By Tiffany Williams –
Boston College and California are meeting in Chestnut Hill today in a matchup layered with intrigue and firsts. For Cal, it’s the program’s first-ever ACC conference game, while for BC, it’s a chance to steady itself in league play after a bumpy start to 2025. Kickoff at Alumni Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. EDT.
This is only the second time the Eagles and Golden Bears have shared a field. The first came nearly 40 years ago, when BC held off Cal 21-15 in 1986. History doesn’t matter much here—what does is how two defenses in transition handle quarterbacks capable of taking over games.
BC has confidence in Dylan Lonergan, who’s looked sharp with a 74 percent completion rate. He’s got weapons in Lewis Bond and Reed Harris, and with the Eagles’ run game stuck in neutral—they haven’t cracked 100 yards rushing yet—Lonergan will be asked to carry the offense through the air. Protecting him, however, is another matter. The line has lost anchors, and pressure could be an issue against a Cal front known for mixing looks.
Defensively, the Eagles are reshaping under new coordinator Tim Lewis, a longtime NFL hand. The secondary is the strength—loaded with experience, led by safety KP Price—and BC already showed last year it can flip games with turnovers, finishing second in the ACC in interceptions. But the line is a glaring hole. All four starters from 2024 are gone, the pass rush has sputtered, and missed tackles have been a problem. Against a physical team like Cal, that’s a dangerous formula.
The Bears enter with their own identity crisis. Head coach Justin Wilcox has long made defense his calling card, and new co-coordinators Vic So’oto and Terrence Brown are sticking with a versatile 3-4 look. Cal’s defense thrives on disguises and hybrid packages, but like BC, it has cracks—especially in the red zone. Both teams have been dreadful inside the 20, ranking 112th nationally by allowing points every time opponents get there.
That sets up a chess match where neither defense is complete and both quarterbacks will get chances to capitalize. For BC, the game hinges on Lonergan’s poise and whether the secondary can steal a possession or two. For Cal, it’s about turning pressure into mistakes and seeing if the ground game can expose BC’s shaky front.
One team leaves today with momentum in its ACC story. The other leaves asking the same questions about its flaws.