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Boston College Vs. USC Football: Gameday Links For Week 3 Vs. Trojans

Getting you ready for tonight's primetime kickoff.

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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

BC-USC Preview (Eagle In Atlanta)
This is preview is probably more heart than head, but I believe we can win. I think USC will take us lightly and will get more fight than they ever expected. I think even 3/4ths full, Alumni can be a tough place to play. I think we work out some of the kinks on offense and put up enough points to hold off a USC team that gets more field goals than touchdowns.

USC at Boston College: An Unfortunate Ranked-Team Streak (Soaring to Glory)
Not since the days of Jeff Jagodzinski have the Eagles knocked off a team in the Top 25, though they have had some valiant efforts; for example, their 48-34 loss to eventual national champion Florida State last season. Still, this streak for Boston College, a once proud program that hopes to be as such again very soon, has gone on for six years.

Containing USC attack a tall task for Boston College (Milford Daily News)
USC’s offense is different than it’s been in the past. With Steve Sarkisian now the coach, the Trojans are featuring a hurry-up attack that ran 105 plays when the USC blew out Fresno State in its opener. Last Saturday against Stanford, however, the Trojans managed just 13 points and ran only 59 plays. If BC is to somehow keep USC from running close to 100 plays, and from scoring 30 or 40 — or perhaps 50 — points, it has to win third down.

USC Defense Looks to Repeat Last Year's Stellar Performance Against Eagles (Conquest Chronicles)
Helped in part by the rebirth of quarterback Cody Kessler and the momentum he generated in his first start after officially winning the quarterback battle, the USC defense easily dominated the Eagles and held them to to just 184 total yards and a stingy seven points. USC overpowered the Eagles in every way imaginable.

USC Football vs. Boston College: Thoughts and Predictions (Conquest Chronicles)
The Trojans are trying to avoid what every national pundit has put on their shoulders --and opportunity for a major letdown game, following USC's 13-10 Pac-12 opening victory. Boston College will be led by a mobile transfer quarterback Tyler Murphy, who has completed just 52-percent of his passes but has rushed for 210 yards (2 TD) this season.

USC freshmen get fewer opportunities on offense (LA Times)
Adoree' Jackson showed no signs of being overwhelmed in his first two games for USC. The freshman made plays as a receiver, cornerback and special teams player in the opener against Fresno State, and he stood out on defense in last week's victory at Stanford.

At USC, a start that Steve Sarkisian never could have drawn up (USA Today)
"When adversity hits us, we don't unravel," he said. "I really believe we get even tighter. Part of it is because of what they've had to go through before I even got here, part of it's the relationship that I believe we've built up with them along the way, and part of it is we've already had to overcome some stuff. Being down by three (points) in the third quarter, the fourth quarter, that's not that big of a deal."

After soaring at Stanford, USC tries not to let down at Boston College (LA Times)
Defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who played through an ankle sprain against Stanford, is expected to play against Boston College. But coaches and trainers would no doubt like to get the top NFL prospect out of the game early and allow the healing process to continue. The Trojans don't play again until Sept. 27 against Oregon State.

USC has faced its share of adversity this season (The Boston Globe)
Drama in Tinseltown? Not even the writers for "NCIS: Los Angeles’’ could have conjured a more drama-laden narrative than the one Sarkisian and his ninth-ranked Trojans (2-0) scripted in the first few weeks of the season. On the heels of a 13-10 Pac-12 victory at Stanford last week, USC will strive for another win — sans the drama — when it faces Boston College (1-1) in a nonconference game Saturday night at Alumni Stadium.

USC football team does not get marquee matchup, but still plenty to prove against Boston College (dailynews.com)
"There’s a lot of momentum in L.A. right now for the Trojans," tailback Justin Davis said. "But we’re definitely not going to let our heads get big after that win. We go back to the drawing board, treat it like it’s Week 1 all over again. We’re just going to take it one game at a time, play Boston College this weekend and hopefully it all comes out good in the end."

Southern Cal escapes tumult to Boston College (Boston Herald)
A once-proud program that claims 11 national championships, USC has made more of an impact off the field the last few seasons. The school is in the final year of NCAA sanctions dating to the Pete Carroll era, and his replacement, Lane Kiffin, was fired in September. Interim coach Ed Orgeron led the Trojans to a 6-2 record but then walked away and was replaced for the Las Vegas Bowl when he wasn't hired for the full-time job.