The Iowa Hawkeyes’ season looked to be heading to new heights after they dominated Ohio State, 55-24. But after that convincing victory, Iowa finished a the year 1-2 to end the regular season with a 7-5 record. With that abysmal ending, the Hawkeyes are heading to New York City to take on the Boston College Eagles on Dec. 27 at 5:15 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Here are five things to know about the Eagles, who finished third in the Atlantic Division of the ACC with a record of 4-4 in league play and finishing with a 7-5 overall.

Strong finish

The front end of Boston College’s schedule was a doozy. It faced the likes of Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Clemson, and Virginia Tech to open the year. After the first six games of the season, the Eagles were a lowly 2-4. But, after upending Louisville, 45-42, Boston College finished the year 5-1 and claiming back-to-back bowl berths.

Dillon is a monster

Iowa has faced a handful of excellent running backs this year. It has taken on Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, Iowa State’s David Montgomery, and Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, just to name a few. Come bowl time, the Hawkeyes will face another one in Eagles true freshman AJ Dillion.

Nov 11, 2017; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; Boston College Eagles running back AJ Dillon (2) breaks free for a rushing touchdown during the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The young back was named ACC Newcomer of the Year after rushing for 1,432 yards and 13 touchdowns on 268 carries, a 5.3 average. But he really fueled Boston College’s strong finish. In the last six games of the season, Dillion racked up 1,099 yards and 11 touchdowns. So, he could give an Iowa defense that is letting up 4.14 yards per carry nightmares.

What rush defense?

The Eagles are typically know for their defense. But this year, Boston College has one of the ACC’s worst rush defenses. On the season, it is allowing 4.99 yards per carry and nearly 200 rushing yards a game.

Now, Iowa has been hit-or-miss with the running ball in 2017. However, the Hawkeyes are coming off a 313 yard rushing performance against Nebraska. Plus, with a back like Akrum Wadley at Iowa’s disposal, the black and eagle could easily tear up Boston College in New York.

Ball hawks

While the Eagles’ rush defense is sometimes eye cringing, their pass defense is not. Boston College is No. 31 in the nation in pass defense, only allowing 199.7 passing yards per game. Not only that, but it has only allowed a total of nine touchdowns through the air this season. Plus, Eagles know how to bait a quarterback, as they have picked off 18 passes this season which is good for No. T-5 in the nation.

Although Boston College’s secondary has been phenomenal this year, Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley has been extremely effective with the ball. He has only thrown six interceptions this year. So, it maybe hard for Eagles to bait him to throw a bad pass. However, don’t count out this secondary from making an impact.

The Jim Reid bowl

Boston College defensive coordinator Jim Reid is in his second season with the Eagles. But before arriving at Chestnut Hill, Reid was Iowa’s linebacker coach from 2013-15. Reid coached all-conference linebacker Josey Jewell before moving onto the Eagles. Plus, Reid has Boston College’s defense ranked No. 35 nationally according to S&P+.