2024 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Week 4: Michigan State
The Boston College Eagles play their second home game of the year and third Power 5 opponent in Week 4 of the upcoming college football season in Michigan State.
Both programs will be led by first-year head coaches.
After struggling the past two seasons, the Spartans will be looking to get back into playoff contention led by head coach Jonathan Smith, who joined the Spartan program from Oregon State in Sept. of 2023 after Mel Tucker was let go. Prior to going to East Lansing, Smith had helped the Beavers to two winning seasons and was in the middle of another one before taking his latest job.
As for the Eagles, head coach Bill O’Brien is looking to make a statement in his first season back in collegiate ball. The Mass., native hasn’t served as a collegiate head coach since 2012-13 where he was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. During his tenure there, he recorded a 15-9 overall record including 10-6 in conference play. Since then, O’Brien spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans as the head coach. After that, he went to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to join Nick Saban’s staff as the offensive coordinator from 2021-22, then went back to the NFL as the New England Patriots offensive coordinator in 2023. O’Brien originally took the offensive coordinator position at Ohio State earlier in the year, however left a few weeks later to take the Boston College job opening.
While Michigan State is trying to get back into Big Ten contention, Bill O’Brien and the Eagles will look to continue the program’s upward trajectory.
Let’s take a look at the upcoming matchup.
Offense
There’s a saying amongst college football fans that goes ‘the portal giveth and the portal takeith’ which holds true to Michigan State’s biggest question mark on the offensive side of the ball: the quarterback position. The Spartans QB duo from 2023 in Katin Houser (East Carolina) and Noah Kim (Coastal Carolina) both left via the transfer portal in the offseason, however the team brought in sophomore dual-threat QB Aidan Chiles from Oregon State, who went 24-of-35 for 309 yards and four touchdowns in nine games and sixth-year QB Tommy Schuster from North Dakota, who went 208-of-294 for 2,256 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 2023.
As for weapons, the Spartans brought back redshirt junior Nate Carter, who was the team’s leading rusher in 2023 with 185 attempts for 798 yards and four touchdowns and senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr., who led the team in receptions (43) and yards (576) last year.
For Boston College, the team returned starting dual-threat QB Thomas Castellanos, who went 189-of-330 for 2,248 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in 2023. He led the team in rushing with 215 attempts for 1,113 yards, and 13 touchdowns. The Eagles will also retain its top wide receiver in Lewis Bond, who caught 52 receptions for 646 yards and seven touchdowns.
Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, Michigan State brings back its top three defensive players in linebacker Cal Haladay and defensive backs Angelo Grose and Malik Spencer. Last season, the trio tallied 235 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries.
The Eagles, on the other hand, lost its top two tacklers in graduates Vinny DePalma and John Pupel as well as interceptions leader Elijah Jones, however retained junior defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, who led the team in tackles for loss (6.5 for 23 yards), sacks (two for seven yards), and forced fumbles (two), as well as junior defensive end Neto Okpala, who led the team in fumble recoveries (two) and quarterback hits (seven).
Schedule
Both programs will be coming off different types of games heading into this matchup. The Spartans will be coming off a game against FCS opponent Prairie View A&M at home, while the Eagles will be returning from a road game after taking on a good SEC program in the Missouri Tigers. This will be the last game for Michigan State before the team starts Big Ten play and Boston College will have one more non-conference game against Western Kentucky before starting ACC play on Oct. 5 against Virginia.
This game, in particular, holds a special meaning to Eagles Nation as it will be the annual Red Bandanna Game which honors the life and legacy of Boston College alumnus Welles Crowther, who lost his life in the 9/11 terrorist attacks serving as a volunteer firefighter.
Outlook
Although both teams head into the game evenly matched, Boston College should come out of this game with the victory. In 2022 and 2023, the Spartans have struggled tremendously on the road, tallying a 2-8 record. Also, in the program's history, Michigan State’s sole win came in East Lansing. The team is 0-2 in games in Chestnut Hill and tallied a tie in the neutral site game in Boston.
The Game
Date: Sept. 21
Time: TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Series: Boston College leads the all-time series 4-1-1.
Last Meeting: The last meeting between the two programs was in 2007 in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando. The Eagles defeated the Spartans 24-21.
The Team
The Coach: Jonathan Smith
Offensive Coordinator: Brian Lindgren
Defensive Coordinator: Joe Rossi
2023 Record: 4-8
Players to Watch: WR Lewis Bond, WR Montorie Foster Jr., QB Thomas Castellanos, RB Nate Carter, LB Cal Haladay, DB Angelo Grose, DB Malik Spencer, DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE Neto Okpala.
Top Newcomer: Recruit- Four-star wide receiver Nick Marsh. Transfer- Former Michigan linebacker Semaj Bridgeman.
The School
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Founded: 1855
Enrollment: 51,316
Nickname: Spartans
Colors: Green and White
Mascot: Sparty
The Program
Last Time Beat Boston College: The Spartans sole win against the Eagles came in 1995 in East Lansing 25-21.
Last time won Big Ten: 2015.
National Championships: Six – 1951; 1952; 1955; 1957; 1965; 1966.
Playoff Appearances: One – 2015. The Spartans lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the semifinals 38-0.
Conference Championships: 11 – Two in MIA: 1903; 1905, Nine in Big 10: 1953; 1965; 1966; 1978; 1987; 1990; 2010; 2013; 2015.
Bowl Appearances: 30 – 14-16 overall record.
Last Time Didn’t Play in a Bowl: 2023.
Heisman Trophies: None.
2024 NFL Draft: One – Center Nick Samac was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 228 overall pick (seventh round).
Last 4 Recruiting Class Rankings: 2024 No. 42; 2023 No. 24; 2022 No. 23; 2021 No. 46.
The Schedule
Aug. 30: vs. Florida State
Sept. 7: at Maryland
Sept. 14: vs. Prairie View at A&M
Sept. 21: at Boston College
Sept. 28: vs. Ohio State
Oct. 4: at Oregon
Oct. 19: vs. Iowa
Oct. 26: at Michigan
Nov. 2: Indiana
Nov. 16: at Illinois
Nov. 22: vs. Purdue
Nov. 30: vs. Rutgers
This is an ongoing series by BCCentral. Check out our other early opponent previews below.
Read More:
2024 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Week 3: Missouri
2024 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Week 2: Duquesne
2024 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Week 1: Florida State
Kim Rankin is the lead writer for Boston College On SI. The 2020 graduate of the University of Alabama. She joined Alabama Crimson Tide On SI in February 2024 covering baseball, softball, football, men’s basketball, and more for BamaCentral, but has also contributed to Missouri Tigers On SI. She previously worked as the brand manager at Tide 100.9 FM in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She has covered a wide variety of events including SEC Championships, NCAA Regionals, and bowl games.
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