Weekly Kickoff: Wagner - A Pointless Week Begins

Given that college football season is only 12 weeks long, we try to find something to be excited about for every game. Everyone plays FCS teams; it’s just part of the deal with power-conference college football in 2016 - a glorified exhibition to grab some cash and get players some reps.

But there’s really just no reason to be looking forward to this game against Wagner at all.

First of all, there was no reason to schedule it, just as there was no reason to schedule Howard. These reps will probably provide less benefit than an in-squad scrimmage. Wagner is right there with Howard in terms of quality of opponent; last year, they got throttled by Columbia, consistently one of the worst teams in the Ivy League.

The Seahawks are coming off Week 1 & 2 wins over St. Anselm and Concordia College. Last year, they lost 70-6 to BYU and 45-17 to Sacred Heart.

So there’s that aspect of it that makes this week feel completely pointless.

Then there’s the fact that it’s not like we can even look to things to get excited about. It’s not like this is the season opener and we’re getting a first look at what guys can do. “Establishing a run game” will basically mean nothing in this game. Anything Towles does will not really provide any enthusiasm; we’ll have to wait a few weeks until ACC play for that.

Thanks to a crushing loss vs. GT and the horrendous blowout vs. Virginia Tech, we’re now in a situation where BC hasn’t even had a home game, but the season feels like it’s slipping away. The only thing that can save the season from slipping away is picking up some wins in those 50/50 ACC games - and our next chance to do that isn’t really until October 22 against Syracuse.

And so now, we have this: a wasted first three weeks of the season, followed by an unfulfilling stretch. A game against Wagner that should never have been scheduled. A game against Buffalo that could be a little trickier but ultimately shouldn’t be. Then a game against Clemson that, let’s be honest, is not a game anyone thinks BC has a realistic chance of winning.

The football season will be half over by the time fans file in to Alumni Stadium for a game with any sort of intrigue around the result. That’s a depressing thought.

Three Random Things You Didn’t Know about Wagner College

1. Wagner won the 1987 Division III National Championship in Football, defeating the University of Dayton.
2. Not one, but two former Miss New Jersey pageant winners are alums of Wagner: Alicia Luciano and Amy Polumbo.
3. 64% of Wagner undergrads are female

Three Songs That Should Never Have Been Released, In Honor of a Game that Should Never Have Been Scheduled

1. Paul McCartney - “Freedom”

When I think “bad song” this is what I think of first. Paul McCartney sort of tried to jump on the post-9/11 patriotism bandwagon, but, y’know, he’s British, and also this song sucks.

2. Billy Ray Cyrus - “Achy Breaky Heart”

Seriously, every time this comes on I want to punch a hole through the speakers. Why does this ever get played anywhere. Whyyyyy

3. Bruce Springsteen - “Dream Baby Dream”

Popular (and correct) opinion: Springsteen is still awesome live and 100% worth going to. Less-popular (but still correct) opinion: even a lot of his new albums have a lot of good songs on them. They’re not consistent, but there’s some quality there.

All that said: this was a release for the Boss’s most recent album, and Good Lord.

Days until BC plays a football game anyone expects to be competitive: 32

Days until BC hockey’s regular season opener: 17