Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Boston College in Week 13

2. Irish must contain Boston College’s rushing attack

This may sound repetitive after all of the stock that was put into Navy’s run game prior to last week’s game, but the truth is that the Eagle’s offense begins and ends with their rushing attack. With Boston College among the bottom few teams in attempts per game, handing the ball off to running backs AJ Dillon and David Bailey has been a staple of an effective Eagles offense.

Both Dillon and Bailey have rushed for more yards than any Irish running back, but with the latter questionable for Saturday’s game, Dillon is more than capable of handling the offense on his own. Despite Bailey’s success in a complementary role, Dillon has rushed for 1,451 yards and 13 touchdowns on 272 carries up to this point in the season.

In fact, Boston College currently sits behind only the top three military academies and Ohio State in rushing yards per game this season. While they haven’t necessarily been as efficient as those in front of them, their commitment to the run is enough to wear down many defenses in college football.

For better or for worse, Boston College runs the ball in a different way than Navy, so last week wasn’t exactly the dress rehearsal that many would expect as it relates to defending the run, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Regardless, a continuation of what we’ve seen so far from Notre Dame’s defense should be more than enough for a win.