Crowd noise was being pumped through the speakers to help the Spartans prepare for the next challenge, which will be Saturday night at Boston College. It will also serve as the annual “Red Bandanna Game” for the Eagles, honoring university alumnus Welles Crowther, a hero who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

In its first season under head coach Jonathan Smith, the Michigan State Spartans are only one win shy of matching their total from all of last season, while the Boston College Eagles waited all of two games into the Bill O’Brien era to earn a spot in the AP Top 25.

According to Boston College Athletics via social media, the Eagles Sept. 21 matchup against the Michigan State Spartans is officially sold out.

Michigan State (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) plays at Boston College (2-1, 1-0 ACC) on Saturday (8 p.m., ACC Network) to kick off a very difficult stretch of the schedule. Here are five things to watch in the game and a final score prediction:

If MSU can maintain a focused offensive strategy while cutting down on penalties, they have a chance to make this matchup competitive. Both teams have demonstrated a knack for putting points on the board, but MSU will need to execute effectively and convert key chances if they want to keep pace with BC's scoring.

Analyzing Saturday’s Michigan State at Boston College odds and lines, with college football expert picks, predictions and best bets.

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ACCN) Series record: Boston College leads 4-1-1. BetMGM College Football Odds: Boston College by 6½ WHAT’S AT STAKE? Boston College made a brief appearance at No. 24 in The Associated Press Top 25 after beating 10th-ranked Florida State in the opener and following it with a win over FCS Duquesne.

Free Press sports writer Chris Solari breaks down Michigan State's trip Saturday to Boston College to close out the Spartans' nonconference play.

Like I mentioned in my preview last week, this is going to be crucial for BC all season long. They need to dominate the game clock with the