The BC Blog » Rolandan Finch leads BC into prime-time showdown vs. Florida State
The BC Blog The BC Blog
WEEI.com Blog Network
Rolandan Finch leads BC into prime-time showdown vs. Florida State 11.02.11 at 2:18 pm ET
By Justin Doubleday

BC running back Rolandan Finch, coming off an impressive performance vs. Maryland, will be counted on again Thursday vs. Florida State in a depleted Eagles backfield. (AP)

Coming off its first ACC win of the season at Maryland Saturday, the Boston College football team has had very little time to celebrate the victory. That’s because the Eagles have spent the short week preparing for a Thursday night matchup against Florida State.

“We’re 36 hours away from a five-day turnaround, and that itself poses some problems, and its compounded by the fact that we have a very, very talented and well-coached football team coming in here,” coach Frank Spaziani said Wednesday on the weekly ACC coaches teleconference.

The Eagles (2-6, 1-4)  rode the back of Rolandan Finch and his 243 yards rushing to the 28-17 win over the Terrapins last weekend. Finch has been excellent in the three games he’s started since Montel Harris was injured, rushing for totals of 81 and 92 yards, respectively, in the two games prior to his breakout performance at Maryland.

Depth may be a problem for the running game, though, as Finch is the only running back that is definite for Thursday’s game. Andre Williams is questionable with an undisclosed injury, while Tahj Kimble is out with a concussion.

Finch and BC may also have a harder time of it against the Seminoles defense, which allows an ACC-low 77 yards per game rushing.

“It’ll be quite challenging, to say the least,” Spaziani said. “They have quite talented people over there in that front seven and then in their back end also. It’s going to be a big challenge, and once again in order for us to win any game, we have to be successful running.”

Florida State (5-3, 3-2) is coming into Chestnut Hill hot, having won its last three games in blowout fashion. Most recently, the Seminoles trounced North Carolina State, 34-0, Saturday. But after playing at home for its last two games, Florida State will have a long trip north on a short week.

“One team has to travel, one team has to be home, that’s just the way it is,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said. “But it doesn’t hurt [BC] that it’s Thursday night, it’s national TV and kids are probably getting pumped up to play on national TV and have a home crowd, there’s no doubt.”

Quarterback E.J. Manuel led the way for the Seminoles in their win over NC State with 321 yards passing and two touchdowns. Spaziani compared the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Manuel to last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

“Very talented. He’s a big guy, he can throw and run,” Spaziani said of Manuel. “He’s got it all. I don’t see any flaws in him, to be honest with you.”

The 8 p.m. game will be televised on ESPN. In order for the Eagles to have success in the national spotlight, Spaziani said the team must put in the same emotion and effort that it put into the Maryland game.

“They  played with emotion and they were physical and that’s what we need to do as we go through the whole year,” Spaziani said. “As a coach you’d like to see that momentum continue in that area. It has and we certainly need more of it. Against a quality opponent like this, you have to be mentally right, that’s for sure.”

Read More: Cam Newton, E.J. Manuel, montel harris, Rolandan Finch Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It

Leave a Reply

College Basketball Headlines
College Football Headlines