By Will Vandervort.
Here is a look at all the top matchups for today’s No. 22 Clemson at Boston College game, which will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Clemson’s run defense vs. Boston College’s running game: The Eagles are 4-0 this year when rushing for 250 or more yards. They ran for at least 310 yards in all four games. In the two losses, BC had 142 yards against Pitt and 239 to Colorado State. Clemson on the other is 4-1 in games in which it holds its opponents to 119 yards on the ground – losing only to Florida State in overtime. Something has to give, right? The Tigers have held their last five opponents to 55 yards rushing per game. BC leads the ACC and ranks fourth in the country with 315.7 yards per game. Quarterback Tyler Murphy is averaging 118.5 yards on the ground and has scored a team-high eight touchdowns. After giving five rushing touchdowns to Georgia, the Tigers have allowed just four in the last five games. Clemson’s defense has given up five carries of plus-20 yards and four of them were to Georgia and the other was to S.C. State in junk time. S.C. State by the way finished the game with seven rushing yards. The Tigers held S.C. State, Florida State and Louisville to 52 yards or less. Advantage: Even
Cole Stoudt vs. BC secondary: Last week, Stoudt struggled against a Louisville defense that leads the ACC with 14 interceptions, including two against Clemson. Stoudt and offensive coordinator Chad Morris admitted after the game that the senior was not prepared because he was held out of practice all week due to a shoulder injury to his left arm against NC State. Stoudt has practiced all week for a BC defense that despite its lofty statistics—the Eagles are ranked 18th nationally in pass defense at 190 yards per game—it has just five interceptions and 17 passes broken up. Stoudt should have a little more time to throw the ball too than he did last week as the Eagles average just under three sacks a game. Of course a lot of this depends on Clemson’s make shift passing game. Also keep in my Stoudt is more effective with the quick passes and if BC is pressed up on the wide receivers this could help the Tigers make plays in the open space. Advantage: Clemson
Tyler Murphy vs. Clemson’s defense: If the Tigers can limit BC’s big plays in the running game they will force the Eagles to beat them with a passing game that is averaging just 127.8 yards a game through the air, which ranks 120th in the country. Murphy is completing just 55.8 percent of his passes for 761 yards. He has thrown six interceptions to only three touchdown passes so far this season. The Clemson defense ranks 17th nationally in pass defense. Though they have just four interceptions, they have broken up 28 passes overall and opponents are completing just 52.3 percent of their passes. The Clemson defense has allowed just six touchdown passes. Advantage: Clemson
Ammon Lakip and the Clemson special teams vs. BC’s special teams: Lakip is 11 of 15 on the year and is 4 of 6 from 40 yards or more, but the junior is 1 for 4 on the road, including a 23-yard kick he missed at Florida State. The Tigers will need him to make a couple of kicks today if they hope to win the game. BC kicker Alex Howell has struggled regardless of the venue and is just 3 of 7 this season. Joey Launceford is 3-for-3 but he has not kicked anything further than 28 yards. Adam Humphries changed the Tigers’ fortunes last week when he returned the first punt of the game 72 yards for a touchdown – the Tigers first since C.J. Spiller did it against BC in 2009. BC’s Sherman Alston is averaging 11.2 yards per return with a long for 36 yards. Neither kickoff return teams have anyone to worry about, while Clemson punter Bradley Pinion could give the Tigers an edge in field position. He has 14 punts downed inside the 20-yard line with no touchbacks already this season. He has 41 in his career with no touchbacks. Pinion is averaging 43.4 yards per punt. Advantage: Clemson
Clemson’s running game vs. BC run defense: Clemson will once again head into a game with really only five players it can count on up front. The offensive line is a patchwork line that found a way to get the job done in crunch time last week against Louisville. But for the second week in a row, the Tigers face a rushing defense that does not allow much. BC ranks ninth in rushing defense and is giving up just 99.8 yards per game. In their four wins, the Eagles have yielded no more than 43 yards to an opponent. In their two defeats, they gave up 303 yards to Pittsburgh and 162 yards to Colorado State. Clemson on the other hand found ways to win games against Louisville and North Carolina despite rushing for 92 and 72 yards. The Tigers also struggled to run the ball in losses at Georgia (88 yards) and at FSU (101 yards). Advantage: Boston College
Bottom line: This game will look at lot similar to last week’s win over Louisville. Special teams and defense will have to make plays for the Tigers to win. This will be a tough, physical game that will come down to the battle at the line of scrimmage between Clemson’s run defense and Boston College’s rushing offense. Whoever wins this battle will more than likely win the game. I like Clemson in this matchup and I like Lakip coming though in the clutch and making the game-winning kick.
Prediction: Clemson 24, Boston College 21