CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1984 Boston College

10–⁠2, coached by Jack Bicknell, finished No. 5 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Boston College in 1984, game by game: won vs. Western Carolina 44–24; won at No. 9 Alabama 38–31; won vs. North Carolina 52–20; won vs. Temple 24–10; lost at No. 20 West Virginia 20–21; won vs. Rutgers 35–23; lost at Penn State 30–37; won vs. Army 45–31; won vs. Syracuse 24–16; won at No. 12 Miami 47–45; won at Holy Cross 45–10; won vs. Houston 45–28+35−7Won 44–24 vs. Western Carolina+20Western CarolinaWon 38–31 at No. 9 Alabama+7No. 9 AlabamaWon 52–20 vs. North Carolina+32North CarolinaWon 24–10 vs. Temple+14TempleLost 20–21 at No. 20 West Virginia-1No. 20 West VirginiaWon 35–23 vs. Rutgers+12RutgersLost 30–37 at Penn State-7Penn StateWon 45–31 vs. Army+14ArmyWon 24–16 vs. Syracuse+8SyracuseWon 47–45 at No. 12 Miami+2No. 12 MiamiWon 45–10 at Holy Cross+35Holy CrossWon 45–28 vs. Houston+17Houston
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 1vsWestern CarolinaW 44–⁠2488%
Sep 8at9AlabamaW 38–⁠3141%
Sep 22vsNorth CarolinaW 52–⁠2069%
Oct 13vsTempleW 24–⁠1076%
Oct 20at20West VirginiaL 20–⁠2143%
Oct 27vsRutgersW 35–⁠2377%
Nov 3atPenn StateL 30–⁠3750%
Nov 10vsArmyW 45–⁠3180%
Nov 17vsSyracuseW 24–⁠1672%
Nov 23at12MiamiW 47–⁠4540%
Dec 1atHoly CrossW 45–⁠1084%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvsHoustonCotton BowlW 45–⁠2869%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Houston 45–⁠28 in the Cotton Bowl; No. 5 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 116 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 19
  2. Wk 2: 18
  3. Wk 3: 10
  4. Wk 4: 10
  5. Wk 5: 5
  6. Wk 6: 4
  7. Wk 7: 4
  8. Wk 8: 4
  9. Wk 9: 11
  10. Wk 10: 9
  11. Wk 11: 16
  12. Wk 12: 13
  13. Wk 13: 10
  14. Wk 14: 8
  15. Wk 15: 8
  16. Final: 5

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1984.

Led the nationDoug Flutie: passer rating (152.9), total offense (4,013 yds)

Heisman TrophyDoug Flutie, QB; also the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien

2 consensus All-AmericansDoug Flutie, QB; Tony Thurman, DB

Record
10–⁠2
Conference
3–⁠2 tied for 2nd in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
No. 5 peak No. 4
Points
449–⁠296
Coach
Jack Bicknell
Elo
1719 +110 this season
SP+ rating
22.2 No. 4 of 106; offense No. 1, defense No. 77
SRS
16.6 No. 5 of 110 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Seymour “Red” Kelin
Captains
Mark MacDonald, David Thomas and Scott Harrington

Drafted in 1985

The 1985 draft
Rd 4Gerard Phelan WRNew England Patriots
Rd 5Mark MacDonald OGMinnesota Vikings