Two teams with young dual-threat quarterbacks will meet when Boston College (6-6) faces American Athletic Conference champion SMU (11-2) in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. The Dec. 28 matchup at Boston’s Fenway Park will have an 11 a.m. kickoff and air on ESPN.
It will essentially be a home game for Boston College, with its Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts campus located about four miles from Fenway Park.
This will also be the final game for SMU as a Group of Five school. The Mustangs will be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference next season, where Boston College is a member.
This is only the second meeting between the two schools, with SMU winning 31-29 in Dallas in 1986. It will soon become a common matchup. Boston College and SMU will meet four times as conference opponents beginning in 2024 with a game in Dallas, through 2029.
All eyes will be on the quarterbacks, including one who recently burst onto the scene in a big way.
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A Big-Play QB For BC
Boston College 5-foot-10, 196-pound sophomore QB Thomas Castellanos is known for his ability to make the big play.
While still developing as a passer, he has completed 57.1% of his passes for 2,146 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He really excelled on the ground, leading the Eagles in rushing with 957 yards (4.9 avg.) and 11 touchdowns.
Three times this season he rushed for more than 100 yards, including a 141-yard, four-touchdown effort in a 27-24 win at Army.
One of his best overall performances came during a 31-29 loss to undefeated Florida State. Castellanos completed 20-of-33 passes for 305 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Castellanos will look to snap a three-game losing streak, where he completed 54.5% of his passes for 422 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions in losses to Virginia Tech, Pitt, and Miami. He rushed for 197 yards (4.1 avg.) and a TD.
SMU’s Bowl QB
SMU had one of the better QBs in sophomore Preston Stone, a third-team All-AAC selection. Stone, however, suffered a season-ending broken leg in the final regular season game, a 59-14 home win over Navy.
That gave redshirt freshman Kevin Jennings (6-0, 189) his first start the following week in the AAC title game. Jennings overcame a rough start to complete 19-of-33 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a 26-14 win over defending champion and host Tulane. Jennings also rushed for 63 yards on 15 carries and continually escaped the Tulane pass rush. His elusiveness adds another dimension to the SMU attack.
Tale of the Tape
Points per game: SMU 40.6, Boston College 25.0
Opponents PPG: SMU 17.4, Boston College 29.5
Sacks: SMU 47, Boston College 12
Sacks allowed: SMU 15, Boston College 18
Rushing yards per game: SMU 181.1, Boston College 193
Rushing yards allowed per game: SMU 111.2, Boston College 193.9
Passing yards per game: SMU 285.1, Boston College 189.2
Passing yards allowed per game: SMU 188.4, Boston College 197.4
SMU All-AAC Players
First Team: OT Marcus Bryant, OG Justin Osborne, OG Logan Parr, TE RJ Maryland, DT Elijah Chatman, K Collin Rogers.
Second Team: C Branson Hickman, RB Jaylan Knighton, DL Elijah Roberts, LB Kobe Wilson
Third Team: CB Charles Woods, S Jonathan McGill, P Ryan Bujcevski
Honorable mention: CB Chris Megginson, LB Ahmad Walker, OT Hyrin White
Boston College All-ACC Players
First Team: OG Christian Mahogany, CB Elijah Jones
Second Team: OT Ozzy Trapilo
Third Team: LB Vinny DePalma
Honorable Mention: OT Logan Taylor, OG Kyle Hergel, DT Cam Horsley
Notable
SMU WR Jordan Kerley (18 rec., 319 yards, 2 TDs) and OT Hyrin White (6-7, 332), join Stone as players out for the game due to injury…SMU entered the bowl season second nationally with 47 sacks…With his 957 yards rushing, Boston College’s Castellanos was fourth in the AAC in rushing, behind three, 1,000-yard running backs…SMU’s AAC title was the school’s first in football since earning a share of the Southwest Conference title in 1984…SMU enters the contest on a 9-game winning streak…With a win, SMU would equal the single-season school record for wins, achieved in 1935 by a 12-1 team…Boston College is bowl-eligible for the seventh time in eight seasons… BC’s first game at Fenway Park was a 28-6 win over Norwich University on Halloween in 1914.
