Preview and Prediction: Clemson-Boston College

Clemson will return to Death Valley this week when the Tigers face the Boston College Eagles on Saturday, Oct. 2. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. As the result of scheduling quirks in the pandemic-adjusted 2020 season,

Clemson and Boston College will meet in Death Valley in a third consecutive year for the first time in series history. The Eagles will join Duke (1986-88), Virginia (1972-74) and Wake Forest (1957- 59 and 1983-85) as the only ACC programs ever to face Clemson in Death Valley in three consecutive seasons

Series History:

Clemson holds a 19-9-2 lead in its series with Boston College dating to the programs' first meeting in the 1940 Cotton Bowl. Early in the series, the two teams played three games at famed Fenway Park in Boston, the home of the Boston Red Sox.

Clemson won its first game there in 1941 — just 13 days after Ted Williams finished his .406 season for the Red Sox — by a 26-13 score. The teams met at Fenway again the following year, and Boston College won, 14-7. The two teams played to a 14-14 tie in 1953 at Fenway, evening the series' all-time record at Fenway Park at 1-1-1. The two teams also played at Braves Field in Boston, then the home of the National League’s Boston Braves.

Clemson had a 3-1 advantage in games played at Braves Field, all between 1942-52. Clemson has a 9-6-1 lead in the series in games played in Boston or Chestnut Hill.

The Tigers have won 12 of the 13 games played against Boston College since Dabo Swinney became Clemson's head coach on an interim basis on Oct. 13, 2008, including his first win as a head coach on Nov. 1, 2008. Clemson’s only loss to the Eagles in the Swinney era as head coach came on the road in 2010.

Clemson has won each of the last 10 games in the series. Boston College’s last win in the series took place in 2010, a 16-10 final score. The Eagles have not won at Clemson since 2007, a 20-17 Eagles win that determined the ACC Atlantic Division title. The Tigers hold a 12-4 advantage in the series since Boston College joined the ACC for the 2005 season. BC won each of the first three, all by seven points or less, with two overtime finishes. Five of Clemson’s victories in the series took place during undefeated Tiger regular seasons.

Clemson won, 26-19, in 1948 on the way to a perfect 11-0 season, and won, 35-14, in 1950 on the way to a 9-0-1 season. Clemson won, 34-17, in 2015 during its perfect regular season and posted a 27-7 win in Chestnut Hill in 2018 en route to a 12-0 regular season and eventual 15-0 national championship finish.

Clemson also defeated Boston College, 59-7, in 2019 in the midst of a second straight perfect regular season. This year marks the first time in seven meetings that Clemson has not been undefeated going into its annual game against Boston College. Saturday's game will be the 11th meeting between Clemson and Boston College since 2011; Clemson has entered eight of those 11 contests undefeated.

Preview and Prediction:

Brad Senkiw: Prepare yourselves for an ugly game. Clemson’s offense could still be a mess, and BC might be one-dimensional against this stingy Tiger defense. Even though the Eagles smell blood in the water, the home team will find a way to prevail in a low-scoring game because of the side of the ball it trusts the most. '

Clemson 20, Boston College 13

Jason Priester: It's going to be another low-scoring affair in Death Valley. With some of the pressure now off this Clemson team after suffering its second loss of the season, maybe the plan isn't quite so conservative this week. Although, there is no quick fix to what ails this offense. Brent Venables will force backup QB Dennis Grosel to beat the Tigers with his arm and despite the defense missing some key pieces, he won't be able to do it.

Clemson 16 Boston College 10

Zach Lentz: The Clemson offense is a mess right now, and head coach Dabo Swinney is tasked with rallying his troops to go up against an Eagles team that is full of confidence—entering Saturday's game at 4-0 and coming off an overtime win against Missouri last week. The defense will be tested without Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee. However, getting James Skalski back will be a boost. But the offense lets the Tigers down again, as the Tigers fall to the Eagles on Homecoming.
**Note- This marks the first regular season game that I have picked the Tigers to lose. Until the offensive issues are addressed, it may not be the last. But I am doing so with the hope that by picking the Tigers to lose, they will, in fact, have an offensive explosion. Fingers are crossed.

Clemson 13 Boston College 17