USC vs. Boston College Complete Game Preview

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m. ET

WHERE: Alumni Stadium; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

TV: ABC

At stake in the Week 3 USC vs. Boston College matchup in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, is the No. 9-ranked Trojans’ first 3-0 start since 2011.

USC comes into this cross-country affair off an impressive defensive showing against No. 15 Stanford on the road. The Trojans held the Cardinal to just 10 points despite six Stanford red-zone opportunities.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian described the win as emotional on his Sunday conference call but said USC cannot allow the high of beating the two-time defending Pac-12 champions interfere from preparation for this week.

"Our opponent, whether it's a perceived rival or not, or nonconference or not. ...The way we prepare, the way we practice shouldn't change based on opponent," he said. 

This week, the opponent is Boston College, which USC beat at home last season 35-7. The Trojans must avoid the potential apathy with this kind of matchup if they are to return to Pac-12 Conference play undefeated. 

USC Keys to Victory

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Force the Eagles to Take to the Air

Boston College head coach Steve Addazio has favored a run-based offense in his brief tenure there, as well as in his previous stop at Temple.

Addazio had the nation’s No. 7 rushing offense at Temple in 2011, and last year’s Boston College run game was No. 20 nationally behind Heisman Trophy finalist Andre Williams.

Last season at USC, however, the Trojans held the Eagles to 101 yards on the ground—111 below their season average. Williams was held to just 38 yards, his lowest output for a complete game all season (he had 29 yards against Syracuse but missed the second half with an injury).

Stifling the three-man ground attack of quarterback Tyler Murphy and running backs Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis will take the Eagles out of their comfort zone. USC can exploit Murphy if he’s forced to go to the air—he’s thrown as many interceptions in his career (eight) as touchdowns.

Push the Pace

USC took a staggering 105 snaps in its Week 1 rout of Fresno State. Stanford’s methodical offensive style and stingy defense allowed the Trojans just 59 plays.

The no-huddle offense Sarkisian introduced in the offseason is designed for USC to run 80-plus plays a game. On Sunday’s conference call, Sarkisian credited Stanford for limiting quarterback Cody Kessler’s passing options but added improving in that facet would be of emphasis going forward.

To that end, look for Kessler to spread the ball among numerous weapons early against the Boston College defense, much in the same fashion as he did in Week 1.

Ten different Trojans caught passes against Fresno State, and all that variety kept the Bulldogs defense guessing with little time to react in the heightened pace of play.

Boston College Keys to Victory

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Don’t Fall Too Far Behind

Boston College has not shown it has the offensive firepower to keep pace with USC if the Trojans’ no-huddle offense gets rolling.

The Eagles are experiencing growing pains with the departure of Williams to the NFL, as well as the graduation of leading wide receiver Alex Amidon and four-year starting quarterback Chase Rettig.

Their collective inexperience was evident against Pittsburgh, when the Eagles endured a 37-minute scoring drought that spanned much of the first and third quarters and the entire second.

A low-scoring game benefits Boston College. Playing catch-up in the first half will likely doom the Eagles to a lopsided loss.

Force Turnovers

What better way to slow USC’s hurry-up offense than by simply taking the ball away? It’s a formula that worked for the Eagles before—Boston College was plus-six in turnover margin in wins last season but minus-three in losses.

More specifically, Boston College needs turnovers in Trojans territory. Winning the field-position battle is crucial if the Eagles are going to establish their multifaceted ground game, and scoring takeaways on the offensive side of the 50-yard line can aid to that end.

USC Players to Watch

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Offense

RB Javorius “Buck” Allen

Sarkisian said one offensive goal USC had against Stanford was getting running back Javorius Allen the ball early to establish the run then keep feeding it to him.

The Trojans did just that, as his 154 yards on 23 carries was a career-high.

Allen could have another career night ahead of him against Boston College. Last week against Pittsburgh, the Eagles surrendered 214 yards to Panthers running back James Conner.

Allen and Conner employ similar rushing styles predicated on power.  

RB Justin Davis

Allen may have shouldered the running-game load against Stanford, but Justin Davis scored the Trojans’ only touchdown. The versatile sophomore gives USC a speed option to complement the hard-running Allen, and he also doubles as a dangerous pass-catcher out of the backfield.

With Boston College coming in allowing teams nearly five yards per carry, expect Sarkisian to bring a heavy dose of the rushing attack early. That means plenty of opportunities for Davis to shine and perhaps reach the end zone again.

Defense

S Su’a Cravens

Sophomore Su’a Cravens was a difference-maker in the Trojans’ win at Stanford, and the same versatility that proved crucial to USC’s effort there will be front and center at Boston College.

“One snap he’s playing a deep-third or a deep-half at a safety spot. The next snap, he’s down at the line of scrimmage playing a nickel outside linebacker, defending the run or rushing the passer,” Sarkisian said. “He allows us a lot of versatility. That’s the beauty of having a guy like that.”

Look for Cravens to spy Murphy as the Trojans try to shut down any designed runs Boston College may call for the quarterback.

LB Michael Hutchings

Michael Hutchings filled in for redshirt senior linebacker and co-captain Hayes Pullard Saturday following his targeting ejection in the second half.

As of Sunday, Sarkisian said he is awaiting word from the conference and could appeal a first-half suspension, but the Trojans could be without Pullard to start against Boston College. NCAA rules dictate players disqualified for targeting in the second half of a game are also disqualified for the first half the next contest.

“Michael did a nice job,” Sarkisian said. “Michael has a very high football IQ. … Very pleased he contributed defensively.”

Boston College Players to Watch

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Offense

QB Tyler Murphy

Boston College opened a season with someone other than Rettig behind center for the first time since 2010. But the Eagles’ Week 1 starter was not an unfamiliar face for Addazio.

The Boston College head coach recruited Murphy to Florida when he was the Gators’ offensive coordinator, per 247Sports. Their reunion gives Addazio a quarterback more fitting of his offensive philosophy than the dropback passer he inherited in Rettig.

Murphy rushed for an impressive 118 yards in the Eagles’ opening-week win and had another 92 yards last week against Pittsburgh.

Mobile quarterbacks presented the USC defense problems in recent years. Last season, Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly rushed for 79 yards against the Trojans, while UCLA’s Brett Hundley gained 80 yards on the ground and scored twice.

USC shut down Fresno State’s running quarterbacks, Brandon Connette and Brian Burrell. Murphy must find ways to make plays with his feet to give the Eagles offense any chance.

Defense

DB Justin Simmons

Collectively, the Boston College lineup is young. On its own, however, the secondary is a veteran foundation—particularly for the defense, where four of the team’s six are returning starters from 2013 play, per PhilSteele.com.

Justin Simmons is one such veteran and has taken up the mantle as one of the Eagles’ top defensive playmakers thus far into 2014. He has a team-leading 10 tackles, a broken-up pass and an interception.

LB Mike Strizak

Boston College has consistently featured talented playmakers at linebacker. Last year’s leader, Steele Divitto, was the most recent. He made 112 tackles in 2013 to pace the Eagles.

Divitto is gone, but sophomore Mike Strizak could be the next Boston College linebacker ready to shine.

“I decided I was stepping up and it was time to play,” Strizak told Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald. “I had been sitting behind veteran guys and it was time to step up.”

Strizak’s 10 tackles match Simmons for the team high, but the linebacker needs his best performance to date to help Boston College slow USC’s dangerous running attack.

What They're Saying

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USC

“Any time you have ballgames like [the win over Stanford], you’re all excited, there’s great emotion, all those things. But then as a [coaching] staff, you get a chance to review the film, and we can really improve. There’s great room for improvement for us in all three phases of the game,” Sarkisian said on his Sunday conference call, discussing how USC can build off defeating the Cardinal.  

Kessler after the Stanford win, discussing USC’s resilience, via GoStanford.com (h/t ASAP Sports):

"

This team has gone through so much, dating back to last year. These guys have been through a lot. You always hear me talk about it, but I'm so proud of these guys because of everything they've gone through. Every team could have buckled down, hustled. When things were going our way offensively, we could have shut down. These guys kept fighting.

"

Boston College

Addazio on the problems Boston College faced against Pittsburgh, per Rivals.com:

"

It’s a real simple equation here today… We couldn’t stop the run on defense. We couldn’t establish the run on offense. We didn’t tackle well on defense. We didn’t complete throwing opportunities, and we had numerous ones, on offense.

"

“We’re an attack defense,” linebacker Daniel Stevens said on difficulties stopping the run game in Week 2, particularly on third down, via BCEagles.com. “That’s our style as you can tell from the rest of the game. Our job and our package is to get them off on third down, and we didn’t do it.”

Prediction

TONY AVELAR/Associated Press

Various elements of Saturday’s contest make it a potential trap for USC. The team is on the emotional high of beating Stanford. It has its first bye the following week and jumps back into Pac-12 competition the week after against Oregon State.

What’s more, the Trojans are going across the country to face the Eagles. Going to the opposite end of the continent is a challenge in and of itself—USC can just look across town at rival UCLA, which struggled in its own cross-country road trip to ACC country in Week 1.  

However, these potential distractions pale in comparison to what USC has already faced this season. This team has proved it can respond to weekly challenges.

“When adversity strikes, we never know how it’s going to come,” Sarkisian said. “How we respond is what’s critical.”

USC’s defense should stymie the Boston College run game early, while a double-dose of the run via Allen and Davis will have the Eagles defense back on its heels from the outset.

Expect a romp similar to the Trojans’ Week 1 blowout of Fresno State.

Prediction: USC 49, Boston College 14

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics compiled via CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings and information culled from 247Sports.com.