Boston College aims for 6th straight win when Virginia Tech visits
Virginia Tech (4-5, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Boston College (6-3, 3-2), Saturday, noon ET (ACC Network).
Line: Virginia Tech by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Virginia Tech leads 20-11.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Virginia Tech can still qualify for a bowl game, but with games against North Carolina State and Virginia remaining it would probably need a win over Boston College to get there. After earning bowl eligibility with a win against Syracuse last week, BC has a chance to move up with another victory over a struggling ACC team. The Eagles have won five straight games.
KEY MATCHUP
Virginia Tech leads the ACC and is seventh in the country with 31 sacks, led by Antwaun Powell-Ryland (9). The Hokie pass-rushers will try to contain BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who leads the nation in rushing yards by a QB with 760. Castellanos has 10 rushing touchdowns, tied with Southern California’s Caleb Williams for most by a quarterback.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Boston College: Castellanos has 1,736 passing yards (192.9 per game) while completing 57.9% of passes (140 for 242), with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has 760 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns (13th in CFB), averaging 84.4 per game. Bond has 35 receptions for 485 yards (53.9 per game) and has five touchdowns.
Virginia Tech: Kyron Drones threw for only 69 yards and one interception in a 34-3 loss to No. 11 Louisville last week. It was only the second interception he has thrown this season, to go with seven touchdowns. He has 1,306 passing yards and 406 rushing yards this season.
Boston College: Cornerback Elijah Jones has earned back-to-back ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors after intercepting a pair of passes in each of the last two games. He leads the ACC with five interceptions and 13 passes defended.
FACTS & FIGURES
The teams have split the last 10 meetings. BC has won the last two in Chestnut Hill. … John Love’s 44-yard field goal against Louisville was a career long for the redshirt freshman. … It also preserved the Hokies’ 366-game streak without getting shut out. … BC has surpassed 400 yards of offense five times, after doing it just three times last season. The season high was 563 yards against Georgia Tech on Oct. 21. … The Eagles ran for 321 yards at Army on Oct. 7. … With a sixth straight victory, Castellanos would enter a tie for fifth longest by a quarterback on the school’s all-time list.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
