Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Orange Extra: Eagles Landing
10/30/2019 8:32:00 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Longtime Northeast gridiron rivals Syracuse (3-5, 0-4 ACC) and Boston College (4-4, 2-3 ACC) meet up again this Saturday for a noon kickoff at the Dome. The Orange and the Eagles have a long history, having played 52 times since 1924. It's the fifth-most frequent rivalry in Orange history.
HOME COOKING
The proof is in the pudding – Syracuse prefers competing in the Dome. The Orange are 8-2 in the last two seasons at home and 14-9 in the Dome with Coach Dino Babers calling the shots.Â
Syracuse is 20-7 when hosting Boston College. The Dome record in the series also favors Syracuse, 13-4.Â
WE'RE GOING TO JACKSON
The "Orange Is The New Fast" offense that Syracuse has employed since Babers was hired as head coach has helped develop some dangerous receivers. The latest in the line of top pass-catchers at Syracuse is redshirt junior Trishton Jackson. He has a team-high 43 receptions for 632 yards and six touchdowns in eight games this season. He is 13 receptions ahead of his next closest teammate (Sean Riley, 30 rec.) and 215 yards in front of Taj Harris in receiving yards.
Jackson has been a major weapon in the quick and deep passing games. He has five receptions that have covered 40+ yards and seven that were 30+ yards. His six touchdown catches have averaged 30.8 yards.
Jackson at least two receptions in every game and has pulled in at least five passes in six out of eight games. Over the last five games, Jackson has averaged 6.2 catches per contest.
KEY MATCHUP: AJ DILLON VS. SYRACUSE RUN DEFENSE
Boston College's tradition of outstanding ball carriers continues in the form of AJ Dillon. The junior running back has already surpassed 1,000 rushing yards this season, the third straight campaign in which he's reached the milestone. Dillon has run 197 times for 1,044 yards (5.3 avg.) and 10 touchdowns this fall. He ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards and rushing yards per game (130.5).Â
Dillon is the program's career rushing leader with 3,741. Dillon's 34 career rushing touchdowns ranks in a first-play tie with Keith Barnette (1973-75) in Boston College history. Dillon is also fourth among active Division I runners in career rushing yards.
Syracuse's run defense enters the game ranked 67th (160.0 ypg) in the FBS ranks. The Orange shut down ground attacks launched by Liberty (-4 yards) and Holy Cross (18 yards), but have been challenged by its other foes. Florida State accumulated 241 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last Saturday against the Orange.
The Orange were able to slow Dillon in last year's meeting, limiting him to 56 yards rushing in a 42-21 victory at Boston College's Alumni Stadium.
In the case of the Eagles and Dillon, the Orange defenders will have a good idea what's coming at them. Syracuse's response will play a key role in the outcome of the contest.
SPECIAL COVERAGE
Syracuse's punt coverage unit has emerged as one of the best in the country this fall. The Orange rank No. 6 in the FBS and first in the ACC in punt return defense. Syracuse has surrendered just 14 yards on nine returns (1.6 avg.). The longest punt return yielded by this year's crew is five yards.
Two mainstays on the punt coverage squad have been redshirt senior Christopher Fredrick and redshirt junior Abdul Adams. They share team-high honors with two tackles each in punt coverage.
The program's single-season record for fewest opponent punt return yards is 24, established in 2017.Â
COACHING CONNECTIONS
The Boston College sideline is going to include some familiar faces to Orange fans. It starts at the top with head coach Steve Addazio, who was an assistant coach at Syracuse from 1995-98. Defensive ends coach Jim Reid and running backs coach Brian White are former Orange assistants, as well. Reggie Terry, a linebacker at Syracuse from 1989-93, is the Assistant AD for Football Operations and Player Personnel with the Eagles. Terry was an administrator in the Syracuse athletics department from 1993-2006. Addazio and Reid served on the staff of Paul Pasqualoni and White was a member of Greg Robinson's staff at Syracuse.
After departing Syracuse, Addazio was an assistant coach at Notre Dame, Indiana and Florida. He spent two seasons as the head coach at Temple before accepting the Boston College job.
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
HOME COOKING
The proof is in the pudding – Syracuse prefers competing in the Dome. The Orange are 8-2 in the last two seasons at home and 14-9 in the Dome with Coach Dino Babers calling the shots.Â
Syracuse is 20-7 when hosting Boston College. The Dome record in the series also favors Syracuse, 13-4.Â
WE'RE GOING TO JACKSON
The "Orange Is The New Fast" offense that Syracuse has employed since Babers was hired as head coach has helped develop some dangerous receivers. The latest in the line of top pass-catchers at Syracuse is redshirt junior Trishton Jackson. He has a team-high 43 receptions for 632 yards and six touchdowns in eight games this season. He is 13 receptions ahead of his next closest teammate (Sean Riley, 30 rec.) and 215 yards in front of Taj Harris in receiving yards.
Jackson has been a major weapon in the quick and deep passing games. He has five receptions that have covered 40+ yards and seven that were 30+ yards. His six touchdown catches have averaged 30.8 yards.
Jackson at least two receptions in every game and has pulled in at least five passes in six out of eight games. Over the last five games, Jackson has averaged 6.2 catches per contest.
KEY MATCHUP: AJ DILLON VS. SYRACUSE RUN DEFENSE
Boston College's tradition of outstanding ball carriers continues in the form of AJ Dillon. The junior running back has already surpassed 1,000 rushing yards this season, the third straight campaign in which he's reached the milestone. Dillon has run 197 times for 1,044 yards (5.3 avg.) and 10 touchdowns this fall. He ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards and rushing yards per game (130.5).Â
Dillon is the program's career rushing leader with 3,741. Dillon's 34 career rushing touchdowns ranks in a first-play tie with Keith Barnette (1973-75) in Boston College history. Dillon is also fourth among active Division I runners in career rushing yards.
Syracuse's run defense enters the game ranked 67th (160.0 ypg) in the FBS ranks. The Orange shut down ground attacks launched by Liberty (-4 yards) and Holy Cross (18 yards), but have been challenged by its other foes. Florida State accumulated 241 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last Saturday against the Orange.
The Orange were able to slow Dillon in last year's meeting, limiting him to 56 yards rushing in a 42-21 victory at Boston College's Alumni Stadium.
In the case of the Eagles and Dillon, the Orange defenders will have a good idea what's coming at them. Syracuse's response will play a key role in the outcome of the contest.
SPECIAL COVERAGE
Syracuse's punt coverage unit has emerged as one of the best in the country this fall. The Orange rank No. 6 in the FBS and first in the ACC in punt return defense. Syracuse has surrendered just 14 yards on nine returns (1.6 avg.). The longest punt return yielded by this year's crew is five yards.
Two mainstays on the punt coverage squad have been redshirt senior Christopher Fredrick and redshirt junior Abdul Adams. They share team-high honors with two tackles each in punt coverage.
The program's single-season record for fewest opponent punt return yards is 24, established in 2017.Â
COACHING CONNECTIONS
The Boston College sideline is going to include some familiar faces to Orange fans. It starts at the top with head coach Steve Addazio, who was an assistant coach at Syracuse from 1995-98. Defensive ends coach Jim Reid and running backs coach Brian White are former Orange assistants, as well. Reggie Terry, a linebacker at Syracuse from 1989-93, is the Assistant AD for Football Operations and Player Personnel with the Eagles. Terry was an administrator in the Syracuse athletics department from 1993-2006. Addazio and Reid served on the staff of Paul Pasqualoni and White was a member of Greg Robinson's staff at Syracuse.
After departing Syracuse, Addazio was an assistant coach at Notre Dame, Indiana and Florida. He spent two seasons as the head coach at Temple before accepting the Boston College job.
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Players Mentioned
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