This game should be a cakewalk. BC matches up favorably with all of its counterpart’s strengths. Offensively the Spartans rely heavily on the run. Their offensive philosophy is to establish the rushing game utilizing Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick to set up the pass. The only time the Spartans faced a run defense this good was against Ohio State, which shut State down. Brian Hoyer, Michigan State’s quarterback, is a lot like Cullen Harper of Clemson. His passer efficiency is very high, but that is the result of making almost exclusively safe throws. He typically has not been asked to win games. BC forced Harper to do more than move the chains to win the game by shutting down James Davis and C.J. Spiller. They should be able to do the same against a lesser rushing attack. Michigan State will have a tough time scoring. They will be able to move the ball, but it will be tough for them to put together the lengthy, mistake-free drives needed to put points on the board.

Michigan State saw its fierce pass rush take a major hit before the game as Jonal Saint-Dic was among a quartet of suspended Spartans. Saint-Dic had 10 sacks on the year. State still will feature Ervin Baldwin, who has 7.5 sacks, but Steve Logan can now focus his blocking schemes solely on Baldwin. Saint-Dic’s presence helped open things up for him. State will blitz a lot, but Matt Ryan is unlikely to be fazed. He will be able to find open receivers all day long.

Motivation is a key aspect in any bowl game. Some teams do not show up for bowls in which they do not wish to be part. This will not be the case with the Eagles. This senior class has talked about making history all year long. They want to get to 11 wins and are desperate to not end BC’s bowl winning streak. They want to go out on a positive note and have a chip on their shoulders. They want to prove that they belonged in a better game. Michigan State’s players are all in their first bowl game. Just making it to this game made their season.

It is tough to envision BC losing this football game. They have the edge in practically every tangible and intangible area. Matt Ryan and company should help Jeff Jagodzinski’s first year on a high note. The Eagles will control this throughout.

Boston College 31

Michigan State 13 

1. This will move the game from Thursday to Saturday. A Thursday game would have been on the season’s opening night. It probably would have been a nationally televised contest. Now the contest will become an afterthought on the first football Saturday of 2008. Even though the game is heading to a bigger stadium in a big city, the move limits BC’s exposure. Ohio is one of the biggest recruiting pipelines for the Eagles. They will now lose a chance to take full advantage of this game.

2. There is no way that Kent State has enough fans to fill up an NFL stadium. There will be plenty of empty seats. That will only add to the perception that BC fans do not travel. Ignore how few fan bases would actually travel out to Cleveland to watch their respective teams play Kent State.  There is a wide-spread negative attitude on the college football landscape regarding BC and travel, and this will only reinforce it.

This mix of man and zone that BC runs helped cost them this game as UMass went on a 22-7 run in the second half to put the game away. This amoeba defense leads to constant switching, which creates mismatches. It kept Tyrelle Blair on the perimeter, which killed the Eagles and UMass got numerous buckets from close range.

BC also did not get enough easy baskets off the Minutemen press. When the Eagles had their two best ballhandlers, Tyrese Rice and Biko Paris, on the floor at the same time, the team should have looked to push the ball and get easy baskets. BC was too content to break the press and set up in the halfcourt. The Eagles are not at their best running up and down the floor, but the best way to get a team to stop pressuring is to burn them.

Al Skinner did a good job in this contest. In the early going, UMass was getting all of the calls. Al took a technical foul to get into the heads of the officials, and the game was evenly called from that point. Some might criticize Skinner for not using his timeouts as the Minutemen were making a run, but that is part of the coach’s philosophy. He is not opposed to losing a battle in order to eventually win the war. Al wants his team to learn how to handle adversity. That means figuring out how to stop runs on its own. Riding out runs without stopping play will make the Eagles tougher later in the year. It will help them deal with tough situations in February and March when everything is going the other team’s way, and they do not have a timeout late in a game.

Beyond that, there is really not much to say. This is a young team that took a game for granted. The Eagles looked sloppy and lackadaisical. After a big win, this team expected UMass to roll over. BC never quit, even when things looked bleak. This team trailed by 6 in the final minute and still had a chance to tie with under 20 seconds to go. This mettle is a good thing. These young players just need to learn that they need to bring a consistent effort for 40 minutes every night.

Tyrelle Blair had a monster game. He had a double-double with 10 points and 11 blocks. Blair is transforming into a high quality center. BC is not a very good defensive team. An elite shot blocker in the middle can help a team escape damage from coverage breakdowns.  It is one thing to play like this against the likes of St. Louis. It is another to do so in ACC play. Tyrelle is also contributing on the offensive end. He had 4 field goals. Blair is never going to carry the load in the low post. All he has to do is score enough to keep opposing defenses honest. His ability to score from the post as well as step back and hit the occasional jumper forces other teams to keep an eye on him, which takes the focus off other lead players.

Corey Raji had 17 points in 18 minutes. He shot 6 of 7 from the field and played high quality defense. Raji’s development continues to impress. He is quickly becoming the second option behind Tyrese Rice. Al Skinner needs to start giving him more minutes. Tyler Roche starting at small forward is fine. Raji changes the complexion of the game and gives the team a huge lift when he comes off the bench. Raji is a superior player. He should get starter minutes in a reserve role. The distribution of playing time should not be equal between the players. Roche has been better than expected this season, but he is still limited. He will be a liability if his minutes are not relatively limited in ACC play.

The big question entering this game was how Shamari Spears would hold up. His lack of size became an issue on both sides of the floor last year in ACC play. He acquitted himself nicely against Maryland. Spears had trouble from the field, shooing only 2 of 7. This is no warning sign because of the aggression he showed. Sharmari got to the line 10 times. This kind of assertiveness was not present last year in league play. He was tentative because of his smallness and a back injury that hampered him. Spears maintained a healthy aggression. He did not back away and was unafraid to bang down low. Shamari finished with 5 rebounds. With the emergence of Raji, Spears might not have to carry as big of a load as was originally thought. He may only need to be a role player turning in the kind of performance he did against Maryland for this team to exceed expectations.

John Oates deserves credit. The big man finally played within himself. He did not force crazy jumpers that took the offense out of its flow. Oates shot only once from the field. What he did was battle down low to pick up 6 rebounds and 1 block while using 3 fouls in 15 minutes. Too often in the past, Oates has seen himself as a star perimeter player. The Eagles really need him to give them minutes as an interior presence inside. It is unclear whether this was an aberration or whether something finally clicked for John. Either way, this is the first time in a while he has given this team reason to hope he might be an effective contributor.

This was a complete team effort. Everybody helped out on the boards. Among the eight Eagles who saw time, Only Tyler Roche had less than 3 rebounds. If the Eagles play like this, they will be very tough to beat. It is tough to win in the ACC when the opposition limits second chances. It is good to see BC establish this kind of physical identity.

Perimeter defense was once again an issue. This game went from a laugher to a nail-biter as Maryland hit 5 three pointers in the final 90 seconds. Unfortunately, there might not be a way to fix this. The Eagles constantly break down on the perimeter. This cost them a game they were on the verge of winning against Providence this year. As the players change, the problem remains. It does not seem like Al Skinner knows how to fix it. Fans will just have to take this bad with the good which Skinner brings to the table.

Maryland might not compete for an ACC title, but this was still an impressive win. Few expected BC to leave College Park with a victory. There are no easy road games in the ACC. The fact that this young team was not overwhelmed by playing in front of such a hostile crowd in incredibly encouraging. This is the kind of win the Selection Committee will remember when March comes. This team is well on its way to a surprisingly successful 2007-2008 campaign.

The continued development of Shamari: Shamari Spears has developed into a legitimate second option behind Tyrese Rice. The sophomore forward is averaging 13.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He has done it all. Shamari has shown great post moves, asserted himself as a physical presence, run the floor well, and displayed a quality midrange jumper. A back injury derailed Spears’ freshman season as he looked very tentative in conference play. That is probably not going to happen this season. Shamari looks much more assertive and has improved his positioning on the floor compensate for his physical shortcomings.

The emergence of Raji: Corey Raji has come into his own over the past two games. He scored 24 in an overtime loss against Providence and followed that up with 13 points and a team high 7 rebounds against St. Louis. The freshman has a lot of Jared Dudley in him. He is not physically gifted but makes up for that with toughness and intelligence. This team has found a perfect sixth man to bring energy off the bench. He is more productive than Tyler Roche, but Al Skinner should stick with Corey in a reserve role. His style of play gives the team a lift when he enters.

The Tyrelle Blair block party: Tyrelle Blair has become a force in the middle on defense. He is averaging 4.1 blocks per game. He showed flashes last year but was inconsistent defensively. Tyrelle has become much more disciplined on the defensive end. He stays at home with his assignments and has cut down on biting on pump fakes. He also has become a factor on offense with 6.6 points per game. Blair has done a lot to compensate for the loss of Sean Williams.

Grit: The manner in which this young team has responded to adversity has been impressive. In the first major test of the year, the Eagles went on the road to Michigan and controlled the game. Michigan is not the stiffest test the Big Ten has to offer. Right now they have personnel ill-suited to play John Beilein’s system. It still showed a lot about this young team to handle its first experience in a hostile environment so well. The Eagles followed that performance with an overtime loss to Providence, but even then there were positive signs. This team overcame a 24 point second half deficit to force the overtime. There is a lot to like about the future of the program.

Rotation: Al Skinner seems to have set on a rotation. Tyrelle Blair, Shamari Spears, Tyler Roche, Rakim Sanders, and Tyrese Rice are the starters. Corey Raji, Biko Paris, and John Oates see time off the bench. This is an optimal distribution of the talent with a single exception. Josh Southern should get Oates’ minutes. BC’s flex is very different from the system Southern’s high school team ran. The transition has been tough as the freshman center has had a tough time learning Al Skinner’s flex. Still, Oates is an offensive black hole and does little defensively. Getting Southern some playing time will make his development more rapid. He will at least be a force on the defensive end and in rebounding while he comes along.

Part of BC’s lousy traveling record is not the school’s fault. In terms of other big time football programs,  it is a really small school. Compare BC’s 9,000 undergraduate population with Clemson’s 17,000, Virginia Tech’s 25,000, or Florida State’s 30,000. There are not as many fans and alumni able to travel. BC is also located within a pro sports town. This school’s athletic programs will always play second fiddle to the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. Most big time programs are the only game in small towns. They mean to those areas what the Red Sox mean to Boston. The Eagles do not carry the same weight.

This is why it is important for every BC fan with has the financial capability to make this trip. It will be good to get out of the cold in December. Orlando is also a great tourist city. This will be a nice vacation and a chance to give this program much needed support in the future. I understand that a number of students and people with families and mortgages will have a tough time going. I am not here to get preachy. I am only saying that anybody with the capability to make the trip should do so. BC will not get invited to good bowls until it starts traveling. Given all of the obstacles, the Eagles need all the help they can get.

It is normally unfair to scapegoat a single player for a loss, especially the kicker. There is simply no way around it in this case. Boston College is not the ACC Champion because of Steve Aponavicius.  On the game’s opening series, Aponavicius hit a 36 yard field goal attempt too low, which ended in a block. In the second quarter, Steve again hit it too low on an extra point attempt for another block. Tech recovered and ran it back for 2 points. At that stage of the game, BC was ahead 16-7 and had utterly dominated. The Eagles were on the verge of running the Hokies out of the building. That play completely shifted the momentum and brought Virginia Tech back into the game. BC was controlling play but was still in a tight game. Jeff Jagodzinski placed the blame on the long snapper, which was absurd. Both snaps were good. The snaps did not cause Steve to hit the ball right into the line. In addition to costing the Eagles 6 critical points and momentum, Aponavicius kicked a ball off out of bounds. People can talk all that they want about Beamer Ball and the vaunted Hokie special teams. BC’s kicker made numerous unforced errors.

The blame ultimately has to go to the coaching staff if Billy Bennett is healthy. Given the amount of time he has missed for a seemingly minor injury, one can only guess that is the case. The word is that the coaches are holding out the heralded kicker to get him a medical redshirt and an extra year of eligibility. If this is true, the staff decided to send a shaky kicker out there with no confidence with a championship on the line to get Bennett eligible for 2011, when BC could be playing in the San Francisco Bowl for all we know. In any event, this team needs to get a real special teams coach. Dan Yanowsky did a nice job developing Ryan Purvis as the tight ends coach, which means he deserves a spot on the staff, but he has failed in the other part of his duty, running the special teams. The bad kicking game is only the tip of the iceberg. BC’s coverage team botched a chance to pin Tech inside its 5 yard line by failing to down a punt before it went into the endzone. Couple this with a steadfast refusal to double gunners in punt returns and sticking back undyanmic return men in DeJuan Tribble and Jamie Silva, and it is tough to fathom how weak this team’s special teams play was. It has been an issue all year long, and it cost the Eagles big time in this game. Jeff Jagodzinski andGene DeFillippo did not skimp in hiring his assistant coaches. It took a lot of doing to get Steve Logan and retain Frank Spaziani. They neglected the special teams, though, and it was on display to the nation.

The offense moved the ball very well but could not finish a drive. Matt Ryan was 33 of 52 for 305 yards. He ran for 1 touchdown and threw 2 interceptions, although neither was his fault. Both were in desperation situations late in the contest when his line collapsed, and Matt had to force passes. The Eagles scored 9 offensive points in 6 trips inside Hokie territory. BC’s lack of a playmaker really hurt them. Steve Logan relied exclusively on the passing game, and the receivers could not get open without room to operate. When getting into scoring range, it is difficult to score without having a balanced offense. The wide open offense got BC close, but Tech did not break after bending. The Hokies could drop everybody back and clog the short field without the threat of a run. What the Eagles tried was not working, and Logan did not adjust. Part of the problem was that getting within normal field goal range did not allow this team to put 3 points on the board. Instead, BC had to go for it on fourth downs. In this way, Aponavicius cost this team even more. Andre Callender was the offense’s biggest star, catching 13 passes for 92 yards.

In these struggles, it must be noted how well the offensive line played. This was the unit’s best performance of the year.  Ryan had time to throw for the most part against a terrific pass rush, which only sacked Matt Ryan once. Anthony Castanzo held up particularly well. It is only fair to note this, given how critical I was of the freshman after the Clemson game. He stood tall in this contest and showed that he should develop into a monster with a year under his belt as he likely will move to the left side next season.

The defense played really well. Jamie Silva was the biggest star. He literally ripped the ball from Tyrod Taylor’s hands in the first quarter and ran 51 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring. Silva later recorded an interception. He did get burned on the game-winning touchdown pass, but the scheme on that play left him in a bad starting position to make a play. Silva led a very effective defense. Frank Spaziani’s unit gave up only 3 scoring drives, the first of which was aided by a pair of bogus personal foul penalties. The Eagles had a great scheme against Tyrod Taylor, who averaged less than a yard per carry aside from a single 31 yard scamper. The unit recorded 3 sacks, continuing the pass rush’s late season surge. This unit gave up 7 points in a game tied at halftime. That should have been enough.

These teams were evenly matched. It is the second time in as many meetings this season that the game was not decided until the final minute. It is also the second time that the losing team should feel it had the upper hand in play. The Eagles dominated the first half statistically. It might be a cliche, but they did not make the necessary plays to take firm control of the game. They let the Hokies hang around, and Tech eventually took advantage. This is a bitter pill to swallow. A month ago, BC was in line to play in the BCS Championship Game. Now they did not even win their conference. It will be a long time before we ever see another BC team this talented. People can rationalize it all they want, but the bottom line is that this season has to go down as a major disappointment. There are some wonderful memories, but this team failed to accomplish its ultimate goal of playing in a BCS game. Virginia Tech took that dream from them.

Congratulations to the Hokies. They fought through a ton of adversity in a difficult season. The Eagles left them an opening, and they took it.

Tech has been red hot since that fateful primetime showdown. The Hokies have gone to a two quarterback system, featuring Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor. Both players have thrived under the rotation. Glennon has displayed poise and confidence within the pocket that he had never shown before. He also has protected the football much better than he had in the past. It seems that he needed to battle for playing time to gain greater focus. Taylor is more of a scrambling quarterback. His ability makes him very dangerous within the redzone. Brandon Ore has put up mediocre production, but he has come on lately with the emergence of his team’s passing game. Now he does not have to carry the entire load.

Tech’s defense dominated BC for 56:00 in the first meeting. Many Hokies fans claim that BC only rallied when Tech got conservative and stopped blitzing Matt Ryan. This was really not true. Virginia Tech did not have to blitz in that game. Their base defense got into Ryan’s face all night long. Anthony Castanzo will be a key player for the Eaglesi. The true freshman looked completely overwhelmed two weeks ago by the intensity and enormity of the game in Clemson. Phillip Merling owned the tackle. If Matt Ryan is going to have time to throw, Castanzo will need to have a big game. Matt showed in the first meeting that this defense can be exposed if the quarterback has time to throw. His pass protection will need to step up unlike how it has performed in the rest of the season. BC did not run effectively at Tech earlier this season. Steve Logan is not afraid to abandon the run. This title game will probably be another case of this. With an ACC title on the line, the Eagles will likely let their best player decide things. This Hokies run defense is plenty stiff.

Close games often come down to special teams, which is a scary thought for the Eagles. Aside from the punting of Johnny Ayers, BC’s special teams are pretty abysmal. Even in this area, the Hokies have an explosive returner in Eddie Royal. If it comes down to field goals, Jud Dunleavy will outshine Steve Aponavicius.

Nobody seems to give the Eagles much of a chance. Pundits think that the revenge factor will carry the Hokies. The fact of the matter is that both teams will have plenty of motivation with a championship on the line. Tech had four things go right for it in that first game. They had their fierce home crowd behind them at Lane Stadium on a Thursday night. They got bad weather, which made the field sloppy and neutralized the BC passing game. They got an early touchdown on a blown call by the officials. Finally, Matt Ryan was not sharp. The first two will definitely be different for this game. The second two are unlikely to repeat themselves. Even with all of these advantages, Virginia Tech lost.

The Eagles should be able to shut Ore down. They have been very effective against higher regarded backs in contests against Georgia Tech and Clemson. BC finally got a decent pass rush last week as Frank Spaziani unveiled new blitzing schemes from his linebackers. If the Eagles, can get pressure to Glennon, the quarterback will revert to his old mistake-prone form. Matt Ryan should be at his best. The quarterback has a chance to earn a trip to New York. He has been waiting for this moment his entire career. He was at the helm three years ago when the Eagles blew a BCS spot in a painful loss against Syracuse. He is always at his best in the biggest spots. Ryan will cement his BC legacy by carrying the Eagles to the Orange Bowl.

Virginia Tech 17

Boston College 24