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The wait is over, football fans.
Boston College opens the season Monday night at 7:30 p.m., at No. 10 Florida State (0-1).
Here are five story lines to follow as the Eagles start fresh under new head coach Bill O’Brien.
1. Can Bill O’Brien reinvigorate the program?
Buzz around Boston College football is louder than it has been in quite some time due to O’Brien’s arrival.
A fan base desperately craving a jolt is invigorated by the hire and intrigued to see what he can do both short and long term. While it’s important to remember that the Eagles haven’t played a game yet, there’s certainly reason for optimism.
O’Brien has a track record of fortifying programs right away. At Penn State in 2012, he provided stability in the aftermath of a child sex abuse scandal, steering the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record in a time of turmoil.
With the Houston Texans in 2014, he inherited a program coming off a dismal 2-14 season and orchestrated a 9-7 campaign in Year 1.
O’Brien said finding success right away in a new spot is all about the people around you.
“At Penn State, when we got there, it was probably the most challenging thing that ever happened to me in my career, personally, but we had great people,” O’Brien said. “We had a great staff, and we had awesome players that stuck around. Similar to here.”
O’Brien highlighted the continuity of BC’s roster, with 99 percent of players staying upon his arrival and 68 percent of production back from last year’s 7-6 season. He repeatedly raved about quarterback Thomas Castellanos’s steady improvement and said former coach Jeff Hafley told O’Brien this would have likely been his best team yet at BC.
O’Brien also has faith in his coaching staff and the community, and it’s clear already that his confidence is contagious.
“The level of detail, and what he demands out of each and every person, that’s the thing that I’ve noticed,” BC running backs coach Savon Huggins said. “He won’t ask you to do anything he won’t do himself.”
2. Can the Eagles reach the eight-win plateau?
It’s hard to believe, given the success of several other programs on campus, but Boston College football is still searching for its first eight-win season since 2009.
The Eagles have come close several times, with seven-win seasons in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2023, but they haven’t been able to take the next step.
It’s a bit of an unusual start to the season, with road clashes against Florida State and No. 11 Missouri sandwiching what should theoretically be a breeze of a game against Duquesne. It then evens out, with many pivotal matchups that could go either way. One advantage for the Eagles is that they have seven home games, including four of their last five at Alumni Stadium.
“We’re all just trying to be worried about the next game,” center Drew Kendall said. “Win that next game and move on from there. We can’t be thinking too far in the future.”
3. Could an upset at Florida State set the tone?
Boston College is looking for its first season-opening win over a ranked opponent since 1976.
The Seminoles are still heavy favorites, but the line dipped from -21.5 to -15.5 following FSU’s surprising loss to Georgia Tech in Dublin in Week 0.
BC players gathered in the locker room after practice that day to watch the second half. Naturally, their eyes lit up a bit, but they reminded themselves that the result didn’t change anything.
“We know it’s going to be a huge challenge for us going down there,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien did acknowledge that having FSU right away ensured maximum focus throughout the offseason and training camp. The Eagles collectively understood they couldn’t lollygag, and had a noticeable sense of urgency, with a perennial power looming.
FSU has won five straight against BC, but interestingly, four of those five meetings have been decided by single digits. Last year, the Eagles outplayed the Seminoles in many facets, but a whopping school-record 18 penalties spoiled their chances at an upset.
O’Brien has placed a tremendous amount of emphasis on attention to detail throughout camp, repeatedly insisting that the Eagles have to master the fundamentals.
“We have to be a lot more disciplined than last year,” linebacker Kam Arnold said.
4. Can they increase their sack number?
The Eagles finished second-to-last in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with just 13 sacks.
While O’Brien noted that the sack statistic can be misleading — and pressures and coverage also play a critical role — he offered a glimpse into how it could improve.
“I think we’re on the right road with that,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got a lot of different ways to get it higher, whether it’s four-man rush, sometimes three-man rush, pressure, simulated pressure. We kind of do it all on defense. It’s very much a pro-style defense.”
Arnold, fellow linebackers Daveon Crouch and Sione Hala, plus defensive linemen Donovan Ezeiruaku, George Rooks, Cam Horsley, and Neto Okpala, have something to prove.
Their first chance at redemption comes against FSU quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a savvy fifth-year senior who has a knack for improvising and extending plays.
5. Will helmet communication improve the quality of play?
Players sporting a green dot on their helmet — one on offense and one on defense per team — will now be able to communicate with coaches during games.
Conversations start right away, and can continue until there are 15 seconds on the play clock or the ball is snapped. The goal is to improve flow and quality of play on both sides.
While Castellanos will likely wear the dot on offense, Arnold and safety KP Price are in the mix on defense, per O’Brien.
“Being able to have that extra voice in your head telling you the call, so you can get the call out to guys quicker, it helps a lot,” Arnold said.
The schedule
Sept. 2, at Florida State, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7, vs. Duquesne, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 14, at Missouri, 12:45 p.m.
Sept. 21, vs. Michigan State, TBA
Sept. 28, vs. Western Kentucky, TBA
Oct. 5, at Virginia, TBA
Oct. 17, at Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25, vs. Louisville, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 9, vs. Syracuse, TBA
Nov. 16, at SMU, TBA
Nov. 23, vs. North Carolina, TBA
Nov. 30, vs. Pittsburgh, TBA