As the Irish travel this Saturday to Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, for a road game against Boston College, they’re entering into what the modern lexicon refers to as a trap game. A trap game is when a stronger opponent overlooks a weaker one for those unfamiliar with the term, resulting in the better team losing.
What better setting for a trap game than against the Boston College Eagles in the Holy War?
Holy War Game Information
Location: Alumni Stadium| Chestnut Hill, MA
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2020
Time: 3:30 PM EST, TV: NBC
Holy War Results:Notre Dame leads the series all-time 15-9, Last Meeting (2019) Notre Dame 40, Boston College: 6
Let’s measure the impact of the following contributors to this week’s trap game on a scale of zero to ten using my very subjective and proprietary, super scientific trap game calculator.
- The Irish are coming off of an exhausting two overtime victory over former No. 1 Clemson.
- Ian Book has cast off the previous criticism, and some are asking, is he one of the best Notre Dame quarterbacks ever?
- The Irish are on a six-game winning streak against BC dating back to 2009 (In the 24 times ND and BC have met, neither team has had a winning streak longer than six games).
- Phil Jurkovec, the former backup for Ian Book, has a chance for his revenge game here.
ND 2OT Winner
There’s a 24-hour rule in football. Whether you win or lose, after 24 hours, you no longer discuss what happened. True to my football roots, I won’t discuss the game that occurred on November 7, 2020, between two teams from South Carolina and Indiana.
Impact: 8.5
Two overtimes is a lot of football. There’s limited time to recover before hitting the road and getting ready for the next game. Not to mention, if the media and fans are still talking about the upset over Clemson, the players in the Notre Dame locker room are too. Boston College had a chance to upset No. 1 Clemson and gave it away; two weeks later, as the underdog once again, they’re looking to draw blood.
Ian Book, All-Time Great?
As storied as Notre Dame’s football program is, to be considered an all-time great quarterback is to breathe rare air.
Whether you go as far back as Gus Dorais, 1913, College Hall of Fame inductee and All-American quarterback for the Irish or journey into the modern era with Joe Theismann, another All-American and College Hall of Fame inductee from the class of 1971.
As you come closer to the present day and enter the 21st century, Brady Quinn is a two-time All-American at quarterback.
Ian Book? Not. Even. Close.
Poor performances in losses against Clemson, Georgia, and Michigan are not erased from the record books after one major win. If there are any awards for quarterbacking on Ian Book’s shelf, they’re probably from high school.
Save the coronation for Ian Book until January 2, 2021.
Impact: 0.0
Ian does what is asked of him by the coaching staff. He’s not in love with his arm and won’t try to force plays that aren’t there. However, if Notre Dame loses, Book will quickly go from possible all-time great to just another guy.
Six-game win streak
Technically, it’s a seven-game win streak. You might remember a 21-6 Notre Dame victory in 2012, but it never happened according to the NCAA.
Impact: 5.0 After losing, technically, seven in a row, Boston College has to be due for one, right?
Phil Jurkovec Revenge Game
Phil didn’t have great things to say about Notre Dame, which is most likely why he transferred to Boston College. Despite being unable to unseat Book as the QB1 at Notre Dame, Jurkovec is incredibly talented.
In his first season as a starter, Jurkovec leads the ACC in passing through eight games with 2,083 yards. He’s completing 62% of his passes and is tied for fourth in the ACC with 15 touchdowns.
Impact: 3.0
It’s just another game for Boston College, and every game in college football is a “must-win.” The Eagles are sixth in the ACC at 5-3, and first-year head coach Jeff Hafley is two wins away from a better record than his predecessor had in 2019. Everyone in the “red bandana” jerseys on Saturday will want to win, not just Phil.
Super Scientific Trap Game Calculator Results: 16.5/40.0 There is a 41% chance of this being a trap game.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame starts slow and keeps it far too close for comfort, but ultimately pulls away. ND wins 31-21