The recruiting matchup this week for the 8-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish doesn't look as enticing as their matchup last week with the visiting Miami Hurricanes. But what is Notre Dame trying to avoid this week? The let-down game after a major win. Boston College has a roster that is easy to overlook and when you compare it to Notre Dame's top-level roster, there isn't much comparison from a recruiting ranks perspective. But you could argue the same was true in their 1993 matchup in South Bend. 

This Boston College team is not as talented as their 1993 roster, but it has talent, experience and players that can challenge the Irish. Head coach Marcus Freeman will have to have his team prepared, focused and ready to handle business against Bill O'Brien and the visiting Eagles. The best way to get prepared is to look at who you'll be matching up. So let's look at how these two teams stack up in recruiting rankings using the Rivals/On3 composite rankings to compare.

There's some hidden talent on this Boston College defense when looking at their recruiting rankings. Some were acquired via the transfer portal, but that doesn't make their roster any less talented. Defensive tackle KJ Sampson (No 232) is the lone four-star recruit in the starting lineup but defensive end Kris Jones (No. 167) rotates in on a consistent basis. Sampson's matchup with Notre Dame's interior offensive line, Anthonie Knapp (No. 271), Ashton Craig (No. 504) and Sullivan Absher (No. 270) will be one to watch as is Jones' matchup with Guerby Lambert (No. 42) and Will Black (No. 17). 

Where Notre Dame has a significant advantage is one the perimeter. Boston College doesn't have a single defensive back in the starting lineup ranked higher than the No. 855 recruit coming out of high school and that's safety Marcus Upton. Meanwhile, the Irish have four-star recruit Jaden Greathouse (No. 158) and Micah Gilbert (No. 230) in their starting lineup. The receiving corps is headlined by senior Jordan Faison who was unranked coming out of high school. 

From a recruiting rankings perspective, the matchup between the Boston College offense and the Notre Dame defense is more evenly matched than the matchup between the Boston College defense and the Notre Dame offense, but that isn't saying all too much. The Eagles have two unranked high school recruits in their starting lineup including quarterback Mason McKenzie who leads the team in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, passing yards and passing touchdowns. 

The Irish only have one unranked player in their starting lineup, safety Luke Talich, but as we've seen this season, Talich is playing like a five-star player and is becoming one of the most clutch players on the entire roster. The biggest mismatch between these two schools is in the trenches, especially on the edge. Notre Dame's two starting defensive tackles, Boubacar Traore (No. 208) and Bryce Young (No. 56), were both four-stars coming out of high school while Boston College's offensive tackles, Kristian Phillips (No. 995) and Veguer Jean-Jumeau (unranked), have struggled throughout the season. 

Here are the class rankings of the two programs from the last five seasons (247 Composite Rankings) 

NOTRE DAME

2026 - 5
2025 - 12 
2024 - 9
2023 - 12
2022 - 7

BOSTON COLLEGE

2026 - 53
2025 - 59
2024 - 102
2023 - 63
2022 - 40

Advantage: Notre Dame

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