Boston College football is slumping, and it could matter more than ever

In the final weekend of October, the Boston College Eagles went on the road to face the then No19-ranked Louisville Cardinals in Kentucky, ultimately losing 24 – 38. The Cardinals played a relatively sloppy game, losing the time-of-possession battle, struggling with a horrible third-down conversion percentage and coughing up three turnovers. The Eagle’s offense and run defense, however, practically gave the game away. The Cardinals gained 317 yards on the ground, averaging 10.2 yards per attempt. The Eagles’ offense matched the Cardinals’ three turnovers but had another three on downs, meaning 38% of their drives ended on turnovers. 

For Boston College, the loss to Louisville extends their losing streak to seven, with their last and only win since November of last year coming against FCS Fordham in the season opener. Looking at their upcoming schedule, it’s entirely possible that it may be their only win this year. Sitting dead last in the Atlantic Coast Conference, it has truly been a rough season for the Eagles and their fans. 

The fans seem completely fed up with not just the Eagles’ performance this season, but the program in general. This was made clear to me after travelling to Boston to watch the UConn football team play the Eagles a week prior. As UConn chants boomed from an emptying Alumni Stadium, Eagles fans criticized players, second-year Head Coach and Massachusetts native Bill O’Brien and those in the upper echelons of the athletics department. Some even went further, calling for the end of the football program entirely. 

The latter two targets aren’t particularly shocking since Boston College football’s relative amount of success over the past decades has mostly hinged on having good coaching hires and a supportive athletic department, rather than talent or NIL, so anger is concentrated there. The last two factors are less of an issue since the school constantly produces some NFL talent, and the football fanbase isn’t big enough for major NIL support. 

A drop-off this substantial isn’t completely out of the blue for the program, given that they’ve had two similar seasons in the past decade. But the level of frustration associated with this team is certainly very notable, especially since they’re coming off a solid 2024 campaign with hope in their hometown coach. SB Nation’s Boston College writers noted that the “2025 season is quickly shaping up as one of its worst in recent memory — perhaps even worse than the 2-10 campaign of 2012.” Even in the other rare instances in which BC football wasn’t at the very least mediocre, morale and faith in the program among its small but loyal fanbase has never been this low. 

As someone heavily interested in college football and living in New England, I’ve always kept a tentative eye on our college football teams. For most of my life, Boston College has always been the top football program in the region despite playing second fiddle to the school’s excellent hockey program. Both UConn and UMass’s programs struggled massively in the 2010s, and both schools are better known for other sports, so it didn’t take much for the Eagles to assume the top spot. Therefore, the Eagles’ performance and growing perceptions surrounding them this season are extremely intriguing for what it could mean for the teams, specifically UConn. 

For context, Boston College’s dominance over New England college football and the floundering of UConn’s program was in part caused by the former’s actions during conference realignment of the early 2000s. Their move to the ACC from the Big East in 2005 gave them national recognition upon immediate success and access to a more lucrative television deal. Then in 2012, BC’s athletic directors sought to effectively monopolize the New England market, and that meant blocking any attempt UConn made to join them in the ACC (ironically, they would admit Louisville instead). These events caught UConn off guard, leaving it out of a major conference as Big East football collapsed. Boston College ultimately secured millions of dollars more than UConn did via the ACC’s new media rights deal. UConn football then fell to the wayside. 

Currently, the Huskies are achieving success at amounts rivaling that of Boston College’s program and are once again within striking distance of another bowl appearance and a possible eight-win season. This success has caught the attention of major conferences such as the Big 12, leading to them extending an invitation to join the conference last year. Though this merger failed for a number of reasons, it still marks a major turning point for the program. The team has clearly put the rest of the country on notice. 

If Boston College’s football program doesn’t course-correct and faith in the program continues to dwindle, the New England college football market would suddenly be competitive for the first time since 2012. Out of all the major schools in the region, UConn may be best positioned to take advantage. The Huskies are playing marketable football, and the school recently made investments into the football program with new coaching contracts, athlete-revenue sharing and NIL with the help of wealthy alumni. It’s almost the perfect situation for a conference looking to expand its coverage, so long as it’s football-only. 

Though this season is a wash for Boston College’s football team, a lot may be riding on them returning to form in the next couple. Given BC’s history, they should be able to turn it around eventually. But the margins are now slimmer, the competition is greater, and the college football world is more dynamic than ever. “Eventually” may not be quick enough.