How Boston College Football's Future 2025 Opponents Fared in First Week of CFB

The Boston College football team is off to a terrific start to kick off the 2025 campaign after a 56-point battering of the Fordham Rams on Saturday—the most points the Eagles have scored against an opponent since September 2015, when BC trounced Howard, 76-0.

But the road ahead will not be as easy-going. That starts with a Week Two contest on the road in East Lansing, Mich., against Michigan State, who held Western Michigan to six points in its season-opening win.

Out of the Eagles’ next 11 opponents in the regular season, six won their opening-week matchups, while two of the teams on BC's future slate that did not pick up a victory this weekend played tough opponents that landed in the Preseason AP Top-25 Poll—No. 4 Clemson, who lost to No. 9 LSU, 17-10, on Saturday night, and Syracuse, who fell to No. 24 Tennessee, 45-26.

Here is a deeper look into how the Eagles future opponents fared in Week One, with a focus on BC’s next five opponents.

1. Michigan State | 23-6 W vs. Western Michigan

The Spartans defense impressed against Western Michigan, a Mid-American Conference (MAC) program, limiting quarterback Brady Jones to 97 yards passing on an 11-for-23 completion rate and an interception.

Michigan State’s junior quarterback, Aidan Chiles, who is 19 years old, threw for only 155 yards and a touchdown on 17-for-23 passing, and picked up just eight yards on 10 carries.

The Spartans’ run game carried the offense, primarily through sophomore Makhi Frazier, who averaged 7.4 yards per carry and totaled 103 rushing yards and a touchdown. Classmate Brandon Tullis added 52 yards on the ground on a 7.4 average yards per carry clip as well, including a rushing touchdown.

Wide receivers Omari Kelly (7 catches, 75 yards) and Nick Marsh (5 catches, 32 yards, touchdown reception) led Michigan State’s pass catchers.

BC’s pass protection against Fordham showcased high potential, but four players on the Spartans’ defensive side recorded a sack against the Broncos, consisting of Malik Spencer, Jordan Hall, Jalen Thompson, and Anelu Lafaele.

2. Stanford | 23-20 L at Hawaii

Stanford’s season opener in the “Rainbow State” was far from an impressive performance, to say the least.

Starting quarterback Ben Gulbranson, who transferred from Oregon State, passed for 109 yards on a 50 percent completion rate and threw an interception to what should have been an inferior opponent in the Rainbow Warriors.

Micah Ford picked up 113 rushing yards and a score—albeit on 26 carries—and Chico Holt was the Cardinal’s leading pass catcher with one reception for 36 yards.

Stanford’s defense allowed Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado to throw for 210 yards and two touchdowns, and after a second-quarter field goal to make the score 13-7 in the Cardinal’s favor, the Rainbow Warriors outscored their opponent 16-7 in the remaining two quarters and change.

3. California | 34-15 W at Oregon State

The Golden Bears named their starting quarterback just 12 days prior to Cal’s season opener on the road against Oregon State, and it is now clear why true freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was the chosen signal caller by head coach Justin Wilcox.

On 20-for-30 passing, Sagapolutele lit up the Beavers’ secondary with 234 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Nine total players registered a catch for Cal in the win in Corvallis, Or., with redshirt senior Trong Grizzell leading the way with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, including an average of 16.6 yards per catch.

The Golden Bears’ were unable to generate pressure up front, totaling a combined one sack in the matchup, but senior Hezekiah Masses’ interception on Maalik Murphy in the early stages of the fourth was brought the other way for a 41-yard return, setting up a two-yard rushing score for Brandon High Jr.

Cal has much to prove after going 2-6 (6-7 overall) in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024, and losing over 30 players to the transfer portal over the offseason, but starting with a road win against another Power-Four Conference opponent (Pac-12) in the first week of the 2025 season helps out.

4. Pittsburgh | 61-9 W vs. Duquesne

The Panthers took care of business in Saturday’s season opener at Acrisure Stadium, dominating the visiting Dukes in all phases.

Quarterback Eli Holstein set a new career high in touchdown passes with four, including 215 yards through the air on 15-for-23 passing, but Preseason All-ACC all-purpose back Desmond Reid was the star of the show.

Reed took eight carries for 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but he opened up the contest with an 88-yard punt return touchdown, completely outpacing Duquesne’s special teams unit for the first score of the game.

DESMOND REID 89-YARD PUNT RETURN TD 😤 pic.twitter.com/F7Nxul7COj
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) August 30, 2025

Reid is unstoppable in open space—whether it’s in the returning game or in the backfield—and his rushing touchdown came from a 53-yard sprint in the first minute of the third quarter to put the Panthers ahead, 41-6.

Preseason All-ACC linebacker Kyle Louis shined, notching two sacks and three tackles and three assisted tackles, and Cameron Lindsey and Joey Zelinsky also registered one sack apiece in the blowout triumph.

It wasn’t all perfect for Holstein, the former Alabama transfer, who threw an interception on a fourth down to start the second quarter. But, overall, this was an ideal start to the 2025 campaign for Pat Narduzzi and co.

5. No. 4 Clemson | 17-10 L vs. No. 9 LSU

The Tigers entered Saturday night’s contest at Memorial Stadium as the clear favorite to win the ACC in 2025 with a cast of returners on both the offensive side and defensive that have high potential to be top National Football League draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

That includes quarterback Cade Klubnik, the Preseason ACC Player of the Year, and Preseason All-ACC wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive back Avieon Terrell, defensive tackle Peter Woods, and edge T.J. Parker.

But the visiting Tigers—LSU and Clemson have the same mascot—stifled Clemson’s pass attack to just 230 yards through the air, including an interception, and a meager 32 yards on the ground.

ESPN Atlantic Coast Conference football reporter David Hale pointed out that the Tigers are now 4-4 in their last eight games, and the four wins consist of a defeat of The Citadel, a 10-point win over a “middling” Virginia Tech squad, a four-point victory against a Pitt squad that was riddled with injuries, and a triumph over Southern Methodist (SMU) in the 2024 ACC Championship with a walk-off 56-yard field goal.

I still think Clemson will be (mostly) fine but let's also be real about things...

Their last 8 games, they're 4-4.

The wins are Citadel, by 10 vs a middling VT, by 4 vs a Pitt team riddled with injuries that ultimately lost 6 straight & by 3 on a walk-off 56-yard FG vs. SMU.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) August 31, 2025

Williams, heralded by NFL scouts and analysts as a prospective top draft pick when he is eligible, was limited to zero catches in the affair, and Woods did not record a single solo tackle—all five he registered were assists.

The Eagles host Clemson at home on Oct. 11, the first time the Tigers have visited Chestnut Hill, Mass., since 2022—before Klubnik was the starter under head coach Dabo Swinney. If the Tigers continue to play at this current level, BC might have a real chance to take away another win from the projected 2025 ACC football champion.

BC's Final Six Opponents:

6. UConn | 59-13 W vs. Central Connecticut

7. Louisville | 51-17 W vs. Eastern Kentucky

8. Notre Dame | N/A (at Miami, Sunday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m.)

9. SMU | 42-13 W vs. Texas A&M-Commerce

10. Georgia Tech | 27-20 W at Colorado

11. Syracuse | 45-26 L at No. 24 Tennessee

Check out Boston College Eagles On SI's early opponent preview series:

Michigan State (Week 2), Stanford (Week 3), Cal (Week 5), Pitt (Week 6), (Week 7), UConn (Week 8), Louisville (Week 9), Notre Dame (Week 10), SMU (Week 11), andGeorgia Tech (Week 12).