Northwestern-Boston College: A preview by the numbers

Stats here! Get your stats! Ice cold Miller Genuine Stats here! $5 a stat!

What? This site is free?

...

Fine. Here are a bunch of numbers I cherry-picked from the Northwestern game notes and the Boston College game notes, in advance of the big game on Saturday. Presented without context, for maximum misinterpretation.

375: Number of passing yards BC QB Chase Rettig had against Northwestern last year, with 1 interception, in the Wildcats' 24-17 win

330: Rettig's passing yardage per game in 2012, ranking BC 14th in the nation (out of 120) in pass offense

197: Number of passing yards NU QB Kain Colter had in the NU-BC game last year, his first career start. He also had 71 yards rushing and a TD.

173: Per game passing yardage of Colter and Trevor Siemien combined in 2012, ranking 99th nationally

537: Yards of offense BC put up against Miami in its opener, a 41-32 loss. That was BC's highest yardage since 2007.

596: Yards of offense NU's defense gave up its opener against Syracuse

4: Number of fumbles BC has lost this season

16: Number of consecutive games Northwestern has forced a turnover

11: National rank of BC's pass defense efficiency, whatever that is

78: National rank of NU's pass defense efficiency

0: Number of interceptions NU quarterbacks have thrown this season

28: Age of BC backup QB Dave Shinskie

3: Number of Wildcat true freshmen who have burned their redshirts: DL Dean Lowry, SB Dan Vitale and DL Ifeadi Odenigbo

143: Number of offensive snaps, out of 149, that NU's starting offensive line of Pat Ward, Brian Mulroe, Brandon Vitabile, Chuck Porcelli, and Jack Konopka have played together this season. Konopka is the only lineman to miss a snap, going out for six plays in the 3rd quarter against Vanderbilt.

31,644: Attendance at the NU-Vanderbilt game at Ryan Field, the highest turnout for a home opener since 2001. Will we match or surpass that number on Saturday?