Syracuse vs. Boston College: TV/streaming, time, odds, history & more

Teams: No. 19 Syracuse Orange (8-3, 5-2) vs. Boston College Eagles (7-4, 4-3)

Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 24, Noon ET

Location: Alumni Field, Chestnut Hill, MA.

Line: Boston College opened as a 7.5-point favorite over the Orange (likely based on suspicion that Eric Dungey won’t be available to play for Dino Babers on Saturday).

TV/Streaming: ESPN and WatchESPN

Radio: Cuse.com, TK 99/105, WAER 88.3, SiriusXM: 129 (home), 205 (away)

Boston College blog: BC Interruption

Rivalry: 31-20, Syracuse leads

Current Streak: 1, Eagles

First Meeting: Syracuse beat BC 10-0 back in 1924 in a game that was a spiritual predecessor to many of the contests to come. Boston College wasn’t even technically a major program, though SU’s Chick Meehan didn’t seem to care much while scheduling that year en route to a 8-2-1 record. After the game, the Eagles were trying to think of a slogan to find better players. One BC defender suggested that Syracuse had better “gents” that day. Thus the following offseason, the Eagles tried to entice potential players with the slogan “Be a Gent.” It never caught on.

Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Last Meeting: The Eagles put the nail in Syracuse’s 2017 season, winning the finale, 42-14 at the Carrier Dome. It was their second victory in the Dome in the previous six contests. Running back AJ Dillon ran roughshod over the Orange in the process. The frosh missed practice that week due to injury, but that didn’t seem to matter much come game time. Dillon registered 193 yards and three TDs on 23 carries against Syracuse.

As a team, the Eagles punted the ball just one time last November in Syracuse. Just one time.

After upsetting No. 2 Clemson in October, Syracuse finished out the season losing its last five games, ending up with a 4-8 record for the second straight year.

Head Coaches: SU: Dino Babers (3rd year, 16-19); Boston College: Steve Addazio (6th year, 38-37

Coach Bio: The chief #DUDE played at Central Connecticut State (hey, we know that place!), then failed to catch on with the Patriots and the USFL before earning his master’s at CCSU. His first college coaching job came at Syracuse in 1995, then he moved on to Notre Dame where he’d catch a bad case of Indiana. Addazio served on the Hoosiers staff from 2002 through 2004, then coached Florida from 2005 through 2010. He won a bowl game with Al Golden’s players at Temple in 2011, and Boston College hired him after he went 4-7 in 2012. Addazio’s gone 7-6 three times in four years at BC and might might it four times this season.

Last Year: The Eagles started ‘17 with one win in their first four games, and that was a narrow victory over Northern Illinois. From there, however, Boston College went 6-2 and ended up playing in the Pinstripe Bowl. While Addazio’s team didn’t beat a ranked opponent, BC was able to go on the road in mid-October and take down Louisville and Virginia in back-to-back weeks, which likely salvaged the season.

The very next week, Boston College shocked, and beat up, Florida State at home, 35-3. That Friday-night win sent a message that things were different. Until that point, Addazio could have been considered to be on something of a hot seat. But relying on Dillon, BC found itself a scheme and a winning formula.

Ultimately, the Eagles ended the conference season with a 4-4 record, earning a trip to NYC to take on Iowa State. The Eagles lost the Pinstripe Bowl to the Cyclones, 27-20, but it was a successful season for Addazio and Boston College.

Last Game: Dillon rushed for 116 yards, hitting pay dirt twice, but somehow Florida State came away with a 22-21 home win. The Seminoles’ Deondre Francois connected on a 74-yard scoring strike with Tamorrion Terry with less than two minutes, which proved to be just enough for Willie Taggart and the Noles.

The result gives FSU hope for a bowl game, needing one more win this weekend, and it knocked Boston College for the top 25 and gave the Eagles their second straight loss.

Francois threw for 322 yards, his third highest output of the season, despite accounting for two picks. And running back Cam Akers rushed for 110 yard and a touchdown on the ground. In total, FSU churned out 478 yards of total offense in the victory.

“Fear Me, I’ve Killed Hundreds of Timelords”: Dillon absolutely destroyed Syracuse last year in the Dome. The then freshman nearly cracked 200 yards rushing. So far this season, Dillon has already rushed for over 1,000 yards and 10 TDs despite missing two games due to injury.

What’s interesting is that the Orange has collectively gotten better against the run over the last month. And even last weekend, it was Notre Dame’s Ian Book who picked Syracuse’s defense a part, not talented back Dexter Williams. But if BC is going to win Saturday, it’ll have to get the ground game going, and that will likely be due in large part to Dillon.

Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images

If Syracuse Wins: It ends 2018 with nine victories overall and six within the Atlantic Coast Conference-. And it will be the second road conference win for the Orange, a feat that hasn’t happened around here since 2013 (it would also be the third bowl eligible team SU will have beaten this season). Furthermore, a win over Boston College will keep Syracuse in the top-20 and will help rid the taste of last weekend’s beat-down from Notre Dame from fan’s mouths. Not to mention, with a New Year’s Day bowl out of the mix, defeating the Eagles keeps the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Fl, in play.

If Syracuse is going to ride any type of wave into ‘19, a good performance and a “W” are key in moving forward.

If Syracuse Loses: Hello, Pinstripe Bowl. That might be the case regardless of the outcome on Saturday, but it might be the only scenario with a defeat. (Which, if we’re being honest, isn’t exactly the worst punishment for Orange fans, right?) A loss to the Eagles also pushes Syracuse out of the top 25, a deflating premise for a team that was once considered the twelfth best team in the country.

Fun Fact No. 1: Starting in 1920, Boston College had an actual mounted eagle that served as its official mascot (although it was stationed within the athletic department offices.) Then, in 1961, BC went with a live, female “golden eagle.” Its name? Margo. Margo the golden eagle. Terrifying stuff.

Fun Fact No. 2: In 2015-16, Boston College pulled off the impressive feat of going 0-8 in ACC football play, AND 0-18 in ACC hoops in the same academic year. That’s garbage, and we can take pride in knowing we do not hold such a claim to fame.