ACC, ESPN Announce Six-Day Hold For Boston College Vs. Notre Dame

Those anxiously awaiting the announced start time for next weekend's Boston College vs. Notre Dame will have to wait a few more day. On Monday, the ACC announced ESPN has called for a 6-day option on the games of November 10. Game time and network information for next weekend's slate of ACC games will be announced no later than Sunday, November 4 at noon.

If I recall, this is the second six-day option ESPN has called so far this season. The league's TV partners will likely keep an eye on this weekend's results before determining start times for next weekend's games. I'm sure the WWL is interested in seeing if Notre Dame can defeat Pittsburgh to remain undefeated before heading to the Heights.

The good news is that if ESPN likes what it sees this weekend from both Notre Dame and Boston College, the game will likely be an 8 PM start. Eagles-Irish will be either an 8 PM start or a noon start. Quite the difference.

UPDATE: Whether the game starts at noon or 8 PM, the game will be televised on ABC. Oklahoma State-Kansas State also kicks off at 8 PM on ABC, so BC-ND at 8 PM would likely be a split national broadcast without a reverse mirror on ESPN (Texas A&M-Alabama or Mississippi State-LSU) or ESPN2 (Georgia-Auburn).

Regardless of what happens this weekend with Irish-Panthers and Eagles-Demon Deacons, Notre Dame will head to Chestnut Hill ranked in both the AP and Coaches Top 25s (and BC won't, obviously). Next weekend's game will be the 13th time in the 22-game Holy War series that Notre Dame will go into the game ranked in both major polls. BC owns a 4-8 record all-time vs. a Notre Dame team ranked at game time, though three of those wins -- 1993, 1994 and 2002 -- came against top 10 ranked Irish squads.

Here is Boston College's record vs. Notre Dame when the Irish were ranked in the Top 25 at game time:

1975: L - #9 Notre Dame 17, Boston College 3
1987: L - #9 Notre Dame 32, Boston College 25
1992: L - #8 Notre Dame, 54, #9 Boston College 7
1993: W - #17 Boston College 41, #1 Notre Dame 39
1994: W - Boston College 30, #8 Notre Dame 30 11
1995: L - #12 Notre Dame 20, Boston College 10
1996: L - #17 Notre Dame 48, Boston College 21
1998: L - #13 Notre Dame 31, Boston College 26
2000: L - #11 Notre Dame 28, Boston College 16
2002: W - Boston College 14, #4 Notre Dame 7
2004: W - Boston College 24, #24 Notre Dame 23
2011: L - #24 Notre Dame 16, Boston College 14

For as good as the BC-Notre Dame Holy War series has been, there have been few years where the game featured two ranked teams. In the 21 games between the Eagles and Irish, only two times -- 1992 and 1993 -- have both teams been ranked at game time. Unfortunately, this year will be more of the same.