Three Matchups That Will Decide Virginia Tech vs. Boston College
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Boston College was supposed to score a big victory over Maine last week. The Eagles reached the red zone five times, scored zero touchdowns, and hung on for a 22-16 win.
That's the opponent. The bigger worry for Virginia Tech might be the sky.
The Hokies (3-0) open ACC play Saturday at noon ET at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, with a nor'easter expected to roll through. Tuesday's forecasts called for rain and gusts up to 45 mph.
"We prepare for wet ball every week," Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin said.
Virginia Tech is chasing its first 4-0 start since 2017 and a fourth straight win over the Eagles, who went 2-10 last season. The Hokies have outscored opponents 152-50. Rain or shine, these three matchups will decide it.
Macellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton vs. Boston College's run defense
If the wind takes the ball away from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds, Virginia Tech will have to win on the ground. The Hokies rank just No. 75 nationally in rushing at 162.7 yards per game.
The talent is there. Marcellous Hawkins Jr., Tech's leading rusher last season with 749 yards, scored three touchdowns against VMI, and Jeffrey Overton Jr. ran for 104 yards and two scores in the same game. They combined for 124 yards at Maryland.
Boston College ranks No. 98 nationally in run defense, and eight of its 11 defensive starters are sophomores or younger.
The Eagles' best answer is linebacker Anthony Palano, a Washington State transfer who leads the team with 34 tackles and five tackles for loss.
2. Virginia Tech's linebackers vs. Mason McKenzie's legs
Boston College's passing game has sputtered in good weather. Quarterback Mason McKenzie, a Division II transfer from Saginaw Valley State, is completing 58.8% of his passes with five interceptions and three touchdowns.
His legs are another story. McKenzie has run for 225 yards at 4.7 yards per carry, and running back Evan Dickens, who ran for 1,339 yards at Liberty last season, broke a 39-yard touchdown run against Maine. In a downpour, expect O'Brien to lean on both.
Virginia Tech ranks No. 8 nationally in run defense at 61 yards allowed per game. The one crack came against a mobile quarterback. Old Dominion's Quinn Henicle ran for 83 yards, but 76 of them came on a single touchdown run against mostly backups.
3. Tech's defensive front vs. Eagles' young offensive line
Defensive linemen Mylachi Williams and Aycen Stevens have combined for 6.5 sacks, and through three weeks, the Hokies lead FBS in tackles for loss (37) and are tied for first in sacks (14).
Boston College's line is young, and it'll be without its anchor. Starting center Michael Crounse, hurt against Cincinnati, was ruled out Wednesday night. That likely means a third straight start for redshirt freshman DJ Williams.
A young center snapping a wet ball into this front could be a problem for Boston College. McKenzie has already been sacked six times, and right tackle Kristian Phillips has allowed 13 pressures.
Watch how the Eagles can move the ball in short-yardage situations. Boston College was stuffed twice on fourth-and-1 inside Maine's 20 in the first quarter.
If the Eagles couldn't move an FCS front a yard, the weather isn't their biggest problem Saturday.
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James Duncan serves as a staff writer for Virginia Tech On SI, covering football, men’s and women’s basketball and recruiting. He is a 2026 Virginia Tech graduate, having majored in Sports Media and Analytics with a minor in Professional and Technical Writing. Duncan previously covered the Washington Commanders as a reporter for The Lead, where he reported on the team throughout an offseason.