Boston College has outscored its first three opponents, 124-31. The Eagles’ defensive statistics are even more impressive.

BC ranks 14th nationally (second in the ACC) in total defense, and the Eagles are tied for fifth in the FBS (and second in the ACC) in scoring defense. Perhaps the most notable sign of progress for defensive coordinator Tem Lukabu’s unit in the second year of the Jeff Hafley era is BC’s play on third down. Teams are converting just 15.6% of third downs against the Eagles, the second-lowest clip in the country and good for first in the ACC.

The Eagles are coming off a near-shutout at Temple, in which they held the Owls to a measly 4-of-18 on third and fourth down. After the game, Hafley congratulated the defense and added that it was one of the best defensive showings he’s been part of lately.

He’s not crowning anyone yet, though.

“The details of the execution, the alignments of some guys were off and just a total finish for all four quarters,” Hafley said Sunday. “But there were enough plays, I just showed the defense, where if we don’t clean up, we will not continue to play good enough on D to win.”

BC’s defense bent but didn’t break in the second half. In the final two quarters of play, the Eagles allowed 181 total yards of offense. Every time the Owls reached BC territory, though, the Eagles buckled down. It was a resilient performance from a group that unraveled against UMass. When all was said and done, BC stopped Temple on fourth down three times.

Hafley said it was about getting back to fundamentals and technique, two words that are consistently preached and practiced under the second-year head coach. He also mentioned how the Eagles were flying to the ball and playing confidently.

It was BC’s best tackling game of the season. The Eagles registered a Pro Football Focus tackling grade of 82.2. Linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley led the team with eight total tackles. He and fellow linebacker Vinny DePalma both had six solos. Even nickelback Josh DeBerry was locked in as a run defender.

DeBerry, who has adopted the rover-like role Jason Maitre played last year, made six total tackles, including four solos and one TFL.

“He’s one of our toughest players physically and mentally on the team, in my opinion, and he’s one of our better tacklers,” Hafley said. “He had, I thought, his best tackling game.”

Hafley felt like the game was over as soon as running back Travis Levy ripped off a 67-yard kickoff return following the coin toss. The reigning ACC Specialist of the Week almost catapulted the Eagles to the red zone. It set the stage for a quick, three-play scoring drive.

BC was also all over Temple wide receiver Jadan Blue on punt return duties. Grant Carlson was booting the ball, averaging 51.4 yards per punt with a long of 62, and the Eagles’ coverage team was sprinting down the field like it was nothing. Cornerback Elijah Jones played a big role in BC limiting Blue to five yards per punt return.

“We need to give Coach [Matt] Thurin a ton of credit,” Hafley said. “I mean our special teams right now has gotta be playing as well as anybody in the country. … That touchdown, I mean we go up, 7-0. And we had the lead the rest of the game.”

Hafley and Thurin, however, are still trying to figure out who will be BC’s field goal kicker. Hafley said that senior Danny Longman and true freshman Connor Lytton are both in play. Longman has kicked the Eagles’ only two field goals this year. Traditionally just a kickoff man, Longman is 4-of-4 for his career, but all of his kicks have been inside 30 yards.

Lytton was the one taking extra points Saturday at Temple. He was 4-of-4 and now has converted all six of his PATs this year.

“We wanted to get Connor some kicks and get his confidence up,” Hafley said. “And we felt like it was a good game and good opportunity for him to do so.”

BC has been playing six-plus true freshmen every game this season and a handful more are on the two-deep. Lytton is one of them. With Week 4 coming up, Hafley and the staff have some decisions to make regarding playing time. Players can appear in four games without burning their redshirts.

Hafley said he and his assistants have discussions every week about managing redshirts.

“If we believe a true freshman is going to help us win games this year, we’re going to play ’em,” Hafley said. “I’m not just going to throw a guy in the fourth quarter to get two or three snaps and burn a redshirt. It’s not fair to the kid, and it’s not fair to the development of this program.”

Hafley wants to build BC from within, and that means properly developing high school recruits. Already, several of the Class of 2021 playmakers are coming along.

Against Temple, linebacker Bryce Steele tallied five tackles, defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku added a sack and Ty Clemons made two stops.

They were a significant part of BC’s suffocating defense at Lincoln Financial Field.