Miami @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2012 ) Miami 41, Boston College 32

Boston College and Miami return to action after a bye but it was hardly a relaxing time off for the Hurricanes on the heels of their stunning loss to Virginia their last time out. Now, after creeping back into the rankings at No. 25, the Hurricanes look to use the defeat as motivation for the stretch run, beginning with Friday's primetime matchup at an Eagles team that will be emotionally fired up for its annual Red Bandana game -- honoring September 11 hero Welles Crowther -- and aiming higher than the seven wins they attained in four of the last five seasons.

The big question out of Miami after the Virginia game was who will get the nod at quarterback against Boston College after an ineffective N'Kosi Perry was pulled for former starter Malik Rosier early in that loss and head coach Mark Richt didn't waste much time during the bye week making the decision to go back to Rosier, while also serving notice that both quarterbacks may play. "I believed what I believed and you've got to go with your gut and your heart and what you believe is right," Richt told reporters after Miami's five-game winning streak ended at Virginia. "If you think something is right, then you do it. Then if you think a change back is a better decision regardless of what people might think, then you've got to do it. That's what leadership is all about -- to make decisions that may not be popular or may not be understood." Boston College head coach Steve Addazio has a key decision of his own to make regarding last year's ACC Rookie of the Year AJ Dillon (652 yards rushing, six TDs), who missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but it appears the Eagles' star running back may be ready to go thanks to an extra week of rest. "We probably wouldn't be having the same conversation if we didn't have that bye week," the Eagles' sixth-year coach told reporters Tuesday. "He looks great, he really does. I would say, barring anything popping up, I think he'll be ready to roll. Here's our mindset: We're going to do whatever the medical people tell us we can do. I'm not going to put anybody in harm's way. If the docs clear him and he feels good then we're ready to roll."


TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Miami -3.5.


ABOUT MIAMI (5-2, 2-1 ACC): While Perry and Rosier have had their moments this season, such as Perry's clutch play late in the Florida State win, overall the Hurricanes have been handicapped by ineffective play by their quarterbacks, both of whom have suffered from inaccurate throws and poor decisions. While running back Travis Henry has the talent to break one at any time, the ground game hasn't picked up enough of the slack, leaving opposing defenses to further frustrate the quarterbacks. The Hurricanes' opportunistic defense remains the team's best hope for getting back on track, ranking second in the nation in yards allowed (237.0) and first in tackles for loss per game (11.6), with its strength along a quick defensive front and in the secondary, led by safety Jaquan Johnson.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (5-2, 2-1): While freshman David Bailey (112 yards, one TD) and sophomore Ben Glines (107 yards, one TD) each eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in the win over Louisville, the Eagles will be that much more of a threat to Miami's stingy defense if Dillon is available to bolster a ground game already averaging 226.9 yards per game. Quarterback Anthony Brown was named the ACC quarterback of the week for his performance against Louisville (16 of 22, 179 yards and a touchdown) and he will need to continue making plays with his arm to keep the Hurricanes defense off balance. "We need to play our A-game," said Addazio. "We need to have our best players and we need to be firing on all cylinders."

EXTRA POINTS


1. Miami owns a 24-5 lead in this all-time series between two former Big East schools, with the last meeting a 41-32 Hurricanes win in 2012.

2. Boston College is 4-0 at home this season.

3. Under Richt, Miami has been streaky, never winning or losing just one game.

PREDICTION: Miami 24, Boston College 20