Boston College-Notre Dame Preview Capsule

Boston College (3-7) at No. 5 Notre Dame (9-1, No. 4 CFP), 7:30 p.m., NBCSN

Line: Notre Dame by 16ˆ½

Series Record: Notre Dame leads 13-9

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Notre Dame is in line for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but a loss would likely drop them out of the national title chase. That's more likely to happen the following week, at No. 15 Stanford, but the Fighting Irish would be wise not to look ahead when they play a team that has already spoiled their title hopes twice, in 1993 and 2002.

KEY MATCHUP

Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller vs. Boston College secondary. Fuller is sixth in the country with 12 touchdown catches and is averaging 93.7 yards a game. He has seven catches of 40 yards or more this season while the Eagles have allowed just 15 plays of 40 or more yards all season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Notre Dame: C.J. Prosise, who sat out last week with a concussion, needs 25 yards to become the first Irish player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Cierre Wood did it in 2011. Prosise is averaging 108.3 yards a game and 6.6 yards a carry.

Boston College: John Fadule is the fourth player to start at quarterback for BC. A freshman walk-on, he was 23-for-27 for 257 yards and a touchdown against North Carolina State on Nov. 7, his first career start. He also had three interceptions, a fumble and was sacked five times.

FACTS & FIGURES

Although the game is at Fenway Park, it is considered a home game for Notre Dame. ... It's the 25th meeting between the only two Catholic schools in the FBS, a rivalry the schools refer to as "The Holy War." ... It's the second time they've played off campus. BC won 19-18 in the 1983 Liberty Bowl in Memphis. ... Notre Dame has beaten BC four straight times. ... Notre Dame is 4-1 this year against ACC teams. The Irish have never beaten five teams from the same conference in the same season. ... BC leads the nation in defense with 236.5 yards allowed per game.

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AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org