Well, of course BC had to look somewhat competitive in the Holy War — before crumbling once again in the second half and yet somehow still cover. That is just the kind of season we are in. This year’s rendition of the Red Bandanna Game sees SMU come to town in what is quickly becoming somewhat of a rivalry between these two schools.
BC’s offense turned back to Dylan Lonergan at QB against Notre Dame, only to pull him after a handful of drives in favor of Grayson James. O’Brien announced in his midweek press conference that James will start against SMU; his legs give the Eagles a fallback option on offense. Given the consistency struggles this offense has dealt with all year, it likely gives BC a higher floor on that side of the ball. Jaed’n Skeete’s unexpected return also boosted this BC offense; he proved to be the QB’s safety blanket, hauling in eight catches for 73 yards. His health will be critical in this game, as Dawson Pough undoubtedly needs some time to develop and VJ Wilkins has been a nonfactor.
Defensively, BC also got an unexpected return from LB Bam Crouch. His presence makes such a difference in the middle of the Eagles’ defense; I thought the performance against ND’s vaunted running game was actually quite strong until Love’s 94-yard house call. Just like with Skeete and BC’s offense, the defense is a completely different unit with Crouch out there.
Even if both Skeete and Crouch are healthy enough to play, though, it seems like SMU figured something out last week. After reeling off three straight wins agains Syracuse, Stanford, and Clemson, the Mustangs crashed to earth with a loss against Wake Forest in somewhat of an ugly game. Last week, however, SMU handed a top-10 Miami squad its second loss of the year. Familiar face QB Kevin Jennings threw for 365 yards and a TD, while three different receivers posted over 50 receiving yards. The SMU offense wants to air the ball out, and that bodes ill for BC’s defense; I just don’t see the Eagles getting enough stops in coverage. On the other side of the ball, BC’s offensive line will struggle to hold a defensive line that has produced 25 sacks on the year. SMU wins by two scores, barely covering.
Picks: SMU -10.5, U 55.5
