1971 Boston College Eagles football team

The 1971Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College as an independent during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Joe Yukica, the Eagles compiled a record of 9–2, but were not invited to a bowl game. They were passed up for a spot in the Peach Bowl in favor of four-loss Georgia Tech, partly due to the Eagles' reputation of having a slow, defense-heavy style of play.[2] Boston College played home games at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

1971 Boston College Eagles football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–2
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorJohn Petercuskie (3rd season)
Captains
  • Kevin Clemente
  • Ray Rippman[1]
Home stadiumAlumni Stadium
Seasons
 1970
1972 
1971 NCAA University Division independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Penn State  1110
Boston College  920
No. 17 Houston  930
No. 13 Notre Dame  820
Utah State  830
Florida State  840
Cincinnati  740
West Virginia  740
Temple  621
Air Force  640
Army  640
Colgate  640
Villanova  641
South Carolina  650
Southern Miss  650
Georgia Tech  660
Northern Illinois  551
Syracuse  551
Dayton  560
Holy Cross  460
Miami (FL)  470
Rutgers  470
Virginia Tech  470
Navy  380
Pittsburgh  380
Tulane  380
Marshall  280
Xavier  190
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

edit
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11at West VirginiaL 14–4531,500[3]
September 18at TempleW 17–313,000[4]
September 251:35 p.m.NavyW 49–622,700[5]
October 2at RichmondW 24–06,500[6]
October 91:35 p.m.Villanova
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Chestnut Hill, MA
W 23–720,616[7]
October 16at Texas TechL 6–1432,480[8]
October 23Pittsburgh
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Chestnut Hill, MA
W 40–2226,854[9]
November 6at SyracuseW 10–321,978[10]
November 131:31 p.m.Northern Illinois
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Chestnut Hill, MA
W 20–1016,238[11]
November 20UMass
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Chestnut Hill, MA (rivalry)
W 35–025,311[12]
November 27vs. Holy CrossW 21–722,205[13]

[1][14][15]

Game notes

edit

The game against rival Holy Cross was moved at the last minute to the newly constructed Schaefer Stadium (home of the New England Patriots until 2001) due to a heavy snowstorm making conditions unplayable at Fitton Field in Worcester.[16]

Personnel

edit
  • RB #33 Fred Willis

References

edit
  1. 1 2 2016 Boston College football media guide. p. 183.
  2. Nelson, Jerry (November 27, 1971). "Bowls Spurn Lackluster BC". Boston Globe. p. 17.
  3. "West Virginia defeats BC". The Times and Democrat. September 12, 1971. Retrieved January 23, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Boston College Spoils Temple Opener, Wins 17-3". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 19, 1971 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Boston C. sinks Navy". The Macon Telegraph & News. September 26, 1971. Retrieved September 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Rippman rips Spiders for Eagles". The Charlotte Observer. October 3, 1971. Retrieved October 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Boston College downs Villanova for 4th win". The Courier-Journal. October 10, 1971. Retrieved September 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Red Raiders nip Eagles". The Orange Leader. October 17, 1971. Retrieved March 27, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Boston eleven stops Pittsburgh". The Sacramento Bee. October 24, 1971. Retrieved September 28, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "BC topples Orange, 10–3". Poughkeepsie Journal. November 7, 1971. Retrieved September 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "BC trailing by 10–0, tops N. Illinois, 20–10". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 14, 1971. Retrieved September 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Boston College breezes". The Arizona Daily Star. November 21, 1971. Retrieved September 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  13. Nason, Jerry (November 28, 1971). "BC's Bombs Trip Up 'Soft Touch' HC, 21–7". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 85 via Newspapers.com.
  14. "1971 Boston College Eagles Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  15. "Schedule/Results (1971 Boston College)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  16. Concannon, Joe (November 27, 1971). "Phone call switches BC-HC site to Schaefer". Boston Globe. p. 17.