By Will Vandervort.
Here is an inside look at the Clemson-Boston College series as the No. 22 Clemson Tigers visit the Boston College Eagles. The game will be televised by ESPNU at 3:30 p.m.
About the Boston College Eagles: It is homecoming week at Boston College. The Eagles are led by quarterback Tyler Murphy and running game that ranks fourth in the country and a defense which ranks eighth nationally in total defense.
The Eagles’ offense: BC’s offense has flourished with the run game this year. The top-two rushing performances in the ACC have come from the Eagles, the 452 output against USC and the 413 rushing yards versus Maine. Six different backs have contributed to the run game as Murphy leads the way with 711 yards, followed by freshman Jon Hilliman with 454 yards.
The Eagles’ defense: The BC defense has held teams under 100 rushing yards four times in 2014. Last week, they held NC State to 43 yards on the ground. The 99.8 rushing yards per game allowed is tied for ninth in the nation and ranks third in the ACC.
Records: Clemson 4-2, 3-1 ACC; Boston College 4-2, 1-1 ACC
Series record: Clemson leads 12-9-2
Last year: Clemson won 24-14
First meeting: 1940 Cotton Bowl, Clemson won, 6-3
Last BC win: 2010, 16-10 at Boston College
Stat worth noting: Murphy is the first Boston College quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game when he rushed for 118 yards in the season-opener against UMass. He has since went over 100 yards two more times and his 711 rushing yards this year already rank him third on BC’s all-time list for rushing yards by a quarterback.
Second stat worth noting: Clemson has allowed just 275 total rushing yards over the last five games, and average of just 55 yards per game. That is the fewest rushing yards allowed over a five-game period since the 1991 season.
Third stat worth noting: For the year, Clemson punter Bradley Pinion has 35 punts for a 43.4 average. He has 14 punts inside the 20 and no touchbacks. Over his career, Pinion has 41 punts inside the 20 and no touchbacks. He has nine punts of at least 50 yards this year and has a net figure of 39.3.
Memorable game: Running back C.J. Spiller totaled 242 all-purpose yards as Clemson scored the game’s final 10 points to defeat Boston College, 27-21, at Alumni Stadium on November 1, 2008. It was Clemson’s first win over the Eagles since 1958, snapping its six-game winless streak in the series, and the first win for Dabo Swinney as a head coach.
He was Clemson’s interim head coach in that game.
Behind 240 yards in the first half, Clemson jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead. But Boston College took advantage of several Tiger miscues and scored 21 straight points to take the lead in the fourth quarter. But Spiller’s 64-yard kickoff return set up the Tigers’ go-ahead score and the Clemson defense thwarted Boston College to preserve Clemson’s first victory over the Eagles since they joined the ACC.
Clemson outgained the Eagles 339-236 and was led by the all-around performance of Spiller. The junior running back had eight carries for 55 yards and six catches for 105 yards. He also added a 64-yard kickoff return and 18-yard punt return.
Spiller was named game MVP and was ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week for his efforts.