Boston College at Louisville - Preview & Final Prediction
Boston College (1-2. 0-1 ACC) will be traveling to play Louisville (3-0, 1-0 ACC) this Saturday for their first road test of the 2023 season. Kickoff will be at 3:30 ET from Cardinal Stadium (Louisville, KY) and will be nationally televised on the ACC Network (ACCN).
Boston College is coming into this game after an encouraging performance but heartbreaking loss, losing to No. 3 Florida State last week 31-29. While the result was disappointing, the Eagles are certainly more confident knowing they had every opportunity to take down a top 3 team last weekend. Head coach Jeff Hafley talked about how this recent loss created mixed feelings but he hopes it ultimately leads to growth into next week.
"I think it builds some confidence for some guys, and I think it brought a good confidence to the team. I think there's a buzz right now with them. But for other guys, there's still a fire inside that's [angry] about the game. We knew we had it to win, and we let it go, which you have to try and learn from and take from and try to bring it to your next one." - Jeff Hafley
The biggest winner last week was Thomas Castellanos who had a total of 400 yards (passed for 305 yards and ran for 95) in his first ACC start against No. 3 Florida State. Castellanos’ 644 yards passing through three games are the third most by a BC quarterback since 1981. He is one of three BC quarterbacks in that period with 600-plus passing yards and five-or-more touchdown passes in his first three games.
Many BC Football Fans seem to have been encouraged especially by Thomas Castellanos's performance last week and how much improved the O-line looked compared to last year. Having an exciting and talented quarterback to run this offense is something this program has been in desperate need of. If the Eagles can find a way to keep improving, especially on the defensive end, this Boston College team should be able to go on a run with the weakest part of their schedule coming up.
This game on Saturday could be a huge turning point for the entire BC Football program, a win would positively shift their entire season. While it might not be considered a must-win game, for the future of the program and to maintain some sort of excitement and momentum from fans, Boston College needs to go on the road and find a way to get their first ACC win of the season.
Current Line: BC +14.0 (O/U 54.5)
Chance Of Winning: 11.6%
According to ESPN Analytics BC has a 11.6% chance of winning this game. The spread for this game is currently 14.0 points in favor of Louisville, with the over/under at 54.5.
Does BC Cover The Spread?
Boston College will cover the spread. We predict the Eagles will cover the spread with extreme confidence. Vegas is completely off with the spread of this game, and there is significant value in taking BC on the road here.
The over/under looks on point, but we are leaning towards the over. Both teams are going to put up points. The biggest concern with betting the over is if Thomas Castellanos can remain productive in his first ACC start on the road.
Final Score: 35-24 (Boston College Wins)
The confidence level of this Boston College team going into week three was extremely low. Now, the momentum from almost taking down No. 3 FSU in the Red Bandana Game has rejuvenated the Eagles and their fans.
Boston College is for some reason a two-touchdown underdog to Louisville. In the eyes of the media, they have nothing to lose again and need to take advantage of being overlooked. The keys to victory are way less extreme than last week's matchup against Florida State. The Eagles simply need to continue to execute on offense and score points in the red zone. They need to win the turnover margin and make improvements on the defensive line.
While the offensive line has made significant progress this season, the defensive line has continued to struggle. The D-line will need to find a way to pressure Louisville starting quarterback, Jack Plummer. Plummer is more of a traditional quarterback that's going to sit in the pocket, which interestingly enough is something the Eagles have not faced yet, only facing dual-threat quarterbacks to start the season.
Going on the road in a hostile environment will be a great test for the Eagles. We will learn a lot about this Boston College team on Saturday and what fans should expect for the rest of the season.
Depth Chart:
How To Watch The Game:
Saturday’s game will be broadcasted nationally at 3:30 ET on the ACC Network (ACCN). Jorge Sedano (play-by-play) and Orlando Franklin (analyst) are in the booth with Marilyn Payne (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.
We will be covering this game live on Twitter/X.
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