NCAA Football - Boston College vs. Miami
by Robby Maddux
Thursday, the No.18 Boston College Eagles (9-2 SU & 6-4 ATS) look to post their first 10-win season since 1984, when they face the Miami Hurricanes (5-6 SU & 2-7-1 ATS) at the Orange Bowl.
Last week, BC defeated the then No.21 Maryland, 38-16. Later that night, Wake Forest lost to Virginia Tech, putting the Eagles in a three-way tie atop the ACC's Atlantic Division with the No. 20 Demon Deacons and the Terrapins.
Now, BC, as 4.5-point favorites, needs to defeat Miami and have Wake Forest lose at Maryland on Saturday. Under that scenario, the Eagles would win the Atlantic on a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Terrapins and advance to the Dec. 2 ACC championship game against the Coastal Division champion, No. 16 Georgia Tech.
A title game appearance would come in BC's second season as a member of the ACC, and a conference title would give the Eagles the first BCS berth in their history. For now, though, Coach Tom O'Brien is concentrating only on what his team can control.
The Hurricanes have lost four consecutive games SU and are in danger of their first sub-.500 season in nine years, but defeating them has never been an easy task for BC. Miami has won 22 of 25 meetings SU with BC, including all seven since O'Brien became the Eagles' coach.
Thursday is the 22nd anniversary of the last time BC beat Miami, which featured one of college football's most famous endings as the Eagles won on Doug Flutie's Hail Mary touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan as time expired. Coincidentally, Flutie wore No. 22 while at Boston College.
Since that game, the Hurricanes have beaten the Eagles 14 straight times, with 11 of those meetings coming as Big East conference rivals. This is the first matchup between the schools since they left for the ACC last season.
Defeating Miami for the first time in 22 years would also give BC its first 10-win season in 22 years, and just the third in school history. To do so, though, the Eagles will need to contend with a Miami defense that allows only 15.2 points and 69.8 rushing yards per game.
The Hurricanes had not allowed an opponent to rush for 100 yards all season until last Saturday's 17-7 loss at Virginia, when the Cavaliers gained 132 on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Eagles' ground game has been picking up steam. Boston College has rushed for 365 total yards in winning its last two games, including 124 last Saturday. Junior tailback L.V. Whitworth led the effort against Maryland, gaining 100 yards on 21 carries.
The Eagles also got plenty from their defense against the Terrapins, as junior linebacker Jolonn Dunbar returned two fumbles for touchdowns within the first 3:08 of the game. Dunbar, though, is questionable for Thursday's contest with an ankle injury.
Miami also has a lot to play for in this matchup. With a win, the Hurricanes would become bowl eligible and likely earn a trip to the Dec. 31 MPC Computers Bowl. A loss would end their season, and give them their worst record since going 3-7 in 1977.
It has been a trying year in Miami, marred by a sideline-clearing brawl with Florida International and the shooting death of defensive lineman Bryan Pata. A funeral and campus-wide memorial were held for Pata last week.
With Kyle Wright gone with a broken thumb, new starting QB Kirby Freeman went 11-for-18 for 152 yards, with a touchdown and an interception last Saturday, but failed to provide a big lift to the struggling Miami offense. The Hurricanes have been held to fewer than 14 points five times this season, dropping each of those games, and have scored just 30 total points over the last three weeks. Freeman will have to do a better job, as his team is a 4.5-point home dog this Thursday.
Notable Game Trends:
- BC is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- BC is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- BC is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU win.
- BC is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 night games.
- BC is 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Hurricanes are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog.
- Hurricanes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
- Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.
- Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Hurricanes are 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
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by Robby Maddux
Thursday, the No.18 Boston College Eagles (9-2 SU & 6-4 ATS) look to post their first 10-win season since 1984, when they face the Miami Hurricanes (5-6 SU & 2-7-1 ATS) at the Orange Bowl.
Last week, BC defeated the then No.21 Maryland, 38-16. Later that night, Wake Forest lost to Virginia Tech, putting the Eagles in a three-way tie atop the ACC's Atlantic Division with the No. 20 Demon Deacons and the Terrapins.
Now, BC, as 4.5-point favorites, needs to defeat Miami and have Wake Forest lose at Maryland on Saturday. Under that scenario, the Eagles would win the Atlantic on a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Terrapins and advance to the Dec. 2 ACC championship game against the Coastal Division champion, No. 16 Georgia Tech.
A title game appearance would come in BC's second season as a member of the ACC, and a conference title would give the Eagles the first BCS berth in their history. For now, though, Coach Tom O'Brien is concentrating only on what his team can control.
The Hurricanes have lost four consecutive games SU and are in danger of their first sub-.500 season in nine years, but defeating them has never been an easy task for BC. Miami has won 22 of 25 meetings SU with BC, including all seven since O'Brien became the Eagles' coach.
Thursday is the 22nd anniversary of the last time BC beat Miami, which featured one of college football's most famous endings as the Eagles won on Doug Flutie's Hail Mary touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan as time expired. Coincidentally, Flutie wore No. 22 while at Boston College.
Since that game, the Hurricanes have beaten the Eagles 14 straight times, with 11 of those meetings coming as Big East conference rivals. This is the first matchup between the schools since they left for the ACC last season.
Defeating Miami for the first time in 22 years would also give BC its first 10-win season in 22 years, and just the third in school history. To do so, though, the Eagles will need to contend with a Miami defense that allows only 15.2 points and 69.8 rushing yards per game.
The Hurricanes had not allowed an opponent to rush for 100 yards all season until last Saturday's 17-7 loss at Virginia, when the Cavaliers gained 132 on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Eagles' ground game has been picking up steam. Boston College has rushed for 365 total yards in winning its last two games, including 124 last Saturday. Junior tailback L.V. Whitworth led the effort against Maryland, gaining 100 yards on 21 carries.
The Eagles also got plenty from their defense against the Terrapins, as junior linebacker Jolonn Dunbar returned two fumbles for touchdowns within the first 3:08 of the game. Dunbar, though, is questionable for Thursday's contest with an ankle injury.
Miami also has a lot to play for in this matchup. With a win, the Hurricanes would become bowl eligible and likely earn a trip to the Dec. 31 MPC Computers Bowl. A loss would end their season, and give them their worst record since going 3-7 in 1977.
It has been a trying year in Miami, marred by a sideline-clearing brawl with Florida International and the shooting death of defensive lineman Bryan Pata. A funeral and campus-wide memorial were held for Pata last week.
With Kyle Wright gone with a broken thumb, new starting QB Kirby Freeman went 11-for-18 for 152 yards, with a touchdown and an interception last Saturday, but failed to provide a big lift to the struggling Miami offense. The Hurricanes have been held to fewer than 14 points five times this season, dropping each of those games, and have scored just 30 total points over the last three weeks. Freeman will have to do a better job, as his team is a 4.5-point home dog this Thursday.
Notable Game Trends:
- BC is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- BC is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- BC is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU win.
- BC is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 night games.
- BC is 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Hurricanes are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog.
- Hurricanes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
- Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.
- Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Hurricanes are 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
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