UConn football vs. Boston College: TV info, by the numbers, what to watch for

KICKOFF: 12 p.m.

TV: ACC Network, WatchESPN

ANNOUNCERS: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (color analyst), Sherree Burruss (sideline)

RADIO: UConn IMG Radio Network; Varsity Network App; 97.9 ESPN Hartford, WGCH 1490 AM, WAVZ 1300 AM, WILI 1400 AM and 95.3 FM, WICH 1310 AM and 94.5 FM; Sirius/XM online streaming, XM 389 (UConn), XM 390 (BC)

ANNOUNCERS: Mike Crispino (play-by-play), Wayne Norman (color analyst), Adam Giardino (sideline)

RECORDS: UConn (1-6), Boston College (4-3)

LAST WEEK: UConn blew an 11 point lead and lost to USF, 24-21; BC came back from 21 down on the road to beat Georgia Tech, 38-23

POINT SPREAD: Boston College -14

OVER/UNDER: 51.5 (odds via DraftKings)

SERIES HISTORY: UConn and BC have met 15 previous times on the gridiron. The Eagles hold a 12-1-2 record against the Huskies.

DEPTH CHART: UConn; BC

PREGAME PRESS CONFERENCE(S): UConn head coach Jim Mora; BC head coach Jeff Hafley

WEATHER FORECAST: Chestnut Hill, MA

Fun With Numbers

7: Since UConn jumped to FBS in the year 2000, the two teams have met seven times with the Eagles holding a 6-1 record.

3: BC is the third ACC opponent the Huskies have faced in 2023 (NC State and Duke).

628: BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos has rushed for 628 yards which is the best in FBS by a QB.

418.3: The Eagles are averaging 418.3 yards of total offense per game which ranks them 48th in FBS.

125: Despite being disbanded twice, this is the 125th year of BC football.

22: The Eagles are 16-of-22 on fourth-down conversions for a rate of 72.7%. That leads the ACC and is fifth-best in FBS.

4: There are four quarterbacks in the country with 1,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards; BC QB Thomas Castellanos is one of those four.

149: UConn’s Cam Edwards had a career-high 149 rushing yards in the loss last week to USF.

5: Jelani Stafford still leads UConn with five touchdowns scored.

What to Watch For

A clash of clashes

UConn and BC both have bad pass defenses, each worse than 100th in the country in success rate. Neither team can pass very well, both are worse than 100th in the country in success rate.

It is very likely that the team that does the best job of overcoming its weak passing offense in order to exploit its opponents' weak pass defense will win this game.

For UConn, Ta’Quan Roberson has been leading the team with increasing confidence. Things didn’t go his way against USF, and statistically, it was a step back from his performances against Utah State and Rice, but I still liked the way he was trying to make plays, and sometimes successful. His touchdown run against USF, near-late-game heroics against FIU and USU, and the strong passing performances he had in those games lead me to believe he’s improving and still has room to grow, especially as it relates to chemistry with his receivers.

Big opportunity for UConn receivers

With the passing matchup being so key, guys like Justin Joly, Cam Ross, and Brett Buckman will need to provide a spark. This would be a great time for the Geordon Porter breakout game, or for any of the aforementioned three to have a really big day.

This is especially true given the health of UConn’s running back room. Victor Rosa has been “living in the training room,” according to head coach Jim Mora, hoping to be ready for this game. He may not be available for many snaps, or at all.

Cam Edwards has stepped up nicely and just came off his best game in his four appearances, carrying the load against USF. But it’ll be hard for him to be the focal point of the rushing attack here.

UConn’s offense may look different than it ever has before. It’s going to have to if the Huskies want to pull off the upset.

Can the defense step up?

Boston College’s offense is actually its strong suit this year. Led by Castellanos, the team has an offense that is performing well in scoring, first downs, and yards per play. Their run game is particularly strong behind a sturdy offensive line.

The Husky linebackers will have to have their best game of the season, being stout at the point of attack on the run and spread-option runs while also avoiding big plays. This was a big issue against Georgia State, a team whose offense actually somewhat resembles that of Boston College (statistically and stylistically).

UConn has to be disruptive here and aim for some turnovers if it wants to have a chance here. It’s going to take a standout performance from Mora’s defense to get it done, something we haven’t seen much of all year.