No. 2 Notre Dame is coming off one of the biggest wins in its storied history, taking down then-No. 1 ranked Clemson in double-overtime last Saturday. Irish coach Brian Kelly spent all season discussing the "level of compete" required to not only win such a game, but maintain through the season with more work left in the pursuit of an ACC Championship and berth in the College Football Playoffs. That level of compete will be tested in a big way on Saturday on the road against Boston College.
It would be dangerous enough for the Irish to be facing a Boston College team that is just two weeks removed from holding a double-digit halftime lead at Clemson, but the historical connections are making this showdown even more tricky from a trap game or letdown spot perspective. Another one of Notre Dame's great wins in program history was beating another No. 1 ranked team from the ACC, Florida State, back in 1993. Apparently in the driver's seat for a shot at the national championship, Notre Dame followed up that win with a loss the following week to -- you guessed it -- Boston College.
So not only is Notre Dame looking to notch another win in the long-standing rivalry with the Eagles and maintain its undefeated record during this crucial point in the championship race, but it's also looking to avoid the same kind of disappointment that cost it a chance at the national championship nearly three decades ago.
Storylines
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish defense did a great job of limiting what Clemson running back Travis Etienne could do on the ground and through the passing game, and there were so many small moments where Notre Dame made the winning plays against the Tigers, but the biggest key to the victory was the performance of Ian Book. After what was arguably the most impressive game of Book's career, the storyline will be whether or not it can be replicated as the pressure increases in these final weeks of the season. Notre Dame not only has this tough test at Boston College, but also a trip to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina and a regular season finale against Wake Forest that could all prove problematic for the pursuit of an undefeated regular season. Book will, like he was against Clemson, have the ball in his hands for important game-changing drives. If he rises to the occasion like he did against the Tigers, we should be well on our way to seeing a rematch of that epic showdown in South Bend on Dec. 19 in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
Boston College: One year ago, Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec was in the quarterback room with Book. With no chance of passing the established starter, Jurkovec transferred to Boston College and has led (to this point) a more prolific passing attack in 2020. Jurkovec has 15 passing touchdowns to Book's eight and the Eagles' quarterback ranks ahead of his former teammate in both passing yards per game and completion percentage. There are a ton of storylines packed into this fascinating edition of the Notre Dame-Boston College rivalry, but the "Phil Jurkovec revenge game" deserves plenty of attention for what he might be able to do to change the course of the 2020 season.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Alumni Stadium -- Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
TV: ABC | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Notre Dame at Boston College prediction, picks
So you've got Notre Dame trying to avoid the letdown in a spot where an emotional letdown is totally plausible, and Boston College is not only fired up to host the No. 2 team in the country but has confidence it can win after the near-upset against Clemson in Death Valley. Plus, it's the Red Bandana Game, which honors the memory of Welles Crowther, a former Boston College lacrosse player who lost his life in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, after saving as many as 18 lives. They've got unique uniforms for the occasion and it's a special game every single year. The cover feels like it's in the cards, and an outright upset isn't out of the question. Pick: Boston College +13.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 11? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,900 in profit over the past four-plus seasons -- and find out.
