NCAA
Football Betting - NCAA Football - Boston College
vs. Miami
by: Betus.com
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Thursday,
the No.18 Boston College Eagles (9-2 SU &
6-4 ATS) look to post their first 10-win season
since 1984, when they face the Miami Hurricanes
(5-6 SU & 2-7-1 ATS) at the Orange Bowl.
Last week, BC defeated the
then No.21 Maryland, 38-16. Later that night,
Wake Forest lost to Virginia Tech, putting the
Eagles in a three-way tie atop the ACC's Atlantic
Division with the No. 20 Demon Deacons and the
Terrapins.
Now, BC, as 4.5-point favorites,
needs to defeat Miami and have Wake Forest lose
at Maryland on Saturday. Under that scenario,
the Eagles would win the Atlantic on a head-to-head
tiebreaker with the Terrapins and advance to the
Dec. 2 ACC championship game against the Coastal
Division champion, No. 16 Georgia Tech.
A title game appearance would
come in BC's second season as a member of the
ACC, and a conference title would give the Eagles
the first BCS berth in their history. For now,
though, Coach Tom O'Brien is concentrating only
on what his team can control.
The Hurricanes have lost
four consecutive games SU and are in danger of
their first sub-.500 season in nine years, but
defeating them has never been an easy task for
BC. Miami has won 22 of 25 meetings SU with BC,
including all seven since O'Brien became the Eagles'
coach.
Thursday is the 22nd anniversary
of the last time BC beat Miami, which featured
one of college football's most famous endings
as the Eagles won on Doug Flutie's Hail Mary touchdown
pass to Gerard Phelan as time expired. Coincidentally,
Flutie wore No. 22 while at Boston College.
Since that game, the Hurricanes
have beaten the Eagles 14 straight times, with
11 of those meetings coming as Big East conference
rivals. This is the first matchup between the
schools since they left for the ACC last season.
Defeating Miami for the first
time in 22 years would also give BC its first
10-win season in 22 years, and just the third
in school history. To do so, though, the Eagles
will need to contend with a Miami defense that
allows only 15.2 points and 69.8 rushing yards
per game.
The Hurricanes had not allowed
an opponent to rush for 100 yards all season until
last Saturday's 17-7 loss at Virginia, when the
Cavaliers gained 132 on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Eagles' ground
game has been picking up steam. Boston College
has rushed for 365 total yards in winning its
last two games, including 124 last Saturday. Junior
tailback L.V. Whitworth led the effort against
Maryland, gaining 100 yards on 21 carries.
The Eagles also got plenty
from their defense against the Terrapins, as junior
linebacker Jolonn Dunbar returned two fumbles
for touchdowns within the first 3:08 of the game.
Dunbar, though, is questionable for Thursday's
contest with an ankle injury.
Miami also has a lot to play
for in this matchup. With a win, the Hurricanes
would become bowl eligible and likely earn a trip
to the Dec. 31 MPC Computers Bowl. A loss would
end their season, and give them their worst record
since going 3-7 in 1977.
It has been a trying year
in Miami, marred by a sideline-clearing brawl
with Florida International and the shooting death
of defensive lineman Bryan Pata. A funeral and
campus-wide memorial were held for Pata last week.
With Kyle Wright gone with
a broken thumb, new starting QB Kirby Freeman
went 11-for-18 for 152 yards, with a touchdown
and an interception last Saturday, but failed
to provide a big lift to the struggling Miami
offense. The Hurricanes have been held to fewer
than 14 points five times this season, dropping
each of those games, and have scored just 30 total
points over the last three weeks. Freeman will
have to do a better job, as his team is a 4.5-point
home dog this Thursday.
Notable Game Trends:
- BC is 5-0 ATS in their
last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home
record.
- BC is 7-1 ATS in their
last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points
in their previous game.
- BC is 8-2 ATS in their
last 10 games following a SU win.
- BC is 1-4 ATS in their
last 5 night games.
- BC is 1-5 ATS vs. a team
with a losing record.
- Hurricanes are 7-3 ATS
in their last 10 games as an underdog.
- Hurricanes are 1-4 ATS
in their last 5 games in November.
- Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS
in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.
- Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS
vs. a team with a winning record.
- Hurricanes are 2-10-1 ATS
in their last 13 games overall.
Check back daily for more
contributions and the best NCAA betting info in
the industry!
Robbie Maddux is a freelance
columnist and regular contributor to the BetUS.com
Locker room.
Posted on 11/21/2006 5:47:41
PM
NCAA Football - Boston College vs. Miami
by Robby Maddux
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