Boston College vs Virginia Tech: Preview & Final Prediction
Boston College (6-3. 3-2 ACC) will be hosting Virginia Tech (4-5, 3-2 ACC) this Saturday looking for their first six-game win streak since 2007 when Matt Ryan and the Eagles started the year 8-0 and reached No. 2 in the polls. Kickoff will be at noon ET from Alumni Stadium (Chestnut Hill, MA) and will be broadcast nationally on ACC Network (ACCN).
Boston College is coming into this game riding a five-game winning streak, the most recent victory coming last Friday over Syracuse beating them 17-10. Thomas Castellanos rushed for 87 yards on the night and added 165 passing yards and a touchdown to linebacker Owen McGowan. The Eagles' secondary had four interceptions which Elijah Jones accounted for two of them and deflected the pass that led to Cole Batson’s game-clinching INT on Syracuse’s last possession.
Fun Fact: Thomas Castellanos leads the country for rushing yards by a QB at 760, which is 33rd among all rushers. His 10 rushing TDs are tied for 13th in FBS and tied with Caleb Williams (USC) for most by a QB.
The Eagles now host a familiar conference opponent, the Virginia Tech Hokies who have split the last 10 meetings with each other. VT is coming off a poor performance to Louisville after exceeding 30 points in consecutive wins during a 3-1 stretch, the Hokies were denied in every phase by the Cardinals and would end up losing 34-3.
BC head coach Jeff Hafley reflected this week on how the team has been able to win five games in a row after starting the season 1-3. "There was still belief that we were a good team, and I think that’s kind of rare when people are taking shots at you from all over," said Hafley.
"To win five games in a row, you have to be a good football team. Five games in a row doesn’t happen by chance. It just doesn’t. But more importantly, you have to be consistent. That stems from everything that we’ve gone through... The start kind of made us who we are." - Jeff Hafley
Boston College fans haven't felt this much excitement for the football program this late in November since College GameDay came to Chestnut Hill back on November 10, 2018. The Eagles also have a chance to win their 7th regular season game this year, something they haven't done since 2018.
There remains hope for "The Path" (the road to the ACC Championship), but aside from that long-shot possibility, BC fans are ready for this program to take the next step, and a victory on Saturday certainly would help prove that they have finally arrived.
"I don’t think there’s anyone right now that thinks they’ve arrived. I don’t think we’ve played well enough right now, or coached well enough, to think that we can just stop working. I think our guys are hungry for more." - Jeff Hafley
Coach Hafley has a message to all Eagle fans for Saturday's game against Virginia Tech:
"Make this a real home-field advantage… Be really loud on third down, be really loud throughout the game. Let’s see if we can fill this place up and make it hard for Virginia Tech to hear." - Jeff Hafley
Current Line: BC +1.0 (O/U 49.5)
Chance Of Winning: 49.2%
According to ESPN Analytics, Boston College has a 49.2% chance of winning this game. The spread for this game is currently 1 point in favor of Virginia Tech, with the over/under around 49.5 points. The spread started earlier this week with BC as the favorite, now VT has a slight edge as the favorite on the road.
Does BC Cover The Spread?
Boston College will cover the spread, but the confidence level is only at a medium.
The over/under looks high. Take the under. Boston College's defense continues to improve every week and Virginia Tech's strong defensive line could disrupt the Eagles offense.
(If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
Final Score: 28-20 (Boston College Wins)
The excitement level for this Boston College team going into game nine is extremely high. The momentum for this program is the highest it has ever been under Coach Hafley and the team continues to grow while finding ways to win.
Boston College is technically considered the underdog in this matchup even though it doesn't seem like they should be. The major key to victory this week will be protecting Thomas Castellanos and allowing enough time for him to get the ball away or scramble. Virginia Tech leads the ACC and is seventh in the country with 31 sacks, led by Antwaun Powell-Ryland (9). BC's defense also needs to continue to make strides and use the home crowd's energy to their advantage.
The Eagles have the opportunity to win six games in a row, something that BC Football fans have not witnessed since Matt Ryan was at quarterback. The Eagles also have the opportunity to continue to raise their bowl stock and remain in contention for the ACC Championship (#ThePath). This is the most important game for Boston College in recent memory and for a football program that has the opportunity to remain relevant late into November.
Depth Chart:
How To Watch The Game:
Saturday’s game will be broadcast nationally at noon ET on 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.
Boston College Football Fans (BCFF) will be covering this game live from Alumni Stadium.
Mac Hutchinson (coverage on Twitter/X) will be in the press box for Saturday's game.
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