Gameday Guide: Clemson vs. Boston College

The No. 3 Clemson Tigers football team, fresh off its victory in the showdown against Louisville, heads to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for a Friday night game at Boston College.

Game info

Who: Clemson (5-0, 2-0 ACC) vs. Boston College (3-2, 0-2)

When: 7:32 p.m. Friday

Where: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill (44,500)

TV: ESPN (Adam Amin, Mack Brown, Molly McGrath)

Radio: WZMJ-FM 93.1 FM in Columbia area, Clemson Radio Network

Satellite radio: SiriusXM 84

Series record: Clemson leads 14-9-2

Line: Clemson by 17

What’s at stake

Clemson will aim to avoid a letdown after a dramatic win against then-No. 3 Louisville. Boston College hasn’t beaten a Power Five opponent this season, and has a tough road ahead if it wants to avoid a second consecutive losing season.

The teams, by the numbers

Three Story lines

1. Letdown, some lookahead. The Tigers just defeated what might end up the most impressive team on their schedule. Now they get a downtrodden Eagles squad on a Friday night, and then N.C. State before going to Tallahassee, Fla., to face Florida State.

2. Righted ship? Louisville’s defense isn’t bad and Clemson averaged a robust 8.1 yards per play. To put that in perspective, that’s 1.1 yards a play better than against S.C. State. So is the Tigers’ offense everyone expected back in high gear?

3. Steve’s stand. Steve Addazio’s Boston College tenure started out well enough with two seven-win seasons and bowl trips. Last season they cratered, winning three games despite boasting probably the best defense in the country. With two losses to mid-level ACC teams already, he could find himself in a rough spot.

Three Clemson Players to Watch

1. Quarterback Deshaun Watson posted a vintage performance with 306 passing yards on 31 attempts and 91 rushing yards at 6.5 yards a carry vs. Louisville. He’s at 1,302 passing yards with 14 scores and seven picks on the season, plus 211 yards on the ground.

2. Running back Wayne Gallman looked like the Wayne Gallman of old, needing only 16 carries to reach 110 yards against Louisville. He’s still at 4.6 yards a carry for 366 total on the season, and the big plays have yet to come (no run longer than 24 yards).

3. Linebacker Ben Boulware moved up to third on the team in tackles, despite missing a game, after getting 18 with a sack and pass breakup against the Cardinals. He’s up to 40 tackles, four for loss, with four QB pressures.

Three BC Players to Watch

1. Quarterback Patrick Towles found himself out at Kentucky and has been uneven with the Eagles. He’s connected on 50.9 percent of his passes for 806 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

2. The Boston College offense is run-first, but wide receiver Jeff Smith is an explosive playmaker. He catches 2.8 passes a game, but each goes 17.6 yards, eighth-best in the ACC. He has 247 total yards and three touchdowns.

3. Defensive end Harold Landry tied his single-game career high in sacks in the Eagles’ second contest and doubled it two games later. His 5 1/2 sacks have him tied for ninth nationally in sacks per game. He also has 15 tackles, 7 1/2 for loss, and three forced fumbles.

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Gameday Guide: Clemson vs. Boston College."