Boise State Football: Group of 5 darling aims to upend Boston College in First Responder Bowl
By Zach Bigalke
Boise State football lost the Mountain West championship game against Fresno State, but they get a last chance to end the year on a high note against Boston College.
When they squared off against Clemson in November, Boston College still had a shot at the ACC Atlantic. But losing to the Tigers tripped up the Eagles as it started a three-game losing streak to end the season. They take on a Boise State team that made it to the Mountain West championship game after racking up seven games in a row, but fell 19-16 in overtime at home to Fresno State.
The Broncos failed to take the Mountain West crown, but they still boasted a top-25 offense and a top-40 defense. Brett Rypien was a top-10 quarterback in passing yards and passing touchdowns, finishing the regular season No. 16 in passing efficiency. And over the back half of the season, Alexander Mattison emerged as one of the best running backs in college football.
Even though Boston College couldn’t keep the winning streak going at the end of the regular season, the Eagles still had a memorable season. They were adept at snatching takeaways, ranking in the top 10 nationally in turnovers gained. Steve Addazio’s squad was good in general at stifling opposing passers, averaging 2.75 sacks per game and ranking 28th in pass efficiency defense.
Can the Eagles fend off the Broncos, or will Bryan Harsin‘s team snatch another statement victory over a Power Five opponent? Here’s how you can watch the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl between No. 25 Boise State and Boston College:
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 26
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Location: Dallas, Texas
Venue: Cotton Bowl
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
No team has been worse at punting this season than Boise State, which nets fewer than 32 yards per punt. The coverage team allows an average of 15 yards per punt return, which has put a major damper on Quinn Skillin’s effectiveness in flipping the field when the Broncos fail to move the chains. The punt coverage team needs to be far better against Boston College to come out ahead at the Cotton Bowl.
Boston College needs to pick up first downs and grind down the game clock to win the First Responder Bowl. The goal for the Eagles is to shorten the game and limit the opportunities Boise State has to overpower their Power Five counterpart. Boston College has had issues especially on third downs, moving the chains less than 34 percent of the time. They will need to be more consistent at keeping drives going to win in Dallas.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Boise State -2.5
Over/Under: 55.5
dark. Next. 2018-2019 Bowl Watchability Index
Prediction
Boise State excels in these types of games, and the First Responder Bowl should be no exception. Getting to play at the legendary Cotton Bowl stadium, the Broncos are going to pull out all the stops. We will almost certainly see a trick play or two as Boise State gradually pulls away in the second half for a double-digit victory.
Final Score: Boise State 38, Boston College 24