BC tough enough to cover Clemson
New England rarely is the center of the college football world, but it’s the perfect week for No. 17 Boston College to host No. 2 Clemson. This is one of only three games in which both teams are ranked in the Associated Press poll, and since none of the other two is overly appealing, ESPN sent its “Gameday” crew to The Heights to check out the foliage. The teams will play a nationally televised game in prime time. The Tigers are 9-0 and on track for another appearance in the College Football Playoff. Their final hurdle in the ACC’s Atlantic Division is BC, which is 7-2 with only one conference loss (North Carolina State). If the Eagles, 20-point underdogs, can pull off a miracle, they will be in position to win the division and play in the ACC Championship Game for the first time since 2008. Clemson is not Alabama. The Crimson Tide run a gauntlet of tough SEC teams each season, while the Tigers beat up on Wake Forest (63-3) and Louisville (7716). It’s hard to know just how good Clemson is until it meets a stern test. Surprisingly, this is that test, for now at least. BC’s defense is the best Clemson has faced this season, and it’s not close. The Tigers have thrived on big plays from running back Travis Etienne and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but they will be harder to come by tomorrow night. The Eagles always seem to get up for these home games. They are not the better team, make no mistake, but they will use AJ Dillon to grind the clock and shorten the game. They hung around into the fourth quarter last year at Clemson, and this BC team is much better than the 2017 edition. I don’t know about an upset, but I’ll take BC and the 20 points. In other games:
TONIGHT
Louisville at Syracuse (over 69) – The Orange are up to No. 13, so they are huge favorites in this one. The Cardinals defense is atrocious, but ’Cuse also gives up tons of points. A 56-31 final is possible.
TOMORROW
BYU (-14) at UMass – The Cougars have struggled to score at times this season, but the UMass defense allows 473.6 yards per game and 6.6 per play. The Minutemen won this game last year, and BYU will remember, pulling away late at Gillette Stadium. Ohio State (-3½) at Michigan State – The No. 8 Buckeyes have looked shaky recently, losing to Purdue and strug- gling against Nebraska. Still, they should be able to handle the No. 24 Spartans the same way Michigan did in a 21-7 win. Ohio State’s offense is dynamic. Sparty’s is not. This line is a gift. Oklahoma State (+21) at Oklahoma – As the No. 6 Sooners proved last week, their defense just isn’t very good. The Bedlam rivalry has been decided by three touchdowns or more just once since 2011, and the Cowboys should be able to score enough to keep it within the number. Michigan at Rutgers (over 48) – The No. 4 Wolverines, favored by 39, are coming off three straight tough games. They will score almost every time they touch the ball, and the Scarlet Knights should score a garbage-time TD to bolster the total. Pittsburgh (-3) vs. Virginia Tech– The ACC Coastal title is in sight for the Panthers, who will pound the ball on the ground with RBs Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall. The Hokies couldn’t slow down BC’s Dillon, and they will lose the battle up front at Heinz Field. Mississippi State (+23½ )at Alabama – It didn’t work with LSU, but I’ll keep trying to cash in with all these points against the top-ranked Tide, who might be in a letdown spot after rolling in Baton Rouge. The No. 18 Bulldogs have a decent defense, and QB Nick Fitzgerald can make things happen with his legs. Auburn (+14) at Georgia – Both teams have been disappointing, to some degree, and both have won two straight following ugly losses. The No. 5 Bulldogs likely will win this game, but Auburn’s defensive line is strong enough to get in the backfield, and QB Jarrett Stidham has proven he can rally back from big deficits. Cincinnati (-14) vs. South Florida – The No. 25 Bearcats simply have more to play for, controlling their own destiny in the American Conference. The Bulls started 7-0 but have been deflated by two horrible losses to Houston and Tulane. They will run into a buzzsaw on the road. Last week: 5-5-0 Season: 39-44-3