PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB AJ Dillon, a preseason All-American, missed 2 1/2 games with an ankle injury and returned with a 149-yard game against Miami. He ran for 96 yards in Saturday’s win at Virginia Tech but left the game with an undisclosed injury. Monday, coach Steve Addazio said it will be a wait and see on Dillon for Saturday’s game.
–QB Anthony Brown had a miserable first half at Virginia Tech, missing several wide-open targets. He was better after the break and finished 15-of-26 for 177 yards and a touchdown. For the year, he is 121-of-209 (57.9 percent) for 1,567 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions — four of the picks coming in one game.
–DE Zach Allen continues to add to his resume, recovering his second fumble of the season and the fourth of his college career at Virginia Tech. He was limited to four tackles and had two quarterback hits as the focus of Tech’s blocking. For the season, he has 46 tackles, 21 of them solo, 12.5 for loss, including 5.5 sacks — and he has an interception, five pass breakups, eight quarterback hits, a blocked kick and a forced fumble.
–DE Wyatt Ray, who happens to be Nat King Cole’s grandson and Natalie Cole’s nephew, had a career game at Wake Forest earlier in the season but then recorded three sacks against Louisville — and added a half-sack against Miami. Against Virginia Tech, he was in on four tackles and also had three quarterback hits. He has 16.5 career sacks, 10th on BC’s all-time sack list.
SERIES HISTORY: Clemson leads Boston College 16-9-2, including 8-6-1 at Chestnut Hill. The Tigers have won the last seven games between the two programs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It certainly hurts when you take elite players off the field. Why Clemson is so good is they have elite players on the field. Like anybody else, when their quarterback wasn’t playing and they have had some issues there, that’s hurt them too.” — Coach Steve Addazio on the second injury of the season to star runner AJ Dillon.
