Notre Dame-Boston College: It's Always Bigger for the Eagles

This is the week when the Boston College Eagles football team forgets about the ACC and prepares for the biggest game on their schedule—at Notre Dame.

This game always means more for Boston College. Although they've played in an ACC championship and have developed a rivalry with Virginia Tech dating back to Big East days, Notre Dame is "The Game." It's their Super Bowl.

More than anything, it's a matter of respect. It's about overcoming the perception that hangs over the Eagles and reminds them that they are conveniently referred to as "the second Catholic school" by everyone outside of Chestnut Hill.

When they put the stripe down the middle of their gold helmets to help fans realize they were watching Boston College as opposed to "the first Catholic school," they thought it would help. It didn't do much.

When they gave up their independent status and joined a conference they thought that would help. It didn't do much.

When they started beating Notre Dame on a regular basis they thought they would finally get the respect they wanted. It helped some.

There's only one thing the Eagles can do to overcome the image of being Notre Dame's little brother, and that's just to keep winning this game.

It's personal for the players. So many carry chips on their shoulders as large as bricks into the game on Saturday. These are players that were not offered scholarships to play at Notre Dame and they want to make a statement. They want to prove that the Irish made a big mistake.

The Eagles have done a pretty good job of making an impact and have won the last six meetings with the Irish. Last year, they held that high-powered Notre Dame offense scoreless.

What To Expect from Boston College

Boston College (5-2, 3-2) has been an up-and-down team and is not as good as its record. They're certainly not as good as a division leader of a BCS conference should be, but the Atlantic Division of this year's ACC has a poor 8-14 conference record.

The Eagles built up a 4-1 record by playing the likes of Kent St. and Northeastern, and then went to Blacksburg, where they got pummeled by the Hokies, 48-14. The game was over before it began.

They did rebound and put up 52 points on a North Carolina State team that's lost its last three, including a 49-28 loss to Duke.

The Eagles' best game so far has been a 28-21 win over FSU. They were physical and took a 21-3 lead before letting FSU creep back and make it close.

If you discard the Virginia Tech game, quarterback Dave Shinskie has thrown seven touchdowns and just one interception in his last three games. The 6'4" Shinskie is just a freshman, but at 25 years old, he has more composure than the average first year player.

Montel Harris ran for 252 yards against North Carolina State and 179 yards against FSU. Harris, a sophomore, has gained respect as a quality running back.

What To Expect from Notre Dame

The big question going into Saturday's game for Notre Dame is how they'll respond to last week's tough loss to USC. Will they be ready to play?

Another question is the extent of Jimmy Clausen's nagging turf toe. Is it getting better or is it getting worse? Clausen is the ultimate competitor, but how much pain will he be able to endure?

How the Game Will Shake Down

Notre Dame is almost unstoppable on offense. They scored 27 points last week on a defense that is one of the country's best. They're going to try to establish the run, but will use the pass to set it up.

They're going to use their biggest weapons and throw across the middle to the tight end Kyle Rudolph and down field to Golden Tate.

Boston College is more of a balanced team and will try to establish the run and not rely on the pass as much as the Irish. They know that they need to run the ball to establish long drives. They have to keep Clausen on the bench as long as possible.

There is going to be a lot of scoring in this one. Boston College's defense is better than Notre Dame's, but they are going to have problems all day with Clausen if they don't put some pressure on him.

Who Gets the Win

This has been a difficult game to figure out. The game opened with Note Dame as a 10-point favorite and it went down to nine and has stayed there.

I can't see giving a team that has figured out how to beat you six times in a row so many points. Boston College will cover this spread.

The Eagles come into the game with some momentum from the North Carolina State win and the Irish come in with the wind taken out of their sails.

The Irish have to win this game! Their hopes of a BCS game are not dead yet.

For Boston College, this is the biggest game on its schedule, and I believe they are going to play like it. For them, it's about respect!

Prediction

Boston College 38-35