Syracuse TE Dan Villari Details Competitive Nature of Facing BC Football: The Rundown

The Boston College Eagles’ football program technically does not have a rival in this current day and age. That is, unless the emerging BC-SMU rivalry, which Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings commented on recently at 2025 ACC Football Kickoff, counts. 

Historically, BC and Notre Dame—two prominent Catholic Universities—considered themselves rivals for decades, and the Eagles have even boasted a rivalry with Holy Cross when the two played in the Big East before BC joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2005.

So what is the current status of BC’s football rivalries?

Well, due to the programs being the Northern-most schools in the ACC, Syracuse and BC have always brought an extra edge every time a matchup arises—to prove who is the dominant Northeast football program in the conference.

On Wednesday, Syracuse football players in attendance at 2025 ACC Football Kickoff spoke about the nature of games when the Eagles and the Orange suit up against one another.

“One thing I’ve noticed about those games, it’s always physical,” Syracuse tight end Dan Villari said. “They bring us their best game all the time. I think it’s fun. I love playing BC.”

In addition to the rivalry which takes place on the football field, there is also some inevitable competition in the recruiting realm between BC, Syracuse and even Pittsburgh, which Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi discussed at ACC Kickoff as well.

“I mean, we are all looking for different stuff,” Narduzzi said. “I think everybody’s got different needs. But there are some battles there in the past for sure.”