Northwestern @ Boston College preview

THE STORY: Northwestern has played in a bowl game in three straight seasons - the longest consecutive stretch in school history - and has unprecedented stability at the head coaching spot after locking up Pat Fitzgerald through 2020. The Wildcats also feature senior quarterback Dan Persa and a defense heavy on upper classmen. Boston College has its own offensive star in senior running back Montel Harris, the preseason ACC Player of the Year. However, a knee injury is expected to keep Harris out of the lineup when the Eagles host Northwestern on Saturday afternoon.

TV: ESPNU. LINE: Boston College -3

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE: Harris needs 126 yards to become the Eagles all-time leading rusher and 1,002 more yards to set a new ACC mark. Harris missed last season’s bowl game with a torn meniscus and suffered the same injury in practice on Aug. 18. That will put more of the offensive load on sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig, who will be operating within a new pro-style offense under first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers. The defense lost three seniors along the line but returns junior linebacker Luke Kuechly, who led the nation with 183 tackles in 2010.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN: Persa is a legitimate Heisman candidate after leading the nation and setting a Big Ten record with a 73.5 completion rate in 2010. Persa will also pull the ball down and run, putting himself at risk for injury like the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered against Iowa last season. The defense tired during the back end of last season but should be a strong unit, especially the senior backfield.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Boston College senior strong safety Dominick LeGrande decided to transfer last week, four days after starting free safety Okechukwu Okoroha was dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.

2. The Wildcats are expected to start 14 seniors in their quest to win the new Big Ten “Legends” Division.

3. Fitzgerald has yet to settle on a kicker to replace the departed Stefan Demos. Sophomore Jeff Budzien and junior Steve Flaherty were neck-and-neck for the job throughout the last week of practice.

PREDICTION: Northwestern 24, Boston College 21 -- If the Wildcats hope to have a chance in the Big Ten, they need to be able to win an early-season game on the road against a BCS opponent, especially one without its biggest offensive weapon.