Pittsburgh (7-4, 3-4 in the ACC) will face Boston College (6-5, 3-4) this Saturday at 3 p.m. EST, airing on The CW. Boston College is favored by 3.5 points according to BetMGM College Football Odds. Historically, Pittsburgh holds a slight edge in their series against Boston College, leading 18-15.
The stakes for this matchup are significant as both teams look to improve their standing as the regular season winds down. Pittsburgh aims to conclude their roller-coaster season positively after a promising 7-0 start was overshadowed by a four-game losing streak. A further loss could jeopardize their prospects for an attractive bowl game. Conversely, Boston College has already secured bowl eligibility for the eighth time in the past nine years with their recent victory against North Carolina. A win this week would mark the Eagles’ first seven-win season since 2018.
A key matchup to watch will be between Boston College’s running backs Kye Robichaux and Jordan McDonald against the struggling Pittsburgh run defense. Robichaux has been impressive, accumulating 371 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his last three games. McDonald has also stepped up recently, having rushed 36 times for 248 yards and one touchdown in the past two contests. Pittsburgh’s defense, meanwhile, has shown vulnerabilities, allowing 212 rushing yards and two touchdowns to Louisville last week.
In terms of standout players, Pittsburgh’s running back Desmond Reid is one to keep an eye on. The Western Carolina transfer has emerged as a steady performer despite the Panthers’ inconsistent season, ranking fifth nationally in all-purpose yards with an average of 150.9 yards per game. On the defensive side for Boston College, defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku has made headlines, standing second in the nation with 13 sacks and ranking tied for fourth in the FBS with 16 tackles for loss.
Looking at the broader situation, Pittsburgh’s Nate Yarnell is expected to make his second start at quarterback this season, following an injury to redshirt freshman Eli Holstein in last week’s loss. Yarnell had a difficult outing in relief, completing 11 of 23 passes for 96 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Additionally, linebacker Kyle Louis leads the FBS among his position group with 15.5 tackles for loss. This weekend, Pittsburgh is striving for its sixth eight-win season under head coach Pat Narduzzi in ten years. Tim Lewis, the defensive coordinator for Boston College, has a history with the Panthers, having played cornerback for them from 1979 to 1982. Since both teams joined the ACC, they have split their matchups evenly with two wins each. Boston College will also be aiming to secure six home victories for the first time since 2009, having achieved their highest home win total since 2018.