Syracuse vs. Boston College: TNIAAM predictions & poll

The No. 19 Syracuse Orange (8-3. 5-2) certainly didn’t look great last weekend, but will have a shot at redemption on Saturday against the rival Boston College Eagles (7-4, 4-3). Syracuse lost to BC last time around, but has won three of the five ACC meetings between the teams so far.

Boston College is favored by a touchdown at home — which seems like a lot even given the uncertainty about who’s playing quarterback for the Orange. SU’s 7-4 against the spread this season, as are the Eagles.

Everything gets going at noon ET from Chestnut Hill, Mass. (or ESPN/WatchESPN for those of us watching at home). Before we get to Saturday’s action, though, the TNIAAM staff predicts what might happen in this one...

Steve Haller

Syracuse 38, Boston College 31

The orange give Devito his runout and he throws up some points in his first start. They get ahead early, coast a little and BC starts to pound the ground against a gassed Syracuse defense but it’s too little too late.

Matt McClusky

Syracuse 31, Boston College 21

Two factors in play here for me. The first is, even though Boston College is talented enough, its defense has given up 30 or more points in three games this season, and allowed a subpar Florida State team get a late TD last weekend. Conversely, the Eagles have topped that 30-point threshold just once in the last month. Ultimately, I don’t see BC holding SU down in the 20s, and I don’t see BC scoring in the 30s. It wants to grind it out and, while that has worked in the past, Syracuse does enough to win on the road again. Of course, if Eric Dungey is out and Tommy DeVito struggles again, and if AJ Dillon goes off early, then all bets are off. But here’s guessing Syracuse, with either Dungey or DeVito, eventually runs past the Eagles. It’ll be a win that secures second place in the Atlantic Division (remember, the Orange was predicted to finish last prior to the start of the season), a pretty impressive achievement.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Wall

Syracuse 38, Boston College 34

I’m making this pick assuming that Eric Dungey is not playing on Saturday. BC’s got a very good defense but I think the Orange can hit some deep throws up the seams. When the Eagles have the ball, I’m not sure that AJ Dillon and Anthony Brown are healthy enough to cause the Syracuse defense enough problems. Syracuse closes out the year with an “upset” on the road.

John Cassillo

Syracuse 38, Boston College 28

I think DeVito or Dungey would show up pretty well for this one in a bounceback performance from last weekend’s disaster. Add in a hungry Orange defense and a likely banged-up A.J. Dillon, and I think there’s a recipe for SU to play at a similar level to what we’ve seen all year. Despite all of the criticism lobbed at the run D, it’s actually been better of late (and was last week) and BC doesn’t have the ability to beat us through the air. So give me win No. 9.

Now it’s your turn...