Michael Conroy / AP

USC running back Joe McKnight has joined the team in San Francisco for the Emerald Bowl, but his status for the game is still unclear.

"Disneyland is great and stuff but we've all been living in L.A. and you always go to Disneyland," Byers said. "It's still really special to play in the Rose Bowl, but it's in our backyard, which takes some of the glamour away from the bowl game. So the team is really excited to be here in San Francisco. It's a change of scenery.

"It's not necessarily what we wanted. We'd love to be back at the Rose Bowl this year stuck in L.A. But you have to make the most of your situation."

The opportunity to play in the Emerald Bowl against a heralded opponent like USC is a major accomplishment for Boston College (8-4), which was picked to finish last in the ACC Atlantic division following a difficult offseason.

The turmoil began when coach Jeff Jagodzinski was fired for interviewing for the New York Jets opening and replaced by longtime assistant Frank Spaziani.

Then came the shocking news in May that reigning ACC defensive player of the year Mark Herzlich had been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Herzlich hopes to return to the field next season, but has served as an inspiration to his teammates this year.

Then led by a 25-year-old freshman quarterback, Dave Shinskie, who had spent his time since high school pitching in the minors, the Eagles got blown out in their ACC opener before recovering to earn their 11th straight bowl bid.

"The fact that we won games surprised a lot of people," center Matt Tennant said. "We lost guys to the NFL. Mark was diagnosed with cancer. We went through the coaching change. A lot of things happened to us but we stuck together."

And the reward is a matchup against one of college football's most storied programs.

"You can't really set the stage any better," linebacker Mike McLaughlin said. "This is my fifth year and the last college football game I'll be playing. It doesn't get any better. When you talk about the mecca of college football, USC is that. We're preparing like we're playing the New England Patriots."

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