Boston College at NC State: Bottom Line & Pick

Michael Ivins-US PRESSWIRE

Only one more football pick this year, which might not be a bad thing depending on your attitude about this season. I’ve gone 9-2 picking BC’s games in 2012, with the only two misses being Miami and Army. At least I can still attain that highly elusive 10-2 season that some fans expect out of the football team every year.

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of the 2012 sea…oh, who the hell are we kidding.

How Boston College Will Win
Boston College will win if they care and NC State doesn’t. Aside from that, BC will have to finally do something against the Wolfpack defense, which they didn’t last year and haven’t done lately against anyone, while their own defense somehow holds together. The Eagle defense is really the key here, but will they be able to put aside 11 games of problems for one final push? Time will tell.

How NC State Will Win
NC State will win if their offense against BC looks anything like their offense against Clemson. The Eagles have made marginal improvements on offense but if the Wolfpack and Mike Glennon start hurling touchdown passes, BC probably won’t be able to keep up. They will take it if they get a good enough defensive performance and they’re not wholly incompetent on the offensive side of the ball. As I’ve said before, teams do not have to play their best to beat BC anymore. NC State probably just needs to be adequate.

Bottom Line
In an ironic twist, Frank Spaziani faces Tom O’Brien in his last game as Boston College coach. It could be his Super Bowl and maybe the team gets an emotional boost, but if they really wanted to save Spaz’s job, they should have started a long time ago. Our soon-to-be-former coach suffers one last ignominious defeat and becomes the first coach since 1978 – a year in which his coaching philosophy might have been successful – to lose ten games.

Boston College at NC State: Pick
Score estimate: NC State 27, Boston College 20

Additional Information
• Boston College won the last meeting, 14-10, in 2011
• NC State won the last meeting in Raleigh, 44-17, in 2010