
Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Ill
CBS Sports Network
WEATHER
The Northern Illinois Huskies opened 2016 with four straight losses and dropped six of seven before going on a late season run of four wins in five outings. Not only did the Huskies not make the MAC title game, they failed to qualify for a bowl.
There’s enough talent . . .
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(Last Year: 7-6 overall, 2-6 ACC)
● The Eagles are 2-0 against NIU, with the most recent decision being a 17-14 home field victory Sept. 26, 2015. This is the first BC trip to DeKalb, but the Eagles are winless in four games played in the state of Illinois.
● The Eagles are coached by Steve Addazio, who took over in December of 2012 when the program was floundering and had just finished back-to-back losing seasons. During a rebuild, BC posted two seven-win seasons and made it to bowl games each year.
● The Eagles were 706 last year, winning their last three games, including a 36-30 triumph over Maryland in the Quick Lane Bowl.
● Boston College struggle on offense in 2016, finishing 120th among FBS teams in scoring. The Eagles were 96th in rushing and 127th in passing.
● Junior Darius Wade or redshirt-freshman Anthony Brown will start at QB. Wade had three games as a starter back in 2015.
● BC can bring a bring in a variety of backs, but junior Jon Hilliman had a big outing in the Quick Lane Bowl against Maryland.
● The Eagles return three wideouts and a tight end, although Addazio will be hoping to get more out of the passing game.
● Senior DE Harold Landry led the FBS in sacks (16.5) last year, but decided to hold off on the NFL.
● Linebacker Connor Strachan paced BC with 80 tackles. Ty Schwab (61 hits) is also a force in the Eagles second line of defense.
● Some people are starting to point to the ACC as one of the nation’s top conferences. Certainly, there is some serious talent in the loop, and Boston College has the bumps to prove it. The Eagles were outscored by Louisville, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Clemson by a combined 202-24 count.
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