Boston College @ Virginia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 31, 2015 ) Virginia Tech 26, Boston College 10

Mistakes plagued Virginia Tech before the largest crowd in college football history, and the Hokies hope to clean up their act before their ACC opener Saturday against visiting Boston College. "I think we certainly know the things that we must work on now to have success," Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente told reporters this week. "One is we need to be more disciplined with this football. The most disappointing thing in the last two weeks has been the lack of discipline."

The Hokies fumbled the ball away five times in a 45-24 loss to Tennessee in front of 156,990 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and they've lost an FBS-high nine on the season. They have a minus-4 turnover margin through two games and will be facing a stout Eagles defense that forced three turnovers in a 26-7 win over Massachusetts last weekend. Patrick Towles threw for his first two touchdowns in a Boston College uniform and also led the Eagles with 66 rushing yards as his team snapped a nine-game losing streak dating to last Sept. 26. Included in that slide was a 26-10 loss to Virginia Tech at home last Halloween, one of nine consecutive ACC losses for the Eagles.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Virginia Tech -6

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (1-1): Towles has been so-so in his first two games under center, completing 59 percent of his passes with two TDs - both to leading receiver Jeff Smith - and two interceptions. The grad transfer won't need to be a superstar most weeks as long as the defense - which allowed 122 total yards (minus-23 on the ground) against the Minutemen - remains as dominant as the one that led the ACC last year. "I'm really happy with the development of our defense," coach Steve Addazio told reporters at his weekly press conference. "Fundamentally, our defense is much-improved. We've grown with great technique, not just scheme, but fundamentals."

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (1-1): Quarterback Jerod Evans has been involved in a few of the Hokies' lost fumbles, but he has yet to throw an interception and has five touchdown passes. The junior threw for four scores in a season-opening win against Liberty and was an impressive 20-of-28 versus Tennessee. Travon McMillian leads the way on the ground with 166 yards and Isaiah Ford has been Evans' favorite target with 16 catches for 168 yards and a score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Virginia Tech is 62-1 at home against unranked teams since 1996, the lone loss coming against Boston College in 2014 by a 33-31 margin.

2. Ford needs 10 receiving yards to become the sixth player in school history with 2,000 in his career.

3. Eagles K Mike Knoll made both of his field-goal attempts against UMass after Colton Lichtenberg went 0-for-2 in the season-opening loss to Georgia Tech.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 20, Boston College 17