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What to expect from Boston College in Virginia on Saturday

After a 43-24 loss to Coastal Carolina and a two-week break, Virginia football returns to Scott Stadium to face ACC newcomer Boston College.

The 2024 ACC preseason poll, which featured one in particular, Florida State, ranked No. 1 at 1-4, was fueled by fast starts from both Virginia (3-1, 1-0 ACC) and Boston College (4-1, 1-0). 0) impaired ACC) initially took 16th and 14th place respectively. Now under the command of former NFL head coach Bill O'Brien, the Eagles have compiled a 4-1 record and nearly took a top-10 win away from the then-No. 6 Missouri on the way. I'm not entirely sure why ACC preseason poll voters so egregiously overlooked a squad that was 7-6 in 2023 and returned its starting quarterback while adding a veteran offensive mind in O'Brien in the offseason. Regardless, Boston College will be a tough challenge for a Virginia team that is off to its best start since 2019.

Here's the main variable: Boston College junior quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who missed last week's game against Western Kentucky because of an injury he suffered a week earlier, might not be able to compete against Virginia. The Eagles narrowly avoided an upset against a Group of Five opponent without him. Please note that Castellanos participated fully in Boston College practices this week.

Dating back to 1963, Boston College is 7-1 against Virginia. Surprised? The only win – a 43-32 shootout in Charlottesville – came in 2020, the breakthrough year of quarterback Brennan Armstrong. Last season, the 'Hoos blew a fourteen-point halftime lead and watched their winning streak continue in heartbreaking fashion. While both rosters looked uncertain at this point, the two ACC underdogs have some momentum on their side heading into a new season.

Boston College Schedule:
Week 1: 28-13 win at then-No. 10 Florida State
Week 2: 56-0 win over Duquesne
Week 3: 21:27 loss at then No. 6 Missouri
Week 4: 23:19 win against Michigan State
Week 5: 21-20 win against Western Kentucky

The thin one:

At least initially, Vegas seemed to believe Boston College's starting quarterback wouldn't take the field Saturday. While leading the Eagles to a 3-1 start and a home win over Michigan State, Thomas Castellanos was injured something that led to him becoming inactive last Saturday against Western Kentucky; Interestingly, no one really knows the cause of the injury or its extent, but an early three-point lead over the Cavaliers suggested he might be sidelined for another week. However, that line has shifted since Sunday and UVA is now a very narrow favorite (1.0 or 1.5, depending on the sportsbook), perhaps reflecting reports that Castellanos has been fully participating in practice. Nobody can guess that at the moment.

Definitely the Eagles will look to challenge the “Hoos” run defense. So far this season, O'Brien's offense has passed the ball 202 times while recording just 105 pass attempts. Sure, this strategy depends on the script of the game and involves quarterback rushes with a healthy Castellanos (28 passes against No. 6 Missouri and just 13 against Duquesne of the FCS), but Virginia will likely have a healthy dose of running backs like Kye Robichaux and Treshaun see Ward – both have rushed for over 200 yards this year. The Cavaliers' run defense didn't look as vulnerable as in previous years, allowing just 124.5 yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry, but this might be their toughest task yet.

I felt that if Virginia had beaten Maryland and Boston College had beaten Missouri, we might be seeing a college game day in Charlottesville for the first time in school history. If you think I'm delusional, check out this week's list. It's disappointing. Unfortunately, this fantasy world will not come to fruition. The Eagles actually looked like Cinderella against Missouri, and if it hadn't been for one of Castellanos' interceptions, they might have escaped with a road win against a playoff contender. The music didn't necessarily stop for Boston College, however, as a thrilling win over Western Kentucky still extended a successful season.

However, a long-term injury to Castellanos would be a serious setback to any grand ambitions given last week's uninspiring win against a Group 5 opponent.

The road win at Florida State carries little weight, but the dogfight at Missouri has put the nation on alert. A home win against the Eagles would be a milestone for coach Tony Elliott and would surpass the Hoos' win total from the previous two seasons (three). There's a lot at stake, even if Gameday missed out on a potential classic in Charlottesville.

*Junior quarterbacks Grayson James and Thomas Castellanos

James, who was thrust into the starting role on Saturday, couldn't quite replicate Castellanos' performance. The Florida International transfer converted 19 of his 32 attempts for 168 yards, scored two total touchdowns and recorded one interception, saving his best game for a later attack against the Hilltoppers. A Boston College unit without Castellanos would lose much of its rushing versatility and big-play ability, as the injured starter averaged 10.4 yards per pass attempt while James averaged just 5.3 in his debut ( he only played in one game, but the offense declined). -off was glaring). Unfortunately for the 'Hoos, it's unlikely we'll know who will start before Saturday.

To James' credit, the defense didn't look great either, giving up 17 points against Western Kentucky in the first half before settling in the final 30 minutes.

If Castellanos plays, he will be an immediate threat. With an impressive 5:1 touchdown-pass-interception ratio and a near-perfect game (albeit against Duquesne), the junior wasn't as dominant on the ground as he was last season, but he's curbing the turnover problem. However, any lower-body injury could prevent him from repeating the 2023 season in which he rushed for 1,113 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Donovan Ezeiruaku, senior defensive end

On the other side of the ball, pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku posted a 7.5-sack season in 2022 with an eight-to-five game appearance in 2024 — good for most nationally. A defensive end of this caliber coming to Charlottesville should put sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea on high alert; The rush can come quickly and a young gunslinger is once again tested when it comes to decision making. I expect double teams to go early and often against a high-level individual talent like Ezeiruaku with 6-foot-1, 220-pound left tackle Jack Witmer, who has started the first four games of the season in place of McKale Boley, the main obstacle between the nation's sack leader and Colandrea. Tony Elliott said he believes Boley should be “ready to play” for Saturday's game against Boston College, which would give the Cavaliers a key boost as they try to keep Ezeiruaku away from Colandrea.

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