to achieve bowl eligibility for the sixth time in Steve Addazio's seven seasons as head coach.

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BC-FSU X Factor

Mother Nature

I make various jokes when it comes to New England's weather pattern, but the truth is that I love having my seasons. Enjoying the summer heat for a few months is great because I know I'm going to cool off under the rainbow of leaves in the autumn, which in turn is going to give me frozen ponds for shinny hockey in the winter. Eventually everything will thaw in the spring, just in time for me to remember that the heat and cold will engage in a permanent cycle. I will complain about the same things every year, and I know I will fall in love with those same things when they roll back around.

When it comes to football season, I always liked how New England changed with the season. The year begins in the summer heat, continues through the crisp, occasionally rainy autumn, then ends in the brutal cold of winter. On Saturday, that Arctic blast becomes real for the first time this year. For a hard-nosed, power football team like BC, that's ideal conditions against a team that probably hasn't played in those conditions, possibly ever.

"When it gets cold out there, it's harder and harder to take on those big backs and big linemen," Addazio stated. "It's just the way it is. We're used to this, so it doesn't really impact us. We probably take a little pride in it. You're a northeasterner, you grew up playing football in this weather. It's crisp, and you can see your breath. To me, it's how football was meant to be played."

Well said, coach. I look forward to losing the feeling in my fingers when they turn red from the cold for the first time this year.

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Meteorology 101

See above. I think that about sums it up nicely.

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The Current Bowl Race

Before we dive into the schedule and its potential fallout, let's level set with a look at where we stand entering this weekend.

Clemson is still undefeated at 9-0, but the College Football Playoff committee dropped the Tigers to No. 5 in its first poll. I know nothing ever stays the same from the first week, but I have an issue with this on a number of levels. I always believed that the defending champion is No. 1 until some other team comes along and beats it. That's not a popular observation, I know, but dropping Clemson to the outside bubble is pretty ridiculous, in my own personal, unsolicited opinion.

Clemson's slot means No. 19 Wake Forest is in the most precarious position. If the ACC Champion goes to the College Football Playoff, the next-highest ranked team goes to the Orange Bowl automatically. That means the Demon Deacons are in a position to take that spot if Clemson can keep rolling, but the two teams have an upcoming game on the schedule. No. 15 Notre Dame is also a factor because the Fighting Irish are part of the ACC bowl lineup if they don't make a New Year's Six game. If Clemson doesn't make the CFP, the ACC Champion goes to the Orange Bowl, but there's still an at-large spot available in the Cotton Bowl. All of these teams, in effect, are fighting for these spots.

After that is a clump of teams with two losses potentially fighting for spots in either one of the two possible games in the next tier. Virginia leads the Coastal Division with a 4-2 record and sits a half-game over Pittsburgh, which is one back in the win column. Louisville is also 3-2 but sits in third place in the Atlantic Division, and Virginia Tech is further back with a 2-2 conference record. In this tier, the ACC absorbs the Citrus Bowl if it plays the Big Ten in the Orange Bowl, but the next natural selection is the Camping World Bowl.

That leads to the four Tier I bowl games with equal status: Belk Bowl, Sun Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl and either the Gator Bowl or the Music City Bowl. This is where the three-loss teams start coming into play, including North Carolina, Miami, Duke and Boston College, though it's important to remember that teams ahead of these will shake down into the tier if the bowl lineup doesn't maximize its games. It's also important to remember that a team like UNC actually has a 4-5 overall record despite being 3-3 in conference.

Those three-loss teams will also trickle into the Tier II games, which select in the following order: Military Bowl, Independence Bowl and Quick Lane Bowl, with secondary games at the Gasparilla Bowl and the Birmingham Bowl. The four-loss teams fighting for bowl eligibility will like fall into these games in some capacity.

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Scoreboard Watching, ACC Edition

So that leads to what could happen this weekend in the ACC's slate of games. BC opens the day at noon against Florida State before Georgia Tech kicks off at Virginia at 12:30 p.m. Wake Forest follows at Virginia Tech at 3:30, the same time as the Louisville-Miami game. In the late games, Clemson is at NC State, while Notre Dame, a potential ACC bowl selection team, is at Duke.

Both BC and Florida State badly need wins against one another for bowl eligibility over positioning. An FSU loss means it would have to win out to even reach a bowl game, while a BC loss all but assures the Eagles won't make a Tier I game without help from chaos. An Eagle win, meanwhile, clinches a bowl berth and lines the team up for an inside track run at a Tier I game.

The middle clump of teams makes it virtually impossible to ascertain a rooting interest because every team's win or loss has an impact on potential bowl positioning. A Virginia loss coupled with a Louisville loss actually opens the door for BC to jump into the race for the Russell Athletic Bowl, especially with a season finale game looming against Pittsburgh. But that would also open the door for Miami, which plays the Cardinals.

Likewise, a Wake Forest win keeps the Demon Deacons away from the Tier I games, but it pushes Virginia Tech into that clump with three losses. A Virginia Tech win, meanwhile, pushes the Hokies closer to the Coastal Division crown but drops the Demon Deacons into that Tier I listing of games.

A team can only control what it can control, so it's best just to root for a Boston College victory before letting all chips fall on their own.

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Scoreboard Watching, National Edition

I suppose the whole week should just begin and end with the No. 1-vs.-No. 2-type game between LSU and Alabama because it's one of those rare events worth watching. Life's more fun when these teams are going at it, and I'm really excited to see the contrasting styles between Nick Saban and Ed Orgeron with stakes going through the roof. The College Football Playoff put these teams at No. 2 and No. 3, but I'm still billing it the way that I did.

Separately, No. 4 Penn State heads to No. 17 Minnesota in a deceptively-good matchup at noon, and a game I have penciled for a potential upset. Ditto for No. 18 Iowa at No. 13 Wisconsin, where I have bad juju for the Badgers at home against the Hawkeyes.

On the local radar, UMass heads to West Point to take on Army at noon. In the late game, Hawaii is on at 11 p.m. against San Jose State, and No. 22 Boise State hosts Wyoming at 10:15. San Diego State is on at 10:30 p.m. against Nevada. All of those games are dedicated to the overnight shift, which I'm proud to say I worked last weekend.

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Pregame Quote and Prediction

These seniors will have their last trip down the walk from mass, which is really an unbelievable deal. Kind of take it all in, whatever foliage is left at this point, and see the stadium off in the distance walking down. It's some pretty significant memories for guys. -Steve Addazio

The key game against Florida State and the backdrop of the Red Bandanna Game almost overshadows the fact that Senior Day is on Saturday. That's the last time the graduating players will run out of the tunnel and out onto the field. It's an emotional moment met by a hugs and tears from parents, coaches and players alike.

It's hard to describe the emotion in that moment because, for many players, football is business as usual for creatures of habit. For those seconds and minutes, though, they get to soak in the journey that brought them from Pop Warner or Pee Wee football all the way up through high school and into Boston College. It's a rush and a flood all at the same time because parents still see the players as little boys running out into the yard to go tackle siblings in the mud.

For the parents and players, congratulations on that moment. Regardless of what happens on the field, it's a moment earned by entire families and it's a deeply private, personal time to savor everything. I offer you my sincerest congratulations.

Boston College and Florida State will kick off at noon from Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill this week. The game can be seen on ACC Network, which is now available on most cable providers. The game can also be viewed on ESPN's WatchESPN streaming platform, though viewers must have a subscription to a cable provider with access to the network.

The game can be heard on the BC Learfield IMG Sports Network, locally in Boston on WEEI 93.7 FM, with satellite options on Sirius channel 134, XM channel 193 and SiriusXM channel 955. Streaming audio will be available via the TuneIn app on mobile devices.

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Players Mentioned

David Bailey

AJ Dillon