Boston College’s bye week really could not have come at a better time. After two losing two tight games, and more importantly quarterback Anthony Brown to another heart-breaking injury, this was a good time for the team to regroup and prepare Dennis Grosel for his first collegiate start. Not to mention somewhat calm us all down and remove any expectations ever apparent. Grosel came on in relief in the second quarter of the Louisville game and played admirably. He was 9/24 for 111 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. As long as Grosel doesn’t try and do too much as it felt on the final drive against Louisville, maybe BC can eke out some wins here or there.
The Wolfpack enter this game 4-2 on the season, coming off a 16-10 win over Syracuse last week. They’ve lost bad in both of their road games to FSU and West Virginia, but have played solid defensively, particularly against the run. Their front is the best part of their team, but at least their opposite is the best part of the Eagles’ roster. They’ve allowed only 66.7 yards/game on the ground, but will surely be focused on bottling up Dillon and Bailey in this contest. Up front, we’ll need to keep an eye out for Larrell Murchison at defensive tackle, alongside Alim McNeill.
On the other side, their offense has looked quite inconsistent, and a few quarterbacks have already seen action. This week, we’re looking at Bailey Hockman and maybe some of freshman Devin Leary. Hockman has appeared in three games, and has a 57.1 completion percentage, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Their main backs are all young have shown a few flashes, but really haven’t put up the numbers yet to show for. That being said, there’s nothing like a game against Boston College to make your offense look like a juggernaut. They know all about the Eagles’ susceptibility to explosive plays all around the field.
I think a vast majority of us aren’t expecting all too much for this game, and honestly the remainder of the season. But hey, sometimes moments like these can galvanize a team, bring them closer, and play more inspired ball. Every player knows they’re going to have to step up more than ever. Hopefully change will come soon, but until such time, it does us no good to dwell on things that have been litigated ad nauseam. In Grosel we trust.
The Oddsmakers:
Spread: NC State -3
Money Line: NC State -160 / BC +135
Over/Under: 51.5
NC State has won two in a row against the Eagles and two in a row in Chestnut Hill. I like to think that BC will come out strong, and I’m sure we’ll see some trickery in this game. If there is a kitchen sink, it will be thrown. One thing is for sure, BC is not looking ahead to Clemson. That’s one of the more ridiculous things I’ve heard this week. I think the best hope to win is to win in an ugly fashion, but I’m all about high risk, high reward plays now. Let’s make it weird.
Staff Predictions:
Grant: 31 NCSU - 10 BC
Niraj: 23 NCSU - 19 BC
Arthur: 120 BC - 0 NCST
Pat: 27 NCSU - 20 BC