Boston College–Holy Cross football rivalry
| First meeting | November 8, 1896 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | November 22, 1986 |
| Next meeting | September 8, 2018 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 82 |
| All-time series | Boston College leads, 48–31–3 |
The Boston College–Holy Cross football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Boston College Eagles and Holy Cross Crusaders. The two schools are located 41 miles apart from each other in Massachusetts. The teams have met 82 times. Boston College leads the series 48–31–3. The teams will next play in 2018.
In 1896, Holy Cross and Boston College played the first football game between the two schools, starting one of the most storied rivalries in college football. For much of the early to mid 20th century, Boston College and Holy Cross drew some of New England's largest sports crowds. To accommodate larger crowds, the Holy Cross game was routinely held at larger venues off campus, with the 1916 matchup taking place at the newly constructed Fenway Park. A record 54,000 attended the 1922 game at Braves Field, home of the Boston Braves baseball team. In 1940, Boston College went into Fenway Park and shut out the Crusaders 7–0 en route to a perfect season and the program's only national title to date. On November 28, 1942, Holy Cross beat Boston College in a huge upset 55–12. The game is still the most famous between the two foes, not only for its result (which spoiled BC's undefeated season) but also its aftermath. The Eagles had booked their victory party that night at the popular Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, but canceled after the loss. As a result, they were absent when the club caught fire, killing 492.
But fortune did not always favor the Crusaders. By the late 1970s, the game had become more of a tradition, as Holy Cross had ceased to be a major power in football. By 1980, the game was no longer part of the student ticket package, and was mostly attended by alumni. In 1986, Holy Cross changed the direction of its football program, joining the Division I-AA Colonial League (now known as the Patriot League), and terminated the series. Boston College had won 17 of the last 20 games. With Holy Cross' restoration of football scholarships, the series will resume again in 2018 and 2020, when Boston College is scheduled to host the Crusaders in a pair of games played at Alumni Stadium.
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