Boston College vs Clemson - Preview & Final Prediction
Boston College (4-0) will be heading to Death Valley for the third year in a row to play #25 Clemson (2-2) this Saturday Night. Kickoff will be at 7:30PM ET from Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC) and will be nationally televised on ACCN.
In our Final Predictions for the 2021 Season we predicted that Boston College would start out 4-0 and then would pull off one of the most historic wins in BC History by knocking off Clemson. That exact moment has arrived, BC is 4-0 for the first time since 2007, and the Eagles have an opportunity to beat Clemson who current has a 30 game winning streak at home. The last time the Eagles beat Clemson on the road was also in 2007 when both teams were playing for a spot in the ACC Championship game. BC hasn't beat an AP Top 25 opponent since they upset USC in 2014. This would be the biggest victory yet for Coach Hafley and Co. and a necessary win if they want to contend for the Atlantic Division in the ACC.
Last year when Boston College played Clemson the Eagles were winning 28-10 late in the second half before eventually giving up the lead and losing the game 28-34. The Eagles know that this year they have to find a way to finish this game. While the national media has been obsessed with how much Clemson has struggled this season, BC Head Coach Jeff Hafley has a much wiser view on his opponent.
"I can't say enough about the staff and what they've done ... they got a good football team. I know right now the record is not what everyone is used to seeing in Clemson, but just turn on the tape and watch 'em ... they're just like inches away." - Jeff Hafley on Clemson
Hafley and his team are focused and they know that this Clemson team is still one of the most talented teams in the country. In order to beat the Clemson Tigers the Eagles will have to execute in all phases of the game while also winning the turnover margin.
Just like before the season started we predict Boston College will win this game. This game will be similar to last week's Missouri game in that it will be a very close game with a lot of ups and downs. If BC can find a way to have a better start like they did last year in Death Valley, we expect the Eagles to be able to control the time of possession and execute well enough on offense to finish the job.
Current Line: BC +14.5 (O/U 46.0)
Chance Of Winning: 11.8%
According to ESPN's Football Power Index BC has a 11.8% chance of winning this game. The spread has been as high as +16.0 for BC this week but has since fallen. The spread for this game is currently 14.5 points in favor of Clemson, with the over/under around 46.0. Many people were surprised to see such a significant spread against Boston College since Clemson has struggled to put up points all season long. Clemson would need to score 15 points in order to cover the current spread, which the Tigers have only done once in regulation in the four games they have played.
Does BC Cover The Spread?
Yes! We actually think BC wins this game, but the best bet to play the entire weekend looks like the BC spread. We think Boston College will win by only one score, so this game could very easily come down to the last possession. While the BC Money line (+475) will seem very tempting, we still suggest playing the spread instead of the money line, since the chance of BC losing is still very high while betting the spread seems like free money at this point.
The over is somewhat favorable but you should stay away from this bet. Many think this game will be low scoring, but we think both offenses will find ways to score along with some scores on defense as well. We expect Boston College to use every single play in the playbook they have to score on Clemson's top defense. The Eagles look to remain well balanced on offense but with some new trickery and we expect the BC defense to come up huge with a late game changing turnover.
Final Score: 34-28 (BC WINS)
Yes, we flipped the score from last year. We think the Eagles can win this close game if their offensive line continues to dominate the line of scrimmage and they continue to protect the football. Getting a lead in this game will be extremely important for Boston College so they can continue to be well balanced on offense and control the game. If the Eagles can continue to run the ball it will open up some great opportunities for Grosel to throw downfield. The key to this game will be patience, trusting the running game, and then taking advantage of the open man downfield when it presents itself.
We know we bring this up almost every week, but the defense needs to create turnovers this Saturday if they want to have a chance to win this game. Hafley continues to preach about forcing fumbles, and we expect to finally see the Eagles recover one at a critical time late in this game.
How To Watch The Game:
If you are not taking the trip down to Clemson, South Carolina, the game will be televised nationally on ACCN at 7:30PM ET.
(For those of you that do not have access to the ACC Network, we suggest signing up for YouTube TV free trial and cancelling after the game)
ICYMI: WATCH THIS VIDEO!
In case you missed it - The Boston College magazine did a fantastic feature on Jeff Hafley and his time so far at Boston College. Please check out the full article and video below, it is a must see!
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We will be tweeting live throughout the game this Saturday Night!
GO EAGS!
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