Boston College
Eagles

?? But the Eagles have more at stake than the rest of the league over the final month of the season. If it wants to avoid one of the bottom-tier bowls, B.C. needs to win out and hope that Clemson loses once more. That would place the Eagles in the ACC title game as the Atlantic Division champion.

?? Beyond that, B.C. will find itself at the mercy of the bowl selection committee, which historically has treated the team like it brings the H1N1 virus instead of fans. The school doesn't have the reputation of traveling well, and isn't a glamour program that will draw local fans, so it gets the short end of the stick more often than other league members.

?? The bye week gave the Eagles a chance to get away from the practice field for a few days, but they are back there now. The season-ending stretch features road games against struggling Virginia and woeful Maryland, with a home date North Carolina in the middle. North Carolina is the most likely of the three to make a bowl game, with the other two less likely to make the postseason.

???A sweep would leave the team at 9-3, which would be one of the best records in the conference. The sad thing for the program is, without a Clemson loss in November, that might not make a difference in where the team goes.

?? --OT Anthony Castonzo made the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 1 First Team, making him a candidate to be named an Academic All-American at the end of the season.

?? --LB Mark Herzlich is sitting out the season as he recovers from cancer, but that doesn't mean he'll go without postseason honors. He will be given an honorary Lott Trophy as college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, courtesy of the The Pacific Club IMPACT foundation.

?? GAME BALL GOES TO: WR Rich Gunnell -- The senior is well on his way to leaving his mark in the school record book. He's 236 yards away from being the all-time leading receiver in Boston College history (Pete Mitchell currently occupies the top spot), and he is 29 receptions away from tying Mitchell for that mark as well.

?? KEEP AN EYE ON: QB Dave Shinskie -- Shinskie is a "true freshman" in the sense that this is his first year on campus, but he's one frosh who is impossible to haze. The 25-year-old came to B.C. after six years in the Twins' minor-league system, but he decided to give football a try this year. He's been a solid and effective quarterback since being named the starter prior to the Wake Forest game.

?? QUOTE TO NOTE: "We try to figure out what we can do and the best way to do it. It's not brain surgery." -- defensive coordinator Billy McGovern.

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?? ROSTER REPORT:

?? --ORT Rich Lapham has been bothered by a shoulder injury, but he is expected to take the field this weekend against Virginia.

?? --DE Alex Albright is expected to be recovered from his ankle injury and will play on Saturday.

?? --MLB Mike McLaughlin is probable for this weekend with a hamstring injury. That caused him to miss the Central Michigan game.