Boston College Football: Can Eagles take advantage of Seminoles in turmoil?

Boston College football is trying to clinch bowl with just three games to go. Can they take advantage of a Florida State team in the midst of some turmoil?

Boston College football is back after their best performance of the season, blowing out Syracuse 58-27. The Eagles had a dominating performance led by 496 rushing yards on the day, and a 34 point second quarter that put the game to rest early.

The Eagles now sit at 5-4, just one win away from becoming bowl eligible. That is something that seemed impossible when starting quarterback Anthony Brown was out for the season on Oct. 5 against Louisville, but backup Denis Grosel has managed the game well in their two wins, and he threw for three touchdowns last week against the Orange on just 10 pass attempts.

They face a Florida State team who now is out of a head coach. Willie Taggart was fired after their loss to Miami 27-10. It was a frustrating performance where the Seminoles quarterbacks threw two interceptions and allowed nine sacks against the Hurricanes.

It was clear change was coming to Tallahassee, but the suddenness of Taggart’s departure leaves a hole in the team in a tough road matchup. Both of these teams are in a must-win scenario to get bowl eligible, as the Seminoles need to win two of their last three games and still have Florida on their schedule. While the Eagles need one more win, but are on the road against Notre Dame and Pitt to finish the season.

Here’s how to watch:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Venue: Alumni Stadium
TV: ACC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

This is a battle of two of the best running backs in the country, and the Eagles need to stick to what’s working for them in this one, which is the heavy rushing attack. AJ Dillon and David Bailey combine for one of the best running back duos in the nation, rushing for 1,984 yards and 19 touchdowns combined. Dillon, by himself, is second in the country in rushing with 1,286 yards.

The Eagles rush as a team for 5.5 yards per carry, and will look to find some holes in a Florida State defense that allows 154 yards per game and 15 rushing touchdowns on the season. They aren’t one of the strongest defense in the country and will struggle with star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson out for the season after hand surgery.

Boston College will also need to find a way to generate some pressure. It’s no secret that Florida State’s offensive line is abysmal, but the Eagles only have one player with more than three sacks on the season, linebacker Max Richardson. Beating the Seminoles means getting after one of the worst offensive lines in football, and it starts with Richardson up front.

Florida State needs to rely on Cam Akers, and play with some fire for their new coach. It’s amazing to me that Akers is actually sticking around to end the season than preparing for the NFL at this point, but he was the teams best runner again last week, caught the touchdown pass, and completed both of his passes in the wildcat formation. He’s the best player on the team and needs to be a leader if Florida State is to win on the road.

Akers is the catalyst, but it was clear that Florida State may have quit on Taggart. If they needed a spark, the new coach should do the trick. They need a spirited performance in this contest.

Betting Odds

Courtesy of The Action Network

Line: Boston College -2.5
Over/Under: 63.5

Prediction

This game is just simply going to come down to if Boston College can supply any sort of pressure. Florida State has more talent, but their offensive line will always be a mess. I think the Eagles get pressure and subdue Akers slightly.

The Eagles have also began to find their offense, and they will be able to find a lot of space against Florida State. They win this one and gain bowl eligibility on the season.

Final Score: Boston College 34, Florida State 24