This is a first-time matchup between Nebraska and Boston College. It’s hard to imagine the two schools never facing each other with as many bowls as they’ve both played. Since BC’s real success started with QB Doug Flutie in 1982, we’ll use that date as our baseline. Since 1982 Nebraska has played in 35 bowls and Boston College has played in 27, and yet they’ve never faced one another. With the Huskers trying to turn a new page, the meeting in New York seems right. Husker coaching legend Bob Devaney’s first bowl game at Nebraska was the Gotham Bowl in 1962. Matt Rhule’s will be the Pinstripe Bowl. Let’s hope history repeats itself.
Here are the numbers to know going into the game.
Boston College on Offense
Points per game, 29.2 (56th of 134)
Passing yards per game190.8, rushing 176 yards per game, for a 367 yard per game average and a 42.6% 3rd down efficiency rating.
QB Thomas Castellanos started the season for Boston College and played in 8 games, averaging 170.8 yards passing per game. Hitting a mid-season slump, he was benched, left the team and went into the portal before the season’s end. Coach Bill O’Brien replaced Castellanos with 6’3” 226lb Grayson James. James played in 5 games, having a 64% completion rate and averaging 180.2 yards per game. He threw for 6 TD’s and 2 Interceptions. James rushed for 57 yards on 28 carries for 3 TD’s. The offense seemed to level out and become more efficient with James at the helm.
The Eagles leading rusher on the season was 6’0” 217lb Kye Robichaux, gaining 725 yards for 4.4-yard average and 10 TD’s. He is backed by Treshaun Ward who is more of a dual threat back, rushing 406 yards for a 5.3-yard average and adding 15 receptions for 268 yards and 4 TD’s.
Top receiver on the team is Lewis Bond, having 60 receptions for 590 yards and 3 TD’s. But big man 6’5” 230lb Reed Harris is the Eagles big play receiver, catching 15 balls for a 30.7-yard average and 4 TD’s. Tight End Kamari Morlas is third on the team with 26 receptions for 311 yards and 6 TD’s.
Boston College is well balanced with no one player carrying the offense. However, it would be easy to say they run the ball better than pass it. They have a big mature offensive line, averaging 6’6” 308lbs. They block well on the run but have given up 29 sacks on the season.
Boston College has used two place kickers this season, with Liam Conner going 31/32 on extra points and 2/3 on field goals. Luca Lombardo went 15/16 on extra points and 1/1 on field goals. Conner’s longest is 49-yards and Lombardo’s is 39-yards. The Eagles lack of field goals attempts has been due to problems with the long snapper and holder. There have been multiple times kicks weren’t attempted due to bad snaps or holds.
Boston College on Defense
Points allowed per game, 24.1 (62nd of 134)
Passing yards allowed per game 246.9, rushing 113.6 yards per game, 360.5 total yards.
As of the time of this writing, it still wasn’t determined if Boston College’s defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was going to play. The feeling is that he will opt-out. When questioned about it this week, O’Brien has neither denied nor confirmed Ezeiruaku will be on the field. Ezeiruaku is BC’s all everything defensive player, leading the team in total tackles with 80, 37 solo, and 16.5 sacks. He’s also caused 3 forced fumbles. The next leading sack man is DE Quintayvious Hutchins with 3 ½.
The 2nd and 3rd leading tacklers on the team are KP Price and Deveon Crouch. Price, a defensive back, has 76 total tackles, 46 solo, 1 sack, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception. Crouch, a linebacker, has 63 total tackles, 25 solo, 1 sack, 4 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.
As a team, BC’s defense has 30 sacks, 16 interceptions, 3 TD’s, 11 forced fumbles, and 7 fumble recoveries. Creating turnovers is big for the Eagles. Their run defense is stout, but the numbers show Donovan Ezeiruaku is a big part of that success, being the leading tackler and racking up more than half of the team’s sacks.
Nebraska on Offense
Points per game, 23.8 (98th of 134)
Passing yards per game 228.1, rushing yards per game 130.6, for a 359 yard per game average. They have a 43.37% 3rd down efficiency rating.
QB Dylan Raiola as a true freshman finished the regular season with 2,595 yards passing for 12 TD’s and 10 interceptions. With Heinrich Haarberg moving to tight end and Danny Kaelin entering the transfer portal, Jalyn Gramstad has moved to the number two QB spot. Haarberg will serve as the 3rd QB if needed.
Leading rusher Dante Dowdell (613 yards and 12 TD’s) will not play as he left Nebraska through the portal. That makes Emmett Johnson the Huskers true number one. More than likely with new OC Dana Holgorsen, that would have been the case anyway, as Johnson’s ability as an all-around back fits Holgorsen’s offense better. E. Johonson rushed for 523 yards with a 5.1-yard average, while making 35 receptions for 262 yards. Behind him will be senior Rahmir Johnson, who will be playing in his final game as a Husker. Rahmir rushed for 201 yards and caught 20 balls for 170 yards this season. Behind Johnson & Johnson will be redshirt freshman Kwinton Ives and true freshman Mekhi Nelson. Holgorsen has praised both Ives and Nelson in recent weeks for their work in practice.
Leading receiver, senior Jahmal Banks caught 40 balls for 508 yards and 3 TD’s this season. Second leading receiver Isiah Neyor will not play in the game as he has opted-out. The next leading receiver is talented true freshman Jacory Barney Jr. who has 52 receptions for 40 yards. Barney also rushed 10 times for 130 yards and 3 TD’s. After Banks and Barney, Jaylen Lloyd will lead a young group of receivers in Janiran Bonner, Carter Nelson, Keelan Smith, and Quinn Clark.
With Nate Boerkircher leaving through the portal and Heinrich Haarberg moving to tight end, things have become interesting. The three-deep depth chart listed Thomas Fidone at one, Luke Lindenmeyer at two, and Haarberg at three. However, Matt Rhule called Haarberg one of the most talented athletes he’s ever coached, and Holgorsen suggested Haarberg looked impressive in practice. I think this staff will want to see what Haarberg can do going into next season.
Nebraska on Defense
Points allowed per game, 19.8 (17th of 134)
Passing yards allowed per game 209.7, rushing 105.8 yards per game, 315.5 total yards.
As a team, the Blackshirts defense has 27 sacks, 11 interceptions, 3 TD’s, 6 forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries. Creating turnovers is something Nebraska’s defense needs to get better at. I anticipate we will see these numbers get better with the additions on the defensive side of the coaching staff.
Leading tacklers on the season are Issac Gifford and Deshon Singleton, who have combined for 136 total tackles. Linebacker John Bullock has 65 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 1 interception for a TD, and 1 forced fumble.
Nebraska saw some big hits on the offensive side of the ball with players leaving in the portal. But they lost more bodies on the defensive side after defensive coordinator Tony White, coaches Terrance Knighton, Jack Potenza, and Josh Bringuel announced they were leaving for jobs at Florida State. Within days six defensive linemen and two linebackers left through the portal.
The defensive players who stayed home are a mix of experienced seniors and young first and second year guys. It’ll be interesting to see who is in the game with old guys like Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, John Bullock, Javin Wright, Isaac Gifford, and Deshon Singleton finishing their careers at Nebraska.
The one salvation, bowl games don’t count against players who redshirted. Meaning guys like defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel and others who have already played in four games this season are allowed to play unlimited snaps. There are young guns like Keona Davis, Cam Lenhart, Vincent Shavers Jr., Dylan Rogers, Willis McGahee IV, Blye Hill, Caleb Benning, and Amare Sanders who will see plenty of action.
They’ll be led by new defensive coordinator John Butler. And while Matt Rhule wants to continue to use the 3-3-5, I expect we will see several new wrinkles on defense. Other new faces on defense will be outside linebackers coach Phil Simpson and new defensive backs coach Addison Williams. New Defensive line coach, Terry Bradden will not be with the Huskers until Kansas City’s season is over.
Initially I wasn’t excited about this bowl game. But with the change in coaches and the group of young players we have, I’m excited to see what this team may be capable of. I believe the Nebraska you see in Yankee Stadium won’t resemble anything you’ve seen in Matt Rhule’s first two seasons. Rhule made the changes necessary to get this team back on track. With a bowl game win, a couple more portal additions, a few more coaching tweaks during the winter and spring, and this team will be set for a memorable 2025 season.
All stats gathered from ESPN.com
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