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Boston College Aims to Drop No. 10 Florida State to 0-2
Boston School is set to open another era while Florida State hopes to bounce back from a season-opening misfortune when the College Eagles travel to confront the No. 10 Seminoles in a Work Day showdown. The matchup marks Boston School’s season opener and the presentation of new lead trainer Bill O’Brien, while Florida State (0-1, 0-1 ACC) is falling off a disheartening 24-21 misfortune to Georgia Tech in Week 0.
Florida State Looking for Reclamation
Florida State gets back to Tallahassee after an unfortunate misfortune in Dublin, where a stroll off field objective by Georgia Tech left the Seminoles faltering. Lead trainer Mike Norvell accentuated the requirement for development as his group plans for its subsequent game.
“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to respond. Everybody’s disappointed in coming up short,” Norvell said. “We’ve got to go play better. It starts with me. It’s my job to make sure that in all things that we’re doing, come Monday night, our best football shows up.”
Despite the loss, there were bright spots for the Seminoles. DJ Uiagalelei, a redshirt senior who transferred from Clemson via Oregon State, led a game-tying drive in the fourth quarter and completed 19 of 27 passes for 193 yards. Florida State’s defense was also solid, holding Georgia Tech to just 146 passing yards, with Shyheim Brown earning ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for his career-high 13 tackles.
Boston College Begins New Era Under O’Brien
For Boston College, Monday night’s game marks the beginning of a new chapter under Bill O’Brien. The Eagles finished last season with a 7-6 record, culminating in a Fenway Bowl win over new ACC member SMU. The team is eager to build on that success with 15 returning starters, including quarterback Thomas Castellanos.
Castellanos, who became the fifth ACC quarterback since 1996 to post 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season, is expected to be a key player once again. He threw for 305 yards and rushed for 96 more in last season’s narrow 31-29 loss to Florida State, a game in which Boston College scored 19 unanswered points before falling just short.
“There’s definitely a little bit more excitement in the air, a little bit more of a second wind (entering game week),” O’Brien said. “These guys have worked hard. … We’re excited about the opportunity. We know Florida State is a very good team, great coaching staff, great crowd.”
O’Brien brings a wealth of experience to Boston College, including stints as the head coach of the Houston Texans and at Penn State. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots before being hired at Boston College in February.
Key Matchup: Castellanos vs. Florida State Defense
One of the key matchups to watch will be how Castellanos fares against a Florida State defense that excelled against Georgia Tech. Last season, Castellanos gave the Seminoles all they could handle, and he’ll be looking to replicate that success.
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“He’s put a lot of work into this and he’s a much improved player,” O’Brien said of his quarterback. “We’re definitely going to let Tommy be Tommy. … He’s a very instinctive player. He’s gotten better in the passing game. We want him to play a clean game and just make good decisions for the team.”
In addition to Castellanos, the Eagles will look to wide receiver Lewis Bond, who led the team with 646 receiving yards last season, and linebacker Kam Arnold, who recorded 66 tackles, to play significant roles. The team also welcomes 10 transfer newcomers, including exciting receiver and kick returner Jayden McGowan from Vanderbilt.
Florida State’s Home Field Advantage
The Seminoles have dominated nine straight home matches and will hope to broaden that streak against Boston College. Florida State has ruled the new no holds barred series, dominating five straight matches, albeit four of those were chosen by seven or less.
Norvell and his staff will mean to address the errors from their Week 0 misfortune and exploit the home-field benefit to stay away from a 0-2 beginning to the season.
Game Standpoint
With Boston College beginning another period under O’Brien and Florida State hoping to quickly return from an extreme misfortune, this game vows to be a basic early-season matchup in the ACC. The two groups have a ton to demonstrate, and the result could establish the vibe until the end of their seasons.
