Eagles look to extend 4-game win streak against Syracuse

Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos sees “opportunities” to be had down field against the Syracuse defense.

The Eagles (5-3, 2-2) will look to extend their fourgame win streak and secure bowl eligibility when they take on last-place Syracuse (4-4, 0-4) on Friday night at JMA Wireless Arena.

Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Miami are BC’s permanent ACC rivalry matches and all have previous ties to the old Big East football conference. BC is coming off a 21-14 non-league victory over UConn at Alumni Stadium on Saturday while Syracuse was pelted 38-10 at Virginia Tech.

The Orangemen’s defensive numbers look promising for BC’s balanced offense. Syracuse is eighth in the league in scoring defense, allowing 24.1 points per game. But that number was inflated by the Orangemen’s four nonconference wins. Syracuse outscored its non-conference opponents, 177-43.

Syracuse is 12th in total defense (399.0 ppg.), ninth in rushing defense (149.1 ypg.) and 13th in passing defense (250.0 ypg.) and those stats are against all opponents.

“They bring a lot of pressure and run a lot of cover zero so there are going to be some opportunities to make some plays down field, big plays and explosives,” said Castellanos.

“They do a lot of things on third down up front, all types of switches and crosses. Those guys do that stuff a lot.”

Over its past three wins, BC has gravitated to the apex of the ACC in rushing offense with 215 yards per game. BC had the worst rushing offense (63.2 ypg.) in FBS last season, but they are currently 12th in the nation. Castellanos, a sophomore transfer from Central Florida, is third in the ACC with 673 yards on 125 carries with nine touchdowns. Castellanos is the top rushing quarterback in the country.

Tailback Kye Robichaux, a junior transfer from Western Kentucky, is fourth with 495 yards on 99 carries with six touchdowns. Robichaux rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns against UConn while Castellanos scrambled for 142 yards and four scores at Army on Oct. 7

The Eagles’ success running the football is directly related to the reconstructed offensive line under position coach Matt Applebaum.

“Kye runs really hard and that is good for us,” said left guard Jack Conley, a graduate student from New Caanan, Conn. “He picks us those dirty extra yards where he turns a two-yard run into a sevenyard run.

“His style is physical and downhill and we really appreciate that. With Thomas the play is never really over with him until you hear the whistle.”