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Virginia Football vs. Boston College Game Preview, Score Prediction

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

Virginia Football vs. Boston College Game Preview, Score Prediction

The Virginia Cavaliers and Boston College Eagles will put their undefeated ACC records to the test when the two ACC foes clash on Saturday in Charlottesville. Boston College is looking to improve to 5-1 for the first time since 2008 and 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2007, while UVA is looking to improve on its best start under Tony Elliott and best start since 2019.

Read on for a full preview of Virginia vs. Boston College with everything you need to know, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch for, and a score prediction.

Who: Virginia Cavaliers (3-1, 1-0 ACC) vs. Boston College Eagles (4-1, 1-0 ACC)

When: Saturday, October 5th at 12pm ET

Where: Scott Stadium (61,500) in Charlottesville, Virginia

How to watch: ACC Network

How to listen: SiriusXM 158 or 194, SXM App 956 | Virginia Sports Radio Network

All-time series: Boston College leads 7-1

Last meeting: Boston College defeated Virginia 27-24 last season in Chestnut Hill.

Read Virginia’s injury report for the Boston College game here: UVA Football Week 6 Injury Report: Updates on Boley, Harris, Furnish, Wilson

See below for UVA’s week 6 depth chart for the Boston College game.

Virginia Cavaliers week 6 depth chart vs. Boston College / Virginia Athletics

2023: 7-6, 3-5 ACC
2024: 4-1, 1-0 ACC

In year 1 under the direction of long-time NFL head coach Bill O’Brien, the Eagles have gotten off to an excellent 4-1 start, which includes blowout wins over Florida State and Duquesne followed by a competitive loss at Missouri, and then more recently, close victories over Michigan State and Western Kentucky.

The scouting report on Boston College became a lot simpler on Thursday with the news that normal starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos is expected to be available for the Eagles on Saturday at UVA after missing last week’s game with an undisclosed injury. With Castellanos leading the way, BC can hope to return to form offensively after struggling on that side of the ball in a tight 21-20 victory over Western Kentucky last week. When Castellanos is healthy, the Boston College offense was certainly capable, opening the season with a 28-13 win at Florida State, nearly upsetting a top 10 SEC team on the road at Missouri, and coming from behind to beat Michigan State in week 4.

Though Castellanos is a dynamic quarterback, the run game is the focus for the Eagles, who call designed runs 55% of the time and have nearly twice the rushing attempts than passing attempts. Castellanos does his fair share of running the ball, but Treshaun Ward leads the way in the ground game, averaging 6.0 yards per carry, which ranks 10th in the ACC. Seven different Eagles have scored rushing touchdowns this season and three of them are averaging at least 4.0 yards per carry.

In the passing game, Boston College’s strength is the efficiency of Thomas Castellanos, who ranks sixth in all of college football in passing efficiency and who has thrown only two interceptions as compared to 10 passing touchdowns. His top target is 5’11” redshirt junior Lewis Bond, who leads the BC receivers with 23 catches for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Only one other Eagle has double-digit receptions for the year, so the Cavaliers should consider focusing on denying Bond and make someone else beat them.

Defensively, Boston College thrives on takeaways, forcing 10 turnovers through the first five games, eight of which have been interceptions. There’s one player UVA quarterback Anthony Colandrea will have to locate before every snap and that’s defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, who leads the entire country with eight sacks through the first five games of the season. To emphasize that mind-boggling level of production, Ezeiruaku is averaging more than one sack per game and has more sacks than the entire UVA defense combined.

Other defensive playmakers to keep an eye on for BC are defensive backs Max Tucker and Khari Johnson, who each have two interceptions on the season and know how to turn those picks into game-changing plays, as both Tucker and Johnson have more than 50 interception return yards this year. If Colandrea makes an ill-advised throw, it’s a good bet that Tucker or Johnson will make him pay.

Overall, the BC defense ranks third in the ACC in scoring defense, though that’s boosted significantly by the Eagles shutting out FCS Duquesne in week 2.

Quarterback Play
Before Thursday’s news that Thomas Castellanos is likely to start at quarterback for Boston College at Virginia on Saturday, this key was going to be about what the Eagles could get from backup Grayson James. To his credit, James threw the game-winning touchdown pass against Western Kentucky, but BC’s offense with James leading the way was uninspiring. With Castellanos expected to play, the question becomes how close to 100% of his normal dynamic play he provides in his return and whether the Cavalier defense can do a better job of containing him than last season, when he threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 78 more to lead the Eagles to a comeback in the second half. On the other side, the quarterback facing Castellanos will be different as Anthony Colandrea looks to do what Tony Muskett couldn’t last year and lead the Hoos to a victory over the Eagles for just the second time in the history of the series.

Second and Fourth Quarter Trends
Boston College tends to get off to a slow start offensively, scoring just 21 points in the first quarter through five games. The Eagles then turn it on in the second quarter, putting 62 points on the board this season in second quarters. In the fourth quarter, the BC defense locks in, giving up just six total points in five fourth quarters this season. Virginia has outscored each of its opponents in the second quarter this season and showed much improvement in fourth quarter execution, which was perhaps the team’s greatest weakness last season, in the comeback victory at Wake Forest. How each team performs before halftime and in the closing possessions of the game will be even more important in this game than they usually are.

Battle in the Trenches
The Eagles lean heavily on their physical play at the line of scrimmage, relying on a capable run game and an effective pass rush to turn the tides in their favor. Virginia can flip the script by disrupting Boston College’s efforts to dominate the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball. The UVA defensive front must contain BC’s run game and force the Eagles into third and long situations. But perhaps mostly importantly, the Cavalier offensive line must hold up against Donovan Ezeiruaku and the BC pass rush. Keep an eye on the left tackle spot, as McKale Boley is slated to make his season debut after missing the first four games with an injury. It wouldn’t be surprising to see both Boley and Jack Witmer, who started those four games at left tackle, split reps in this game, and look for the Cavaliers to potentially double team Ezeiruaku in order to take him out of the game if possible.

Boston College has owned the series against Virginia. Though the two teams have met only eight times, it still seems almost unfathomable that the Cavaliers have prevailed over the Eagles only once in the 60-year history of the series, and that one win came with just 250 fans in attendance at Scott Stadium during the COVID-impacted 2020 season. There should be plenty of fans in the stands on Saturday for UVA’s Homecomings game to see the Hoos face their toughest challenge yet against a well-coached team that has proven to have a winning mentality. UVA is 3-1, but still unproven without a marquee victory against a quality opponent. That could change on Saturday in what should be a very competitive ACC football game. I see this one coming down to the wire, with the Cavaliers showing that their improvements in late-game execution are for real.

Score prediction: Virginia 26, Boston College 23

UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Boston College

Scouting Report: What to Expect From Boston College on Saturday at Virginia

UVA Football Week 6 Injury Report: Updates on Boley, Harris, Furnish, Wilson

Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Boston College | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Football Opens as Home Favorite vs. Boston College in Week 6

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Defense, Donovan Clingan power Trail Blazers past Boston Celtics

Published

6 days ago

December 29, 2025

Press Room

Defense, Donovan Clingan power Trail Blazers past Boston Celtics

There was clutch fourth-quarter defense, inspiring two-way play from Toumani Camara and another stat-stuffing performance by Deni Avdija.

But perhaps no one or no thing meant more to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday than Donovan Clingan.

The starting center’s combination of defense, emotion and dominance powered the Blazers to a 114-108 win over the Boston Celtics before 17,949 at the Moda Center.

“I think he was our best defensive player,” Blazers acting coach Tiago Splitter said of Clingan. “Just his presence, reading every situation, talking, leading. He was a big part of our win.”

Clingan finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds, recording his ninth double-double of the season, as the Blazers (13-19) ended a three-game losing streak. He was suffocating early, producing 11 points and eight rebounds in the first quarter. He was clutch late, adding five points and six rebounds in the fourth. And he was a mountain of energy and intensity throughout.

He stared down Celtics players after monster two-handed dunks. He came oh-so-close to drawing a technical foul in the second half, when he towered over a Boston player after finishing a dunk. And he punctuated big shots with screams to the rafters and raised arms.

The Blazers seemed to feed off his energy and emotion, riding it all the way a much-needed win.

“He’s one of those dudes that scores (and) looks at the opponent,” Splitter said. “He tries to bring some juice every time he (has) a good play or a block or something like that, just to pass (it along) to the rest of the guys, the energy, the belief that he has. He’s very important for our defense, for our offense, for the whole locker room’s energy. He’s one of those guys.”

Of course, it took more than Clingan for the shorthanded Blazers to topple the Celtics (19-12).

Camara finished with 20 points, made four of five three-pointers in the second half and played imposing defense. Avdija overcame a shaky first half that included five turnovers to produce 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points and five rebounds and Caleb Love scored 18 points off the bench, which included 10 crucial points in the fourth quarter.

Boston had control for most of the first half and built a 10-point lead in the third quarter, thanks in large part to a breathtaking performance by Jaylen Brown, who torched the Blazers with 27 points on 11-for-16 shooting before halftime.

But Splitter tweaked his defense to feature a swarm of double teams and blitzes at the Celtics’ All-Star forward, and it helped fuel a second-half turnaround.

Portland opened the third quarter by outscoring Boston 12-2 and Brown managed just 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting after halftime.

Still, like most of the Blazers’ games this season, the outcome came down to clutch time. And this time, the Blazers’ defense was the difference.

Portland held Boston to three points over the final two minutes, 41 seconds of the game, allowing just one field goal — a Derrick White three-pointer with 43.0 seconds left. Otherwise, the Blazers’ defense was stifling, forcing two missed shots and four turnovers, including two on the Celtics’ final two possessions of the game. The Celtics scored just 45 points in the second half, including 23 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

“I think Sidy (Cissoko) brought energy,” Splitter said. “Toumani always (does). D.C. was protecting the rim, his rebounding was huge. But as a group, the energy was there. We were fighting every screen. They have great players that can shoot the ball. They’re one of the best shooting teams in the league. So (we) had to fight all those screens, getting over or under, and (we) did a good job navigating those positions.”

Top performers

Avdija finished with 20 or more points for the 26th time this season and recorded double-digits in assists for the fifth time this season.

Brown finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Celtics, who had won four in a row and nine of 11.

A pair of reunions

Anfernee Simons returned to the Moda Center for the first time as a visitor, finishing with 13 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist in 19 minutes.

Simons, who spent his first seven seasons with the Blazers, was traded to the Celtics in the offseason in a move that brought Jrue Holiday to Portland. Simons came off the bench for Boston on Sunday and swished his first shot — a three — 17 seconds later. But his shot was mostly cold the rest of the night as Simons made just 4 of 11 field goals, including 2 of 6 threes.

Meanwhile, Payton Pritchard, who went to West Linn High School and played for the Oregon Ducks, recorded nine points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals in 38 minutes.

Next up

The Blazers host the Dallas Mavericks and No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg Monday night at 7:30 at the Moda Center.

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Celtics Linked To Mavs Big Man In Trade Buzz

Published

6 days ago

December 28, 2025

Press Room

Celtics Linked To Mavs Big Man In Trade Buzz

With the NBA trade deadline looming on February 5, many people are wondering how the Boston Celtics will approach things.

The Celtics have some solid trade chips in guys like Anfernee Simons and Sam Hauser. PBO Brad Stevens has communicated that he’s open to pretty much any scenario, whether that’s buying, selling, or staying put.

It’ll all depend on what kinds of offers land on Brad’s desk.

If Boston were to make a move, you’d have to assume it would be one that strengthens the front court. Neemias Queta has been awesome as the starting center this year, but that doesn’t mean that the Celtics couldn’t use more depth at the position.

This is the line of though that probably had NBA analyst Jake Weinbach linking the Celtics to Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford in trade buzz.

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The Celtics are among the teams that should be linked to Daniel Gafford leading up to the trade deadline this season.
Boston is expected to be in the market for a long-term solution at center. Dallas will be listening to offers for the 27-year-old rim protector.
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— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) December 28, 2025

Gafford’s 2025-26 campaign with the Mavs has been affected by an ankle injury that disrupted his early momentum and restricted his playing time after returning. In 22 games (14 starts), Gafford has averaged 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 62 percent from the field.

In the Mavericks’ 113-107 defeat of the Sacramento Kings on December 27, Gafford stepped into the starting lineup for the injured Anthony Davis, delivering 11 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in 23 minutes.

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He inked a three-year, $54 million extension in July, setting expectations for expanded contributions in Dallas.

Gafford entered the NBA as the Chicago Bulls’ second-round pick (38th overall) in 2019. He debuted modestly before moving to the Washington Wizards in 2021, where he developed into a reliable starter. Traded to Dallas in February 2024, he excelled in 2023-24, topping the league in field goal percentage at 72.5 percent. Across 401 career games, he maintains 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks averages on 70.5 percent shooting.

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Bruins come out of break with loss to Sabres

Published

7 days ago

December 28, 2025

Press Room

Bruins come out of break with loss to Sabres

The Bruins themselves thought that the NHL’s Christmas break was coming at a good time for the club. Whether it was physical or mental fatigue, the Bruins’ chance to simply catch their breath and get a reset was going to do them well.

But as Saturday in Buffalo told us, with the B’s winless skid hitting five (0-4-1) behind a 4-1 loss to the surging Sabres, things are going to have to get worse for Marco Sturm and the Bruins before they can get better.

And this was a contest truly lost in the second period of play, as the Bruins allowed three goals in a span of just 7:15. The Bruins failed to counterpunch at any point in the second period, too, as the club was outshot 13-2 in the middle frame.

Boston’s lone goal in the loss came in the first period, and off the stick of David Pastrnak for what was his 15th goal of the season.

In goal, the Bruins’ Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 of 30 shots faced in the loss. If you’re looking for any sort of positive in this contest, it definitely came from Korpisalo, as Saturday marked the first time this season that Korpisalo posted a single-game save percentage north of .900 in a losing effort.

On a lineup front, Mikey Eyssimont jumped back into action for the Black and Gold in place of the injured Tanner Jeannot. Eyssimont finished with one shot and one block in 8:58 of time on ice int he loss. Speaking before the game, Sturm did not have a timeline when it came to a potential Jeannot timeline just yet.

The Bruins will get back to work Monday night against the Flames in Calgary.

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