Predicting The 2011 Boston College Eagles Football Season, Part III (November)

Here are our predictions for September and October. Jeff has the Eagles at an amazing 7-1 and clearly ranked, while I have the Eagles 6-2. November has the two marquee games on the schedule with the Florida State Thursday night home game and an away game at Notre Dame on November 19. And oh yeah, by the way, BC also has two very important conference games against N.C. State and Miami (Florida).

November 3: Florida State

Brian: Is this game this year's Super Bowl for the Eagles? Or is it the road game later in the month against Notre Dame? Either way, BC will likely face two top 10 programs in the month of November in Florida State and Notre Dame. The Seminoles clearly have the most talent in the Atlantic Division this year and are poised to get back to the top of the ACC for the first time in six seasons. Or so I'm led to believe. Some are even predicting that FSU will win this year's National Title. If that's to happen, the Seminoles will have to get through a defensively tough BC squad in Chestnut Hill on a Thursday early November night on a quick turn around (both programs play the Saturday before). I want to go with the upset special in this one, but I just can't see BC knocking off a very talented Florida State team. This game will be close -- think BC vs. Florida State 2007 -- but in the end the 'Noles come away with the victory. BC falls to 6-3 (3-3 ACC) and is mathematically eliminated from the ACC Championship Game.

Jeff: Things I don't agree with include the idea that FSU will win the national title this season. If they can make it there, I would expect them to be huge underdogs to the SEC champ. Anyway, back to this game. I am very much looking forward to this matchup. I think both teams will be ranked when entering this game. FSU probably around #10 and BC #19-25. It is somewhat rare that two ranked teams meet up on a Thursday night so ESPN will certainly be excited. BC will be 4-1 in conference and looking to position themselves for a better bowl game and put themselves in first place in the division with a win. Unfortunately, I think the team is too young to rise to such an occasion this season. I think this game will be very competitive at least for most of it but some turnovers on both sides lead to a little bit more of a shootout than BC can win. FSU wins. BC 27 FSU 35.

November 12: N.C. State

Jeff: Will this be the last time BC faces a Tom O'Brien led Wolfpack team? Probably not, but that doesn't mean there won't be some talk about TOB being on the hot seat. It is very possible that N.C. State will start the season 7-0 and finish 7-5. This is a game that the Eagles seemingly have an advantage over the Wolfpack simply from playing at home as it is otherwise a close matchup on paper. Last season the Wolfpack killed BC and I just don't see the Eagles bouncing back against this team this year even though Russell Wilson has departed. Every season we look back at a game and say how did we lose that one and this will be that game this season. In fact, I think we don't even compete with N.C. State with the game sitting between Florida State and Notre Dame. BC goes down in this one 13-27.

Brian: This has all the makings not of a WTF loss for Spaz, but of a WTF loss for Tom O'Brien! As you mentioned Jeff, N.C. State could very well be 8-1 or 7-2 heading to the Heights with a top 15 rankings. This has trap game written all over it for TOB. BC will benefit from the extra time off coming off its Thursday night meeting with Florida State, while N.C. State will be coming off a highly charged, emotional game against Coastal Division rival North Carolina. Basically, this has all the makings of a WTF loss for TOB, not Spaz. Don't let last year's final score fool you. The final score had everything to do with the fact that Shinskie turned in a miserable performance and TOB enjoyed running up the score. I'm significantly less worried about Glennon than I was about RW. I see the Eagles turning in a dominant defensive performance, bottling up the Wolfpack offense and winning a low-scoring affair 20-10. The Eagles bounce back from their loss to the Seminoles to improve to 7-3 (4-3 ACC).

November 19: at Notre Dame

Brian: This is the game that the casual Eagles fan has marked on their calendar. This is the BC Super Bowl for fans who can't tell you which programs are in the Atlantic Division and which ones are in the Coastal. Call me crazy, but I see BC reversing their fortunes from the last two years' meetings with the Irish and pulling out a win in South Bend. Notre Dame will be riding high coming into this one, after rattling off two big wins against ACC Atlantic Division teams Wake Forest and Maryland. The Eagles catch the Irish looking ahead to their big game at Stanford in the regular season finale. The ND loss moves the Irish to 9-2 on the year and again dashes any hope of a BCS National Championship Game appearance. BC improves to 8-3 overall and everyone is feeling good about Spaz, Rogers and the Eagles.

Jeff: BC could very well be entering this game riding a two game losing streak. Given the focus of the team to put it all on the line in the ACC, injuries might be an issue in this game. As the preseason has taught us, there are several positions that we are not very deep in. Notre Dame is not National Championship caliber but they are somewhat improved from a few seasons ago. On the road, and possibly nursing injuries resulting from BC's ridiculously back loaded schedule, I don't think the Eagles pull off a victory here. I hope to see some touchdowns and BC to have a chance to win the game late. I'll predict a BC loss here extending their losing streak to 3 games and giving them a 7-4 (4-3 ACC) record on the season. BC 18 Notre Dame 24.

November 25: at Miami

Jeff: The final game of the season is at Miami on ABC at 3:30 the day after Thanksgiving. BC should have at least 3 highly rated TV games this season but in the end this might not be one of them -- Florida State, Notre Dame and a primetime game at Virginia Tech. Miami has thrown up on themselves this offseason by bringing in the head coach from Temple. Yes, the mighty U brought in a coach from Temple. And now they are knee deep in NCAA problems. Miami is far from its old self and we currently have no idea what state they might be in when it reaches this final game of the season. Both teams have outside chances of playing for the right to go to Charlotte and both teams could be licking wounds. Miami is more likely to be licking wounds that result from things worse than this season's record. Partly because of the other distractions Miami has and partly because I just think BC is the better team, BC will strike early and cruise to an easy victory. BC 27-10.

Brian: Down in Miami Gardens, the temporary euphoria from a huge win over a Top 10 Irish team is dashed by a very talented Miami program. Say what you will about Golden, the off-field issues and the fact that the NCAA is certainly going to come down hard on the U, but Miami is still a very talented football program. Barring any further player suspensions or injuries, the U will have their entire team back and will be clicking on all cylinders. Jacory Harris is terrorized by the Eagles D, but the Hurricanes break through a couple times and Rettig, Harris and the Eagles' offense can't get much going. The other thing that gives me pause about this game is this: even when we think we have the better team, the Eagles find ways of losing down in Miami (see: 2006). There's something about playing the U in Florida that BC just can't seem to solve. Boston College is a dropped Gerard Phelan Hail Mary TD pass away from being 0-16 all-time against the 'Canes away from home. I just can't see this year's team breaking through and notching just the program's second road win against Miami. Still, the Eagles finish the year 8-4 (4-4 ACC) on the year, which effectively quiets the #FireSpaz crowd.