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5 takeaways from Boston College football’s convincing win over Florida State
In the weeks leading up to the season, Boston College football players spoke glowingly about coach Bill O’Brien’s contagious confidence.
Rather than embracing an underdog mentality, as they have in previous years, the Eagles adopted the mind-set of a heavyweight.
“It’s more competitive, more like we’re going to do it,” quarterback Thomas Castellanos said. “It’s not if we get this done, or if we do this we’ll win. It’s like, we’re going to win. That’s a coach you want to play for.”
That shift was obvious in training camp, and it was even more noticeable when the Eagles dismantled No. 10 Florida State, 28-13, in their season opener Monday night in Tallahassee. BC had lost 12 of 13 to FSU and hadn’t beaten a top-10 team in a decade, but none of that mattered.
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The Eagles genuinely believed they were the better team, and it was easy to see why once the game began. They overpowered Florida State in the trenches, played disciplined football, and didn’t let the moment get too big.
“We planted the confidence all throughout the summer,” running back Kye Robichaux said. “We worked hard. It was really a grind. That’s where you see all the connection throughout the team. It’s just a whole bunch of dogs, man, committed to one goal.”
Here are five takeaways from the convincing triumph:
1. Discipline is a staple of O’Brien’s approach.
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Throughout camp, O’Brien rarely scolded players for physical mistakes. When a player made a mental miscue, however, he didn’t hold back.
The Eagles handled the constructive criticism with grace, trusting O’Brien’s pedigree and believing that their daily improvements would pay dividends.
“He’s very honest, very truthful,” right tackle Ozzy Trapilo said. “Sometimes the truth is hard. He’s not afraid of it. I think that’s beneficial for guys on the team.”
When the Eagles played Florida State last year, they were the more explosive team, but a program-record 18 penalties sullied an otherwise promising showing. And that illuminated a larger trend of the Eagles frequently getting in their own way.
Third-and-longs became the norm, winning the turnover battle was far from a given, and open-field tackling was sporadic.
Monday night, the Eagles were significantly more disciplined, prepared, and savvy. They were 9 of 16 on third down and held the Seminoles to 3 for 14. They committed only one penalty, compared with seven for FSU, won the turnover battle, 1-0, and managed to avoid any head-scratching moments.
2. The offensive line has a chance to be special.
During their five-game winning streak last year, the Eagles leaned heavily on their offensive line and methodically wore down opponents deep into the fourth quarter.
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Monday’s matchup followed a similar script, as they dominated possession, 39:09 to 20:51. BC let FSU possess the ball for only 51 seconds in the first quarter and never let the Seminoles get comfortable in their home stadium.
Jude Bowry (left tackle), Dwayne Allick (left guard), Drew Kendall (center), Jack Conley (right guard), and Trapilo manhandled an FSU defensive line that received plenty of praise coming into the season.
Granted, this FSU team may not have quite as much firepower as many expected, but BC’s rushing attack was commendable nonetheless. The Eagles racked up 263 yards on the ground, compared with just 21 for FSU, and dominated the line of scrimmage.
Robichaux (19 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD), Treshaun Ward (12 carries, 77 yards), Castellanos (14 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD), and promising freshman Turbo Richard (4 carries, 28 yards) all carved out space with ease.
“Our running back room is as close as it could be,” Robichaux said. “We all feed off each other.”
3. Castellanos has shifted his approach slightly.
The more chaotic a play is, the more likely Castellanos is to turn nothing into something.
While he showed off his agility Monday, he played with more poise and took fewer risks than last year. It’s clear O’Brien and quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso have preached the importance of valuing the ball and not giving the opposition any openings.
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Castellanos made mature decisions, made the right reads, and made life easy for his receivers. He finished 10 for 16 for 105 yards and two touchdowns and excelled in more of a pro-style offense than BC used last year.
“I thought he managed the game very well,” O’Brien said.
4. They handled the ebbs and flows seamlessly.
The first 24 minutes were all BC. Florida State looked out of sorts and didn’t record a first down until the 6:13 mark in the half.
BC capitalized, building a 14-0 advantage, then FSU chipped away. The Eagles curbed two promising drives late in the half, holding the Seminoles to field goals each time.
Early in the second half, BC forced FSU into a fourth and 5 from its own 47. The Seminoles elected to go for it, but quarterback DJ Uiagalelei gift-wrapped a special delivery directly into the hands of BC defensive back Max Tucker.
“That was probably one of the biggest plays of the game,” O’Brien said. “That really got us going in the second half.”
BC extended its lead to 21-6 on a 4-yard pass from Castellanos to Robichaux. When FSU sliced it to 21-13 with 5:19 left in the third, the Eagles immediately responded as Robichaux scored from 2 yards out four minutes later.
“That was a drive where we had to answer,” O’Brien said. “They were on a little bit of a roll there. That type of drive is big.”
The Eagles then coasted in the fourth quarter. This is a mature, experienced team that knows how to close out games.
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5. It’s a big win, but it’s just one win.
The overwhelming sentiment from O’Brien afterward was that, while this is a major step for the program, it’s only the beginning.
It goes back to his philosophy of expecting to win. The Eagles celebrated, but they didn’t go overboard. This was part of the plan, and the first step is complete.
“It’s a very important win for BC and where we’re at,” O’Brien said, “but it’s just one game.”
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