Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1, 2-1 in ACC) -2, o/u 42 at Boston College Eagles (4-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. Eastern Thursday, ESPN
by Predictem.com Staff
Former Big East Conference rivals hook up in what is now a key Atlantic Coast Conference clash when the Virginia Tech Hokies take on the Boston College Eagles Thursday night in Chestnut Hill.
Virginia Tech started out this season with three easy wins, but then struggled in beating Cincinnati and got upset by Georgia Tech at home 12 days ago.
Boston College opened its season by beating Central Michigan by seven points, then defeated Clemson 34-33 and escaped an upset bid from BYU by winning 30-23 in OT. The Eagles then got beat in the waning moments at North Carolina State, and sleepwalked through a 22-0 win over Maine 12 days ago.
Both teams are 2-2 against the spread this season. And both VT and BC had last week off.
The Hokies returned five starters on both sides of the ball from a team that went 11-2 overall and 7-1 in the ACC Coastal Division last season.
The Eagles returned six starters on both sides of the ball from a team that went 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the ACC Atlantic last season.
V Tech beat BC last year 30-10 in Blacksburg as 14-point home favorites. The Hokies dominated the line of scrimmage, outrushing the Eagles 212-27, outgaining them 492-183 and holding the ball for 39 minutes. But somehow this game was a bit closer (at least to those who wagered on it) than those numbers might indicate. Boston College was within 23-10 with just three minutes remaining in the game when V Tech did what they do so often, which is score an unconventional (this time a 13-yard interception return) touchdown, giving the Hokies the cover.
The big problem for BC in that game was now-departed VT QB Marcus Vick, who went 22/28 for 280 yards and ran for 52 more.
The game stayed under its posted total of 46.
This season, the Hokies, at least statistically, are getting outrushed by an average of 104/103 per game. V Tech actually outrushed its first four opponents, but by slim margins. Georgia Tech then out-grounded the Hokies by 107 yards.
The Eagles are outrushing their opponents by a 126/115 average.
Sophomore QB Sean Glennon, making his sixth career start for V Tech, has completed 57% of his passes this season and owns a 7/3 TD/INT ratio.
Junior Matt Ryan, making his 11th start for BC, is hitting at a 60% completion clip this season and also owns a 7/3 TD/INT ratio.
In the last three weeks, the Hokies have suspended three starters, WRs Josh Morgan and Josh Hyman and DE Chris Ellis. Morgan is out for Thursday’s game, while Hyman and Ellis are listed as questionable.
On the other side, the Eagles have suspended kicker Ryan Ohliger, and he’ll be replaced by a sophomore walk-on. But that might not be a bad thing, considering Ohliger was 7-11 on field goal attempts and had missed three PATs this season.
The O/U is 3-1 in BC games this season, 2-2 in VT games.
The line and total on this game have moved very little since opening up with the Hokies as 2-point road chalk with an O/U of 42.
