Oct 6, 20234 min read

Boston College at Army: Preview & Final Prediction

Updated: Oct 6, 2023

Boston College (2-3, 1-2 ACC) will be traveling to play Army (2-2) this Saturday looking for their first road win of the 2023 season. Kickoff will be at Noon ET from Michie Stadium (West Point, NY) and will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).

Boston College is coming into this game after a must-needed comeback victory, beating Virginia this past Saturday 27-24. Boston College overcame a 14-point (21-7) halftime deficit for their largest comeback victory since defeating West Virginia in 1997. BC took the lead with 2:11 left in the fourth with a 42-yard field goal by Liam Connor, his second 42-yarder of the game which ended up sealing the game for the Eagles.

BC's starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos had 261 total yards with 183 yards through the air, including two touchdown passes, and 78 yards on the ground. Other notable performers were Lewis Bond who had 104 receiving yards with a touchdown, and Pat Garwo who had a season-high 87 rushing yards with a touchdown.

The Eagles now face a very physical and well-disciplined Army team that will be a significant challenge up-front defensively. The good news for BC is that they are coming off their best defensive performance of the year, racking up 6 total sacks from last week. They will need their D-line to have another great performance and find a way to keep Army off the field to be able to win this game.

Fun Facts: Army has converted on 4th down 13 out of 14 attempts. Boston College leads the nation in 16 attempts and has converted on 11 out of 16 attempts on 4th down.

"That’s their style. They want to go on an eight or nine-minute drive, score a touchdown, try to stop you, get right back on the field and do it again. That’s how they’re built." - Jeff Hafley on Army

This game on Saturday has huge ramifications for the season and for the future of the BC Football Program. It is no secret that head coach Jeff Hafley is on the hot seat in Chestnut Hill. This game is another must-win for the Eagles and for coach Hafley as he desperately needs some relief and momentum before the Eagles' bye week.

Update: After the wide receiver suffered a neck injury during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Virginia, Ryan O’Keefe was back on campus this week and made an appearance at practice after being discharged from Mass General Hospital. Boston College's head coach Jeff Hafley was unable to give a timetable on his star receiver but said O’Keefe is “on the road to recovery”, so O'Keefe is expected to be out indefinitely moving forward. However, the team is "hopeful to get him back" whenever it is safe for him to play.

Current Line: BC +3.0 (O/U 50.0)

Chance Of Winning: 33.7%

According to ESPN Analytics BC has a 33.7% chance of winning this game. The spread for this game is currently 3 points in favor of Army, with the over/under at 50 points.

Does BC Cover The Spread?

Boston College will cover the spread. We predict the Eagles will not only cover the spread but will win this game outright. The confidence level for this pick is not high at all, but we do think there is value in taking the BC ML.

The over/under looks very tricky. Stay away from this bet.

(If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER)

Final Score: 28-21 (Boston College Wins)

It seems that most BC fans are understandably not satisfied with last week's win and don't have a lot of confidence rolling into West Point this weekend. And why should they? This team has been inconsistent at best and constantly plays down to their opponent. However, this week we predict that this team will show the heart that they did in the 2nd half of last week's game and play up in front of their passionate NYC alumni.

Boston College is considered the underdog in this matchup which is mostly attributed to the fact that Army has played consistently with a core identity all season long, and BC has not. But the reality is that BC is much more talented at every position and if they can ever find their true identity the ceiling is a lot more higher for the Eagles.

Like always, the keys to victory are simple this week. The Eagles need to stop the run and find ways to get Army's offense off the field. They need to take advantage of the Black Nights game plan to control the time of possession. Tackles for loss and sacks are plays that BC's defensive line has to come up with in order to stop the Black Night's ruthless small-gain offense.

It's been almost two years since BC Football Fans have witnessed back-to-back wins. This road win would be a refreshing celebration heard all the way down the Hudson and a massive momentum shift for the Eagles and their fans.

Depth Chart:

How To Watch The Game:

Saturday’s game will be broadcast nationally at Noon ET on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN). Chris Lewis (play-by-play) and Ross Tucker (analyst) are in the booth with Tina Cervasio (reporter) on the sidelines.

Coverage on the Boston College Sports Network begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff on WEEI 850 AM. Jon Meterparel (play-by-play) is joined on the call by former BC linebacker Pete Cronan in the booth and quarterback Scott Mutryn on the sideline.

Boston College Football Fans (BCFF) will be covering this game live (on Twitter/X via @BCFootballFans).