PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB AJ Dillon, a preseason All-American, missed 2 1/2 games with an ankle injury and returned with a bang in last week’s win over Miami that vaulted BC back into the Top 25. Dillon, still clearly not at 100 percent, ran for 149 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries as the Eagles amassed 432 yards against the No. 2 defense in the country. Dillon is fourth in the country in rushing with 133.5 yards per game and his 158.2 per over the past calendar year leads the nation. Monday, he was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award. There are 20 semifinalists were identified for the 82nd Maxwell, which honors the collegiate player of the year.
–QB Anthony Brown did it about as many ways a quarterback can do it in last week’s win. He was 15-of-32 passing, threw one touchdown pass, ran for another and even caught a pass from former quarterback Jeff Smith. He ran for a net of 41 yards but had a 43-yarder. Brown hit six different tight ends in the game.
–DE Zach Allen had another strong game, a week after earning ACC defensive lineman of the week honors in a game that also saw him block an extra point. He had another sack against Miami and now has 17.5 in his career — moving him into seventh place on BC’s all-time list.
–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. He has 16.5 career sacks moved him into 10th place on BC’s all-time sack list. His 9.0 sacks per game are tied for third in the nation.
SERIES HISTORY: Virginia Tech leads Boston College 18-8, including 7-4 at Lane Stadium — and is 10-5 since the programs joined the ACC. Tech defeated BC in the 2007 and ’08 ACC title games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I don’t think you forget things like that. You know, that wasn’t — I wouldn’t call that one of the high moments. It’s happened in many a football program to many a football team down there, and that’s the impact that that place can have on you. It can roll on you pretty hard. But you know, certainly we’re — our mindset isn’t going to be about letting that happen again.” — Coach Steve Addazio on BC’s 49-0 loss at Virginia Tech two years ago.
