BC Football 2018...Talk Moose off the Tobin Bridge

BigSoxFan

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I have no idea what kind of student Hurts is but the average Alabama football education is nowhere near that of BC. That’s an interesting comment to make if I’m reading it correctly.
 

mauf

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I have no idea what kind of student Hurts is but the average Alabama football education is nowhere near that of BC. That’s an interesting comment to make if I’m reading it correctly.
I think both ND and BC report graduation rates that are too good to be true. Anyone who’s graduating over 90% of their football players isn’t making them do anything like the sort of work that normal undergraduates do.

Also, having spent time on both sides of the fence, I’m not at all convinced that undergraduate academics at private schools like BC are any more rigorous than at your run-of-the-mill public university. Sure, there may be opportunities for an undergraduate to stretch him/herself at BC that might not exist at a large public university, but for a guy who’s just looking to rack up 12 credits a semester and graduate in five years with a degree in underwater basketweaving*, I don’t buy for a second that one is more demanding than the other.


*- Nothing wrong with this, by the way. I majored in political science, and life turned out ok for me.
 

BigSoxFan

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I would be curious to know why you don’t think there’s a difference between education received by football players at BC or a comparable school and the (non-Vandy) SEC. The latter is going to let far more academically unqualified students through their gates than BC and those students are going to need a lot more assistance to get to the finish line, if they even get there.

My experience at BC is that a lot of the football players attended class and, while in class, some were engaged and some were not. I have a hard time believing that Bama class participation by football players is anywhere near a school like BC. At BC, players have to go to class on Friday before a road game. Is that common in the SEC? I have no idea but I doubt Bama players were showing up to class yesterday but I honestly have no idea how those schools handle travel.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Thinking about making this a road trip with my son, but the flights are idiotic. Myrtle Beach to Boston on American which has a short layover in Charlotte is $290. He’s in Charlotte, so that flight for him, which is identical to the Charlotte-Boston legs of my flights, is $440. So I’m not sure if we’re going to make it work. There are some other things in play, but I don’t understand fight pricing.
 

RedOctober3829

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Weather could be a factor. Low of 34 degrees on Saturday night. Clemson has only played 1 regular season game in the past 10 years where the temperature at kickoff has been below 40 degrees(11/22/08 at Virginia it was 35 degrees).
 

nolasoxfan

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Weather could be a factor. Low of 34 degrees on Saturday night. Clemson has only played 1 regular season game in the past 10 years where the temperature at kickoff has been below 40 degrees(11/22/08 at Virginia it was 35 degrees).
Talent > weather. I said it upthread: Clemson is a monster, and they are built to challenge Alabama.
 

RedOctober3829

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Talent > weather. I said it upthread: Clemson is a monster, and they are built to challenge Alabama.
We'll see. This will be the toughest test yet for Trevor Lawrence as he hasn't gone on the road to face a tough opponent yet and surely hasn't ever played in a game this cold before. A game like Saturday night will be more a test of Clemson's mental toughness than it will be physical.
 

BigSoxFan

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Talent > weather. I said it upthread: Clemson is a monster, and they are built to challenge Alabama.
Yes, but weather can certainly play a factor. I was at the game when the most talented college football team of all time (2001 Hurricanes) needed a fluke INT to beat BC without its future NFL 1st round RB William Green (who was stupidly suspended for pot). Ken Dorsey threw 4 INTs that game and looked awful. If Lawrence is "off" due to the cold, BC may be able to hang around for a little bit.
 

OurF'ingCity

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BC's only chance is to control TOP/grind out a few long, time-consuming drives and hope that Clemson makes some boneheaded mistakes like bad fumbles, muffed punts, missed field goals, etc. Even then I don't think they stand much of a chance, but this was never a "W" on the schedule so it's all kind of gravy for this game.

The real test for BC will the final game with Syracuse, a team that they have had some notorious bad late losses to. Beating Syracuse (and FSU, obviously) would give them 9 wins and they would almost certainly finish the season in the top-20 overall. A loss to Syracuse still leaves them with 8 wins plus the chance to win a bowl game but would feel like a real let-down and move the season from "one of the better BC seasons in recent memory" to "a good, but not great, season for a down year in the ACC." (Barring an utter collapse by the team in these final three games, I don't think Daz is going anywhere either way this offseason, though.)
 

Dave Stapleton

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I am generally one of the most optimistic fans around but I have a hard time coming up with any gameplan or scenario where BC wins this game. The defense is ok but shaky. Dillon is banged up and AB is very inconsistent.

I guess the only way I see BC winning this game is if BC somehow brings it all together on offense and Clemson makes a few mistakes at inopportune times. This BC defense does have the ability to make big plays on the DLine and in the Secondary to help in this regard.

It's just fun to have BC be relevant.
 

berniecarbo1

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I am generally one of the most optimistic fans around but I have a hard time coming up with any gameplan or scenario where BC wins this game. The defense is ok but shaky. Dillon is banged up and AB is very inconsistent.

I guess the only way I see BC winning this game is if BC somehow brings it all together on offense and Clemson makes a few mistakes at inopportune times. This BC defense does have the ability to make big plays on the DLine and in the Secondary to help in this regard.

It's just fun to have BC be relevant.
Agree, that on paper there is no way BC wins the game. BC won;t sneak up on Clemson as they had a struggle with them last year. Clemson is #2 and now that we are in November, a loss would knock them out of the Top 4 and this year, if they drop out now, real tough to get back into the hunt (Alabama is a lock, ND should run the table at this point and will be in the tournament, If Michigan runs the table they are probably in, which leaves one spot (and I see that going to Georgia (1 loss) who has only Auburn and Georgia Tech left, then Bama in the SECCG).

So with all of that as a backdrop, Clemson will come in the Chestnut Hill on a mission. Plus...Clemson has been in a ton of big games over the last few years and BC has not been in anything close to this type of game in a long, long time. And given how Daz coaches against top tier teams (not to lose, rather than win)...it will be a moral victory if they cover the spread (BC +17 1/2 as of this morning in Vegas). Still see them going at least 8-4. 9-3 would be great but not convinced they can get there.
 

doldmoose34

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Stape and Bernie, I agree there is no way we win on paper, but stranger things have happened, Bernie remember 9/11/76???

Look we always play them tougher then they expect, temp will be dropping at kickoff and lets not forget the Dabo being Dabo factor, I say we have a puncher's chance

then again place will be rockin, stands packed maybe close to kick off,,, lets just not get rocketshipped
 

axx

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The game against Clemson is now sold out apparently. Wonder how many Clemson fans bought tickets and are spending the weekend in Boston.
 

BigSoxFan

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4 hours before game-time is a one time exception? How does it normally work?
The BC/Chestnut Hill relationship is quite complicated. Since the school is located in an upscale suburban neighborhood, there are a ton of restrictions placed on the football game experience. If I remember correctly, BC is only allowed a finite (and very small) amount of night games. I haven't been tailgating in forever but I think it's usually like 2 hours or something before.

The BC football trip is a fun one because you can mill around a great city and go to a football game but the gameday experience is quite literally the worst in P5.
 

mandro ramtinez

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The BC/Chestnut Hill relationship is quite complicated. Since the school is located in an upscale suburban neighborhood, there are a ton of restrictions placed on the football game experience. If I remember correctly, BC is only allowed a finite (and very small) amount of night games. I haven't been tailgating in forever but I think it's usually like 2 hours or something before.

The BC football trip is a fun one because you can mill around a great city and go to a football game but the gameday experience is quite literally the worst in P5.
3 hours is the norm but they do not let any cars on campus until the exact minute 3 hours before kickoff hits so in reality you get about 2.5 hours of tailgating. For noon kicks, you get 2 hours after, for 3:30 kicks, it's 1 hour and no tailgating allowed after night games.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Got it. I'm used to the tailgating down here, so for night games its all day. But at Clemson, it's school lots on a rural campus, so you're not upsetting neighbors.
 

BigSoxFan

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Got it. I'm used to the tailgating down here, so for night games its all day. But at Clemson, it's school lots on a rural campus, so you're not upsetting neighbors.
Yup, quite different. And at BC cops will literally harass you at gametime to stop tailgating and get to your seat. I've seen quite a few nasty exchanges between cops and tailgaters since many of these cops aren't exactly fans of BC and its fans/student body.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Yup, quite different. And at BC cops will literally harass you at gametime to stop tailgating and get to your seat. I've seen quite a few nasty exchanges between cops and tailgaters since many of these cops aren't exactly fans of BC and its fans/student body.
Getting to your seat would be a problem at Clemson, tons of people go to the game with no ticket and just hang out and watch on TV at the tailgates. I understand the nature of it now. Just thought that tailgate time was odd.
 

Ale Xander

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I feel sorry for these all these kids doing the tours today, some of them future Superfans, seeing all this crazy CFB Gameday/Live setup, thinking this is normal for Chestnut Hill.
 

BigSoxFan

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I feel sorry for these all these kids doing the tours today, some of them future Superfans, seeing all this crazy CFB Gameday/Live setup, thinking this is normal for Chestnut Hill.
Yup. They'll be surprised once they get here and find a bunch of nerds playing quidditch in the dust bowl.
 

Dave Stapleton

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They have been pushing the fact that extended tailgate hours means get in your seat 30 min before Gametime. Would be a nice change if it happens.
 

Jeff Van GULLY

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For BC to be competitive Anthony Brown needs to protect the football. For all his talent, he has put the ball on the ground and thrown some really bad passes in the past few games. Clemson D will not let him get away with it.
 

shawnrbu

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Is this a Top 5 home game since the start of 93 in terms of what the program has to gain with a W?

West Virginia in 93, Miami in 01, Syracuse in 04 and Florida St in 07 would be my others. Sadly lost all of those games. Should have won the West Virginia and Miami games. Syracuse and FSU were a disaster. Today feels different. Daz is going to have these kids so unbelievably fired up.
 

Ale Xander

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Imagine if we beat ncstate or purdue

We'd be close to controlling destiny and that city of champions video collage would actually be sensical
 

BigSoxFan

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I’m a big fan of the uptempo offense but if BC can’t stay on the field it puts a ton of pressure on the defense. I think Denis needs to have a huge game as does Stratchan.
It’ll have to be like 2001 Miami game where we picked off Dorsey 4 times. Gonna need to force some turnovers and get some short fields.
 

Ale Xander

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Per BC Police, tailgating will "officially" end at 7:30. Administration (and ABC Disney) wants stands to be full by game-time. My guess is harassing will start at around 7:40.
 

Dave Stapleton

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Per BC Police, tailgating will "officially" end at 7:30. Administration (and ABC Disney) wants stands to be full by game-time. My guess is harassing will start at around 7:40.
I think this is the right thing to do. And there shouldn’t be harassment needed.
 

Ale Xander

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Are they making an exception this week allowing charcoal grills?

I miss the fresh air. That's one of the best parts of the BC experience, no charcoal.
 

berniecarbo1

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Good luck tonight. Huge huge game. Time to put up or forever shut up. BC is actually getting a lot of publicity out here in California this weekend. This game, with a win, will be the turning point in the program in that they will have beaten a perennial national power, control their own destiny and will be doing it in the national spotlight. The product in the field together with the new facilities, an AD that actually has passion and knows how to market the product sets up for a special night.

Having said all that, if Clemson wins 38-20, that would not surprise me. This is a huge stage for these kids and their HC is not exactly cool under pressure.

Go Eagles! Let’s get a win and maybe, just maybe eye a trip to a NY6 bowl. Anything’s possible.
 

BigSoxFan

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The ultimate BC thing to do would be to win tonight and then lose to FSU the following week.

I’m just hoping for a competitive game. We can’t afford a 45-10 type destruction. I have very little faith in Brown stepping up to a level that is needed to even compete with these guys.

Hoping he’ll surprise us. I think Dillon is going to get stuffed all night so it basically falls on Brown and the defense.
 

RorschachsMask

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If/when BC has long drives, they HAVE to cash in. Yeah i know that's always true, but it's even more important against teams like Clemson.