DUBLIN — Not at all lost in Boston College’s trans-Atlantic trip to Ireland to open the season against Georgia Tech in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday is the fact the Eagles are a team looking to erase all memories of a brutally disappointing 2015 season as quickly as possible.

With a win, they wash their hands clean of an 0-8 record against ACC opponents a year ago and start the 2016 season with a clean slate.

With a loss, they carry a nine-game losing streak in conference play that will linger for at least two more weeks until they travel to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech on Sept. 17.

The equal doses of disappointment and embarrassment that came with having the bottom fall out of their season a year ago pushed the Eagles through the offseason, and even with a hectic week, their focus hasn’t shifted.

“I think it really fueled our offseason workouts,’’ said senior defensive end Kevin Kavalec. “We came out, we worked really hard for the past nine months to get to this point. So we’re ready for a fresh start, ready to go out there and play.’’

They’ll face a Georgia Tech team that’s two year’s removed from playing Florida State in the ACC championship game, but a year removed from an injury-plagued 3-9 season in which Tech went 1-7 in conference. The only thing that separated the Yellow Jackets from the Eagles last season was a 22-16 win over the Seminoles decided by a 78-yard blocked kick return by Lance Austin that was as surprising to Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson as it was to oddsmakers.

The Eagles’ challenge will be twofold: opening up a season against an ACC opponent for the first time in coach Steve Addazio’s tenure and also trying to muzzle the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option offense, which churned out the most average rushing yards per game in the ACC a year ago.

“I certainly think it’s always a challenge when you open up with a tough ACC opponent,’’ Addazio said. “Most people like to take an easier nonconference approach — gives yourself the chance to work kinks out. There are lots of things that go on in opening games.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of opening games and it’s just hard to anticipate what guys will do their first time under the lights. Every team is remarkably different from Game 1 to Game 3, 4, but this is our opener and we start with it and we’re both in the same boat.’’

The Eagles haven’t faced Georgia Tech since 2012, when the Yellow Jackets ran for 391 yards in a 37-17 win. Quarterback Justin Thomas is still Georgia Tech’s biggest threat, but preparing for the triple-option will be a challenge even for a defense that was tops in the country a year ago.

“I have a good feel for this offense,’’ Addazio said. “I’m pretty comfortable with it but I’m not playing. The kids have to be comfortable with it. I think our staff has a pretty good understanding of it but it is a tough offense. It has answers to everything and once they get it going sometimes it is very hard to stop it — really, really difficult.

“Especially when they have a veteran quarterback like they do, who is really dynamic. So we have had to simulate him this week and it’s tough. Nobody wants to play that offense, nobody. Just because it takes so much time to devote. You’re in a scheme that is not necessarily the scheme you are going to play against other people. It is a scheme specifically for that offense. So that is the other issue with. It kind of gets you out of your flow.’’

The Eagles used two scout teams — a “fast jacket’’ team with starters and a normal scout team — to give the defense looks at different speeds. Running back Myles Willis, a Georgia native, simulated Thomas for the scout team to mixed results.

“It is a work in progress,’’ Addazio said. “We’ve been working at it for a long time but it is just one of those deals where they’ll hit you on some plays. That’s what happens with that deal. It’s hard. You take them down into four-down territory and they are going to take four downs to get 10. So we’ve done some really good things against it and they have been able to hit some plays, too.’’

As big as the build-up has been, the game itself will be critical for two teams looking to bounce back from difficult seasons.

“For me, the only reason why we’re here is to win an ACC ballgame and start the season 1-0,’’ said BC sophomore offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom. “But in the meantime, I think it’s good to just try to experience the culture. And so along the way of working to start the season off 1-0, we’ll take as much culture in as we can and really try to enjoy the experience.’’

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @julianbenbow.