UConn vs Boston College Football: Betting Preview and Prediction

Ladies and gentlemen, the unthinkable has happened. I hit a bet. After weeks of struggles and countless hours in the lab, I finally nailed a lock: BC +5 against Georgia Tech. Just like BC football, the name of the game is to keep the momentum going. This week, the Eagles return to Alumni Stadium for a Homecoming battle against the UConn Huskies.

After last year’s embarrassment of a performance against UConn, BC should be fired up and looking to make a statement. They should not just want to win; they should want to win big. Jeff Hafley confirmed as much in his Monday press conference, saying that the team will need absolutely no motivation to go out there on Saturday. With BC looking to go 5-3, on the precipice of a bowl bid, and finally starting to gel on both sides of the ball, this should be a big-time opportunity for the team. It is a must-win game.

This is helped by the fact that UConn is pretty terrible. After last year’s mini-revival and bowl game appearance, the Huskies have come out this season stumbling to a 1-6 record, with their lone win coming against lowly Rice. Their defense gives up almost 400 yards per game, and the offense lacks big-time playmakers. QB Joe Fagnano (who faced BC as Maine’s QB last season) entered the year as the starter only to suffer a season-ending injury; junior Ta’Quan Roberson has taken over and been average at best (1,145 yards, 8 TDs, 3 picks). Yet their record is deceiving – despite all these setbacks, UConn has certainly been improving of late. In their last three games, UConn lost to Utah St. and USF (who gave Alabama a good fight) by a combined 4 points along with the Rice win. The O-line features multiple future NFL talents, and the Huskies average over 140 rushing yards a game – a combination that will give BC’s porous run defense struggles.

Look, on paper BC should kill UConn. I definitely think they will win. But this is Boston College Football we are talking about. Nothing is ever easy, and expecting that this team to have everything consistently figured out is not a receipt for success. Moreover, a primarily run-first UConn team will look to kill time off the clock, shortening the game. I think BC’s lack of consistency means that betting on them to cover more than a touchdown is optimistic and risky. With BC currently at -14.5, I think BC would have to play another complete, dominant game to cover and I just do not trust them to do it. The Eagles consistently play down to the competition. In a must-win trap game, let’s see how they do.