It looked like the Boston College Eagles were gaining momentum heading into this season. Still, a 3-7 start is not what they had planned heading into the Holy War against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Of course, Notre Dame had great momentum as the players helped get Marcus Freeman the coaching job in the offseason, but he lost his first three games, including the first two regular season games this year.
The Fighting Irish (7-3) have won four straight but have losses to a bad Stanford team and bad Marshall but have quality wins over North Carolina, Brigham Young, Syracuse (at the time), and Clemson. A weird, roller-coaster season.
Boston College Eagles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Matchup Info
The first meeting of the Holy War was in 1975, a 17-3 Notre Dame win, which set the tone. The Fighting Irish are 16-9 all-time and have won the last seven in the series dating back to 2009, making a lot of people choosing their side on NCAAF betting picks rather happy. The rivalry gets its name as the only two Catholic universities that compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision series, creating one of the more well-watched college football matchups.
Boston College Eagles Performance Recap and Analysis
Boston College game predictions have not gone their way.
The Eagles are 3-7 against the spread and 5-5 on over/under. They are also 1-4 straight up on the road. The Eagles figured to be competitive in the ACC but sit at the basement of the Atlantic standings with a 2-5 record.
Though Notre Dame is on the NCAA schedule of several ACC teams due to their agreement, it does not count against the college football standings as the Fighting Irish remain independent.
One of the reasons Boston College had high hopes was the return of quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who is questionable Saturday with a knee injury. Though he’s battled injuries, the offensive line has not held up at all.
The Boston College offense is last in the country, rushing at 62.9 yards per game and 119th (out of 131) in scoring at 19.0 points per game. They are 117th in total offense at 322.5 yards per game and remarkably 40th in passing at 259.6 yards per game.
Defensively they are decent. The Eagles are 54th in total defense, allowing 366.3 yards per game but are 88th in points allowed at 28.8 per contest. The pass defense has held up well, allowing 209.3 yards through the air.
Key Injuries
Aside from Jurkovec, there are three players who were previously named out for the season: DE Shitta Sillah, OL Kevin Cline, and OL Christian Mahogany.
Betting Trends to Know
The Eagles are 1-4 against the spread in their last five road games. Ditto for their last five road games against a team with a winning record and against independents. That should clarify any ideas about Boston College vs. Notre Dame betting picks.
Although, the road team is 6-2 against the spread in their last eight meetings. Separately, Boston College is 5-2 against the spread in their last seven meetings inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Performance Recap and Analysis
Notre Dame Fighting Irish is a touchdown away from being mentioned in the College Football Playoff discussions. The Fighting Irish lost by five at home to Marshall as 20-point favorites and by two at home to Stanford as 16.5-point favorites.
Aside from that, Notre Dame football stats show the team has fared well. Defensively is the calling card, ranking 25th in total defense at 331.2 yards allowed per game and 39th in allowing 22.3 points per game. They are harsh against the pass, ranking 27th at holding teams to 193.8 yards passing per game.
Offensively has been a big struggle, however. The Fighting Irish are 78th in amassing 374.7 total yards per game and 60th in scoring 29.7 points per game. They have a great ground game running behind a strong offensive line, ranking 44th in gaining 182.2 yards per game on the ground. They’ve struggled through the air, ranking 109th with 192.5 yards passing per game.
Key Injuries
A lengthy list of college football injuries includes starting quarterback Tyler Buchner, who has been out since September. This week’s potential players are LB Jack Kiser (probable, ankle), S Brandon Joseph (doubtful, ankle), and wide receiver Tobias Merriweather (questionable, undisclosed).
Betting Trends to Know
Notre Dame is 7-0 against the spread in their last seven games against ACC opponents.
Furthermore, the Fighting Irish have not lost a regular season game against an ACC opponent, with the lone loss coming to Clemson in the ACC championship game during the COVID-19 season in which Notre Dame joined a conference for the first and only time.
The over is 4-0 in the last four Notre Dame games. However, in the Holy War, the under is 8-2 in the last ten meetings and 5-0 in the previous five meetings at Notre Dame Stadium.
Boston College Eagles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Odds
College football odds show Notre Dame as three-touchdown favorites with an over/under for 43 points. A massive upset would net a Boston College moneyline bet of +1030 while Notre Dame’s moneyline is -2342.
Here are our Boston College vs. Notre Dame betting picks:
Boston College Eagles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Picks
- Moneyline: Notre Dame -2342 – There is no reason Notre Dame should lose this game, but there is no reason they should have lost to Stanford or Marshall, either.
- Over/Under: Under 43 – Two bad offenses, an above-average defense, and an average defense should mean not a lot of points in potentially cold conditions.
- Spread: Boston College +21 – The Eagles’ offense is not very good, but this game shouldn’t be high scoring with two terrible offenses, and any Notre Dame turnovers will help out Boston College with field position.
Boston College Eagles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Score Prediction
This will be disguised as a good game because of the score, but it will be a blowout.
NCAAF Pick: Notre Dame 24, Boston College 13
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