Boston College and Virginia look to right the ship after different types of games produced the same Week 4 result.
The Atlantic Coast Conference foes meet for the first time since 2020 on Saturday in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
A week after going down to the wire with then-No. 3 Florida State, the Eagles (1-3, 0-2 ACC) are coming off a 56-28 loss at Louisville in which they racked up 400 yards of total offense for the third consecutive game — a mark they reached only three times all of last season.
Thomas Castellanos had a hand in all four BC touchdowns. Two of his three through the air went to Lewis Bond.
The UCF transfer has passed for 909 yards and eight touchdowns and leads the Eagles with 280 rushing yards.
“I think he is starting to be more consistent and the wideouts are probably more comfortable with him now because he’s played more,” BC coach Jeff Hafley said.
However, the Eagles need to start faster. They were down 28-0 before scoring and allowed touchdowns on Louisville’s first six possessions last week.
“We looked a little sluggish and slow at certain positions,” Hafley said. “Our guys are excited to get the taste of that game out of their mouth.”
Virginia (0-4, 0-1) enters with the ACC’s worst scoring defense and offense — scoring 20.8 and allowing 37.8 points per game — and remains the league’s only winless team after losing 24-21 on a last-second field goal last Friday against NC State.
NC State was the first opponent the Cavaliers outscored in the fourth quarter this season, but even freshman Anthony Colandrea’s last-minute touchdown drive — bouncing back from two fourth-quarter interceptions — was not enough.
“He’s a competitor. I think that’s what makes him special,” Virginia coach Tony Elliott said. “He believes he can make every throw.”
Colandrea is expected to be replaced this weekend by Tony Muskett, the Monmouth transfer who started the season-opening loss to Tennessee but was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Malik Washington became only the third Cavaliers player to ever record three straight 100-yard receiving games in a season. He had a career day with 10 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns against NC State.
Though Virginia is 0-4 for the first time since 1982, its late fight was a positive sign.
“I think they’re starting to understand and believe what it takes to win consistently, right?” Elliott said.
