2014 Boston College Football Season Expectations
By Joe Micik
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
2014 Boston College Football Season Expectations: Best-Case Scenario
Boston College starts their season right by trouncing UMass at Gillette Stadium in a game where Eagles fans outnumber the Minutemen fans. They only have six days to then prepare for Pittsburgh in their home opener, but it is no matter, as Boston College pulls the upset and takes down the Panthers by about a one-touchdown margin to start off 2-0 in back-to-back years.
Then, just like last season, USC sends the Eagles to 2-1, but unlike 2013, Boston College actually makes the Trojans work for their victory. The Eagles are fired up playing in the prime time game and actually strike first; USC will eventually take the lead and pull away slightly, but the Eagles will have done their best.
The following week, Boston College moves up to 3-1 with a big win over Maine at Alumni Stadium in their third-straight home game. That contest precedes Colorado State, who play what some will find to be a surprisingly tough game against the Eagles, but Boston College prevails by about seven to 10 points. More importantly, they are up to 4-1 by the end of September and look to be surging towards bowl eligibility.
The Eagles will not leave Massachusetts until October 11 to play the Wolfpack, and for only the second time since joining the ACC, Boston College beats a so-so NC State team in a back-and-forth contest. Boston College is now 5-1, needing only one win in their last six games to get another bowl invite — even though at 5-1, they will be thinking better thoughts, but they will not be ranked (yet perhaps getting a few votes in the AP poll).
Boston College comes back home to play Clemson and puts another scare into the Tigers like last season, but once again, Dabo foils the Eagles’ plans and Clemson escapes with a win; however, they will not cover. Boston College is at this point sitting at 5-2.
In this scenario, the Eagles lock up bowl eligibility on October 25 by defeating Wake Forest in Winston-Salem by about a touchdown. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, Steve Addazio has made believers out of everyone by having his team at 6-2 despite the losses of countless starters.
Boston College takes a step back with a stumble against Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium to fall to 6-3, but then they come home for their first ACC game against Louisville. The Fightin’ Petrinos play reasonably well, aside from the fact that the Eagles get almost all the lucky breaks and what few turnovers there are. Just like the Hokies game in 2013, Boston College wins one they quote-unquote shouldn’t and move to 7-3.
Even with a bye week to prepare, Boston College’s game at Florida State goes predictably, but the Eagles enter their finale against Syracuse at 7-4. This time, the Eagles get their payback.
8 WINS, 4 LOSSES
Page 3: Worst-case scenario