BOSTON (AP) – Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski certainly isn’t getting caught up in the excitement of the Eagles’ highest national ranking in 14 years after watching Saturday’s 37-17 win over Army.

“The perception and reality are two different things,” he said Sunday. “It was pretty good. It just wasn’t as sharp as our standards of the way we want to play.”

Boston College (4-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) hasn’t opened a season with five consecutive wins since 1954, when it played its home games at Fenway Park.

When the 12th-ranked Eagles, who moved up two spots in the latest Associated Press poll, take the field Saturday against Massachusetts, Jagodzinski hopes to see a better effort, regardless of the statistical domination the Eagles had against Army (1-3).

“I don’t know if it was a letdown,” he said. “We just didn’t play as sharp as we could have.”

BC will face the Minutemen with its highest national ranking since Nov. 26, 1993. Should the Eagles beat UMass this week, they’ll play Bowling Green in their third of three consecutive home games against weaker non-conference opponents and a chance for their best start since 1942.

Massachusetts (4-0) is ranked No. 3 in the football championship subdivision, formerly known as I-AA.

Jagodzinski won’t look past lesser opponents, especially after a pair of games that gained national attention.

“You’re eligible every week to take a butt-kicking. I look at the scores from (Saturday),” he said, referring to Ball State’s near upset of Nebraska and previously winless Syracuse’s victory over then-No. 18 Louisville.

“If we do what we’re supposed to do it’s not going to matter,” the first-year coach said.

The Eagles, who opened the season with three Atlantic Coast Conference wins, outgained the Black Knights 573-259 on Saturday. They hardly looked threatened, holding Army to just seven first downs and 44 yards rushing in the game.

Quarterback Matt Ryan continued his strong start, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for his first of the season. He finished 35-for-51 for 356 yards before leaving midway through the fourth quarter with BC leading by 20.

“I don’t think at any point were we scared,” Ryan said. “We were a little sporadic, but the offense got it going.”

Ryan had his third game of 300-plus yards and has thrown for 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

After Bowling Green, BC travels to Notre Dame on Oct. 13 before closing the season with five ACC games.

AP-ES-09-23-07 1758EDT