Last Stand: Syracuse Must Overcome Andre Williams, Boston College to get Bowl-Eligible

The 5-6 Orange have one more chance to keep its season alive and become bowl eligible.¬†Syracuse had a chance last weekend against Pittsburgh, but fell to the Panthers 17-16.¬†The task this weekend isn’t easy because Boston College head coach Steve Addazio has found a way to already have the Eagles likely on their way to a bowl game.

This is a pressure game for Syracuse. It’s a very young team with a young, inexperienced quarterback and head coach. After the 59-3 loss to Florida State, Orange fans still had hope of the team making a bowl game.¬†Pitt was 5-5 entering last week’s game, so that was definitely a winnable game.¬†But it was important not to sleep on BC. Andre Williams has been nothing but outstanding this season. He doesn’t get much attention because he plays on a team that doesn’t have much national attention. Williams has rushed for more than 2,000 yards and has found the end zone 16 times. ¬†He has played in 11 games. He has rushed for fewer than 100 yards in only two of them. He has scored eight touchdowns in the month of November. If this kid can find the holes, Syracuse will be 5-7.

He is the key to this game. He is the weapon for BC. There is a lot of pressure on the defense in this game, as well as the offense. The offense needs to put up points to keep the Orange in the game. Williams will find a way through, but it’s just a matter of when and how often. If anything, there is more pressure on the defense to control Williams and keep him from running all over the field.

The kid is fast and will do damage. He may be the Jameis Winston of running backs. Winston is definitely a Heisman candidate, and will probably win, but don’t count Williams out of it. He could at least be considered for a player of the year. He is a big reason that BC football has had a good season.

The defense has to be back to its ways against Wake Forest and Maryland where it gave up three points in two games. The win lies with them. This is a win-or-go-home game, and Terrel Hunt and Scott Shafer may or may not be ready for it. Shafer has coached before and he knows the pressure in games like this. He’s also a defensively-minded coach, so there are two pluses. It’s down to Hunt. Can he use his legs at the right time? As most Syracuse fans may know, Hunt’s area of improvement is his passing. He needs to be more accurate and sometimes when you know he is going to pass, there is a fear of what could happen next.

Hunt has had good games and bad games.We’ll see what type of game he brings¬†on Saturday.

Prediction: Syracuse is going to miss this one. BC has improved too much. BC 35, SU 13