BC in the national stat rankings

Here's a look at how Boston College is faring in some key national statistical rankings.

OFFENSE

BC is 60th out of 77 active teams to date in scoring per game, averaging 23.4 points per contest.

At 66.2 rushing yards per game only two teams nationally rank below the Eagles — Louisiana Monroe and Mike Leach's Mississippi State Bulldogs. Only MSU ranks lower in yards per carry, with BC averaging 2.15 per rush attempt.

Passing is obviously a different story. The Eagles are 17th in yards per game (305.2), 19th in touchdown passes (10), but 37th in pass efficiency rating, in part because of a modest 7.5 yards per attempt.

Overall, BC averages 371.4 yards of total offense per contest, which is 56th in the country.

BC is 74th out of 77 teams with 18 sacks allowed, but factor that five games have been played, which is more than most other teams. In spite of not running the ball as much as usual BC has allowed 40 tackles for loss.

They are 17th in the country in third down conversions at a very strong 48%.

But in the red zone they are 49th out of 77 scoring 81% of the time. The real problem, however, has been touchdown rate. The Eagles are scoring touchdowns less than 50% of the time they reach the red zone, which is 67th. The lack of a stronger rushing attack is surely a factor in this part of the field.

The Eagles may be a bit of a unicorn in that they are a pass heavy team that still possesses the ball for 31:04 of game time on average.

DEFENSE

The Eagles are in the top one-third of the country, 26th overall, in scoring defense allowing 24.6 points per contest.

BC is allowing 177.2 rushing yards per game, which is 52nd, but is 25th in pass defense yielding only 209.6 yards per game through five.

The Eagles' secondary is allowing a paltry 6.6 yards per pass attempt, which is top-20. They have surrendered just seven touchdown passes in five games. They're also top-20 with opponents completing only 57.2 percent of their passes.

Pass efficiency defense may be one of the most valuable ways to measure this area and BC is 13th.

The Eagles' defense ranks 33rd at 386.8, so for the season BC is being outgained by about 15 yards per contest.

BC ranks 14th in the country at 13 sacks but bear in mind that counting stats are heavily influenced by the number of games played, which varies widely.

Opponents are converting 43% of their third downs so there is room for improvement but the number is several ticks lower than BC's own conversion rate.

SPECIAL TEAMS

BC is middle of the pack nationally in punting average (31st, 42.39) and also (30th) in field goal accuracy (7/9, 77.9%).

The Eagles rank toward the bottom of the kick return (17.14 YPA) category and are fifth-to-last in punt returns with just five yards on six attempts.

They are middle of the pack in punt coverage (7.67 YPA) and kick coverage (35th, 20.45 YPA).

MISCELLANEOUS

The Eagles are penalized for 67.4 yards per game which is more than average but not on the steeper end of that scale.

BC is even in the turnover department with eight giveaways and eight takeaways.