Head To Head Matchup: Quarterback

The Foreigner lyrics are appropriate for Boston College QB Matt Ryan, "You're as cold as ice..." The QB known as "Matty Ice" by his teammates showed that coldness last Thursday in a come from behind win against Virginia Tech at their house. Observers should know that there is no quit in QB Matt Ryan. Heisman hopeful Ryan threw a TD into the end zone with eleven seconds left in the game. Now he gets to show his stuff against the Noles.

At the start of the 2006 season, Matt Ryan was named starting quarterback for the BC Eagles. He had a breakout season, completing 243 of 398 passes for a total of 2939 yards and 14 touchdowns, and running for 3 touchdowns. He was named ACC Offensive Back of the Week three times, and led the Eagles to a 25-24 win over Navy at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It was during this season that he widely became known as "Matty Ice" for his calmness under pressure.

This season he has completed 61% of his passes, throwing for 2,433 yards and 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He has also led BC in three crucial games, a come-from-behind win against Wake Forest ,a dismantling of then-No. 15 Georgia Tech and the come from behind victory over Va. Tech. Ryan is 21-4 as a starter, and with 6,954 career passing yards he ranks third on the school's all-time list behind former Heisman winner Doug Flutie and Glenn Foley.

"He wins, he's got great leadership skills, and he has great vision," says first-year coach Jagodzinski, a former offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, known at BC as "Jags." Jagodzinski compares Ryan with former BC star and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, whom he coached when he was the Eagles offensive coordinator in 1997-98.

Against Va. Tech, Ryan threw for 285 yards, 2 TDs,and 2 interceptions. His come from behind victory showed his poise and his never give up attitude. It also showed that Ryan looks to secondary receivers as he threw the winning touchdown to running back Andre Callender.

Now to Drew Weatherford. It is all Drew this week. With the announcement by Bobby Bowden that Xavier Lee is suspended for two games, this game falls on the shoulders of some would say is an average quarterback. Weatherford completed 35 of 47 passes for 339 yards and a touchdown against the hapless Blue Devils. The completions and yardage were both season highs for Weatherford who has thrown for 981 yards, five TDs and one interception this year. His completion percentage is 61% for the season. Drew will have to have an almost perfect game in order for the Noles to have a shot at defeating BC. His throws will have to be accurate, no throws into double coverage, and hopefully he will not throw balls 15 feet over an open receiver. He will have to be able to read coverages and look off primary receivers. In addition, he needs to be able to capitalize on receiver/corner height mismatches during the game.