How the Eagles pulled off an upset in Louisville

By: Bradley Smart

Boston College coach Steve Addazio said last week that things were going to come together, and when they did, it’d be beautiful. Entering a matchup with a Louisville team that featured the reigning Heisman winner, nobody really gave his team a chance on Saturday.

The Eagles were 19.5-point underdogs to the Cardinals. There was seemingly no way that Boston College would go into a hostile road environment and take down a preseason Top-25 team. A mobile quarterback has already been established as the defenses’ kryptonite, and the offense had cleared 21 points just once on the season. Maybe the Eagles would play tight for three quarters, like the Clemson loss, and falter at the end?

Wrong. Boston College (3-4) fell behind 21-7 midway through the second quarter, but came roaring back to score 28 unanswered points to take the lead. Lamar Jackson worked his magic to pull it even at 42 apiece, but the Cardinals (4-3) were forced to watch as Eagles kicker Colton Lichtenberg buried a 27-yard game winning field goal as time expired.

For Addazio, it was a huge win, not only for an Eagles team that has had a rough start to the season, but also for a coach desperate to keep his job. Boston College, in picking up their first ACC win, is no longer in the same category of Pitt (2-5, 0-3 ACC) or North Carolina (1-6, 0-4).

Here’s how they did it…

When in doubt, hand the ball to AJ Dillon

One of Addazio’s biggest wins on the recruiting trail was stealing Dillon, a three-star recruit from Connecticut, away from Michigan. Dillon committed to John Harbaugh and the Wolverines in March of 2016, then switched to the Eagles in December. The true freshman has established himself at the top of the depth chart, especially after a jaw-dropping performance against the Cardinals.

Louisville’s defense has been plagued with poor tackling and mental mistakes throughout the season, but they simply couldn’t do anything about Dillon. Standing 6-0, 240 pounds, Dillon possesses unnatural speed for a man of his size. A big, strong back with plus speed, Dillon is a matchup nightmare once he gets beyond the first level, and that was very apparent on Saturday.

He had nine carries through the first two quarters, including a one-yard touchdown run to end the half that pulled the Eagles within a score. Entering with 333 yards through six games, Dillon already had two-thirds of his average rushing output at the break. Still, nobody really could see what was coming next.

Dillon ran the ball 16 times for 100 yards in the third quarter with a three-yard touchdown run, then piled up 14 carries for 139 yards in the fourth quarter. He finished with 272 rushing yards, a mark that ranks third in BC single-game history. His outing was punctuated with a violent stiff-arm when he threw down a Cardinals defender en route to a 75-yard touchdown run.

In terms of advanced stats, he forced nine missed tackles and 199 of his 272 yards came after contact. All the scouting reports from him in high school have translated, as one read, “Dillon has a very impressive blend of size, speed and athleticism. He is a prototypical power back and could develop into a bell cow at the next level.”

Take advantage of turnovers

In a shootout, whoever has the last bullet wins. So, with the game knotted up at 42, many Eagles fans had an uneasy feeling when Jackson trotted out with 2:50 on the clock. It didn’t matter that Mike Knoll had pinned the Cardinals at their own 17-yard-line, this was the type of moment that a Heisman winner preys upon. Boston College had given it their all, but they were facing an inevitable field goal or touchdown at the buzzer.

Then, just like that, a forced fumble (and another fumble recovery) had the Eagles with the ball on the Louisville 39-yard-line. They turned that pivotal chance into the game-winning field goal. Previously, when Boston College went on a 28-point run, they used an interception of Jackson to get the ball at the Louisville 22-yard-line. That was a quick four play drive, and they capped it off with a touchdown.

By not committing a turnover, and turning the two they created into 10 points, Boston College was able to keep pace and ultimately come away with the win.

In Wade We Trust (and strong playcalling)

At the start of the season, Addazio was mum on who was going to start the opener against Northern Illinois. He ultimately settled on redshirt freshman Anthony Brown, who has had an up-and-down season. On Saturday, Brown went down briefly with an injury, and Darius Wade stepped up. He completed the first seven passes he attempted for 91 yards, finishing 7-of-10.

It was an impressive relief importance, especially with six of the completions going for first downs. The Eagles pounded the ball on the ground in the second half, but they were able to use the run-expecting defense to take advantage with play action. Rolling Wade out of the pocket was very successful, as evidenced by the wide open receivers and 13 yards per completion.

Of course, the Cardinals defense has really struggled, but seeing Wade and the rushing corps working in tandem was particularly effective.

Still, it wasn’t like Brown was all bad. He only completed 5-of-17 passes, missed a wide-open receiver in the end zone and threw another interception, but showed some ability on the ground. He broke away for a 30-yard run and finished with 52 yards on six attempts. Using Brown more on the ground moving forward only adds another dimension to the Eagles offense, as there’s potential to incorporate zone reads and such.

However, there is also cause to consider Wade moving forward. Brown doesn’t have the capability to string together completions and take advantage of play action — he’s only completed 51% of his passes and has thrown more interceptions (8) then touchdowns (7).

Bounce back against a tough offense

It was inevitable that Lamar Jackson would enjoy a stellar game. The junior quarterback is averaging almost 100 rushing yards per game to go along with over 300 passing yards, and it was more of the same of Saturday. He piled up 181 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, then added 332 yards and two scores in the air.

However, much of that came during the Cardinals comeback. The fourth quarter defense from Boston College left much to be desired, as they conceded 116 of Jackson’s 181 rushing yards in the final 15 minutes alone. He was also 10-of-15 in the air for 150 yards. That can be attributed to Jackson’s absurd talent or the fact that it was a hot day and the defense was worn down, but either way, it’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re up by two scores and suddenly see yourself on the verge of losing it.

The Eagles didn’t break, though. Louisville had scored 14 unanswered and were geared up to drive, but they dug deep. Boston College’s Hamp Cheevers dramatically reversed the mood of those watching with a forced fumble, and the ensuing recovery that set up the Eagles to win was an impressive stand.

It’s hard not to get sentimental with a coach like Addazio, but what he said after the game rings true. “Our issue has been that we’ve had a hard time closing out because we get gassed,” he said. “So for us to finish—to stand, and finish—I’m so proud of our kids for finding a way to get that done.”

Can they continue this week against a tough Virginia team? This could mark the turning point in the Eagles season, or just a fluke in the midst of a rough campaign.

Photos courtesy of Joe Robbins, Getty Images