What's the most important game on BC's schedule?
What's the most important game on BC's 2023 football schedule?
There's no objectively correct answer, but the answer hinges on some criteria that we might be able to agree on.
First and foremost, getting to the postseason is essential after last year, and given the overall manageability of the schedule. If the goal is just to get to six wins then you're going to identify a different answer than if you think the goal is seven or eight wins.
Our task is made more difficult by the fact that BC takes on a number of conference opponents that appear to be relatively similar on paper, so it's tough to set the games apart.
The candidates
The six games below are all games in which Boston College should have a chance to win or be very competitive. We aren't even talking about the games against UCONN or Holy Cross. Sure, UCONN won the game last year, but we're almost taking for granted that beating UCONN is essential. It should also be expected in spite of last season.
Northern Illinois - The season opener is a tone-setter. Win this game and the Eagles are likely 2-0 before conference play begins. Lose this game and it's a black cloud that hovers over the program until there's a win that's just as surprising as this loss would be. And it should be a fairly competitive game, so that's a strong candidate.
at Army - Boston College has owned this series in modern times but this won't be an easy game. It's Army's only home game against a Power Five opponent all season so the Black Knights will have it circled. On top of that, Army has a bye week before BC comes to town. The Black Knights have a 64-49 record under head coach Jeff Monken.
Virginia - The Cavaliers spun their wheels last season and this is a home conference game and a situation where the Eagles really need to hold serve. This game comes on the heels of two difficult games - Florida State and at Louisville - and is the first of six consecutive games in which it's possible to imagine the Eagles as a favorite by the time the game rolls around.
at Georgia Tech - We've said the conference games against UVA, VT, and Georgia Tech are fairly similar because they're comparable opponents. This game might be a tad tougher than the UVA and VT games just because it's on the road and the Yellow Jackets were building some momentum last year. This series is even 3-3 since BC joined the league and Jeff Hafley is 2-0 against Tech.
a Syracuse - While the Orange will probably be picked to finish higher than BC by the league media there isn't a significant talent advantage for one side or the other in this Northeastern ACC rivalry game. Last year Boston College squandered a great opportunity to notch a home win. This kicks off the month of November and so will be pivotal to any hopes for a strong finish.
Virginia Tech - This is the last game of the year in which it's likely BC is a favorite. It's at home but this is a game the Eagles lost last year in spite of the Hokies' struggles. This has been a very even series overall in recent times.
Conclusion
I'm calling BC's road game against Army the program's most important of the 2023 season. It might seem counterintuitive to look outside the league slate as conference games often carry more weight, but this year the whole point is to get to the postseason. That would represent a doubling of last year's win total. It sets up to be a tough game with Army getting a bye but not the Eagles, and that week of game prep is going to fly by because of the funky offense.