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Boston College at Syracuse football: Predictions, odds, how to watch ACC rivalry game

ayrton ostly, usa today
·7-min read

Week 10 of ACC football features one of the oldest rivalries in the conference: Boston College (5-3, 2-2 ACC) and Syracuse (4-4, 0-4). The two teams first met in 1924 when Syracuse won 10-0 and have played 55 times in the following years.

Syracuse, fresh off a 38-10 loss to Virginia Tech, comes into Friday night's game winless in the ACC so far this season. Prior to ACC play, the Orange enjoyed a 4-0 start to the season. A dominant 65-0 win over Colgate to open the season gave way to a similarly dominant win over Western Michigan 48-7. The Orange went on the road against Purdue in Week 3 and earned a 35-20 win. One week later, a 29-16 win over Army gave Syracuse plenty of momentum heading into ACC play.

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A 31-14 loss to Clemson at home to open conference play proved to be the closest ACC game of the season so far for the Orange. A 40-7 loss to North Carolina, the 41-3 loss to Florida State, and last week's loss to Virginia Tech has the Orange at 0.500.

“It’s starting to be a theme,” Syracuse coach Dino Babers said after the Virginia Tech loss. “We have to find a way to stop that. We’ve got to get in these games and not get out of them... whatever we can to make sure that we have the opportunity to find a way to start faster.”

Arguably the toughest games of the Orange's season are behind them but Boston College will be not be easy.

While Syracuse has fallen off after a 4-0 start, Boston College is enjoying a winning streak after a tough start. A 27-24 overtime loss to Northern Illinois made for a rough beginning to 2023. The Eagles bounced back with a 31-28 win over rival Holy Cross in Week 2.

Boston College followed the rivalry win by nearly knocking off Florida State. Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos outplayed Seminoles signal caller and Heisman candidate Jordan Travis with 400 total yards and two scores but Florida State held on to win 31-29.

A week later Boston College lost 56-28 to Louisville. Since then, it's been all wins in Chestnut Hill.

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Two 27-24 wins over Virginia and Army got the Eagles back on track. The Army win gave Castellanos a chance to show off his legs with 142 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He continued that in Boston College's 38-23 win against Georgia Tech with 128 yards rushing, 255 yards passing, and two rushing touchdowns.

Last week, running back Kye Robichaux was the star with 112 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as the Eagles beat UConn 21-14. Boston College legends Doug Flutie and Tom Coughlin were on hand to watch the Eagles move one win closer to bowl eligibility. The latter spoke to the team on Friday before the game.

“That was special," Boston College coach Jeff Hafley said. "It was special for me, it was special for the team... He's a legend around here.”

“As a kid I grew up watching highlights, I always liked watching old football games,” Robichaux said. "When I got here, it was kind of an emphasis on my recruiting trip. They wanted to give me the history and everything. You kind of learn the history behind Boston College.”

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The two teams meet in central New York this week needing a win for different reasons. The Orange want to break this losing streak and avoid a winless conference record for the first time since joining the ACC in 2013. Boston College secures bowl eligibility with a victory and overtake the logjam of two-win teams in the ACC.

Boston College at Syracuse predictions roundup

ESPN: Boston College has an 75.1% chance for victory over Syracuse on the road

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), representing how above or below average a team is, rates the Orange higher than the Eagles. Despite the difference in FPI, ESPN analytics points to Boston College as the likely winner.

Athlon Sports: Boston College 28, Syracuse 24

Staff writes, "Last season, the Eagles were the underdog nine times and won two of those games." Athlon Sports also predicts the teams will barely clear the 51-point total.

BetMGM: Syracuse has a 62% chance to win and a 53.4% chance to cover the spread

Staff note that Boston College has hit the Moneyline in three of their last five road games.

Covers: Bet under 51 total points

Ed Scimia writes "the Boston College offense is only decent, averaging 28.1 points per game against mediocre competition. The Orange defense should have a bounce-back effort on Friday, especially against an Eagles offense that put up just 21 points against UConn last week."

How to Watch Syracuse vs. Boston College: TV channel and streaming

When: Friday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, New York

Cable TV: ESPN2

Streaming: ESPN app, FuboTV

How to watch: Catch the latest football action on Fubo

NCAAF odds Week 10: Boston College Eagles at Syracuse Orange

The Orange are favorites to defeat Boston College and get their first ACC win of the season, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering betting promos in 2023.

  • Spread: Syracuse (-2)

  • Moneyline: Syracuse (-130); Boston College(+110)

  • Over/under: 51

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Boston College vs. Syracuse injury report

  • Eagles TE George Takacs (undisclosed) is questionable

  • Eagles RB Pat Garwo III (leg) is questionable

  • Orange WR Trebor Pena (undisclosed) is questionable

  • Orange WR Umari Hatcher (head) is questionable

Boston College football schedule and results

  • Week 1: Sat. 09/02: Boston College 24-27 Northern Illinois FINAL, OT

  • Week 2: Sat. 09/09: Boston College 31-28 Holy Cross FINAL

  • Week 3: Sat. 09/16: Boston College 29-31 Florida State FINAL

  • Week 4: Sat. 09/23: Boston College 28-56 Louisville FINAL

  • Week 5: Sat. 09/30: Boston College 27-24 Virginia FINAL

  • Week 6: Sat. 10/07: Boston College 27-24 Army FINAL

  • Week 7: Sat. 10/14: Bye

  • Week 8: Sat. 10/21: Boston College 38-23 Georgia Tech FINAL

  • Week 9: Sat. 10/28: Boston College 21-14 UConn FINAL

  • Week 10: Fri. 11/03: Boston College at Syracuse, 7:30 p.m., ET, ESPN2

  • Week 11: Sat. 11/11: Boston College vs. Virginia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ET, ACC Network

  • Week 12: Thurs. 11/16: Boston College at Pitt, 7:00 p.m., ET, ESPN

  • Week 13: Fri. 11/24: Boston College vs. Miami, 12:00 p.m., ET, ABC

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Syracuse Orange football schedule and results

  • Week 1: Sat. 09/02: Syracuse 65-0 Colgate FINAL

  • Week 2: Sat. 09/09: Syracuse 48-7 Western Michigan FINAL

  • Week 3: Sat. 09/16: Syracuse 35-20 Purdue FINAL

  • Week 4: Sat. 09/23: Syracuse 29-16 Army FINAL

  • Week 5: Sat. 09/30: Syracuse 14-31 Clemson FINAL

  • Week 6: Sat. 10/07: Syracuse 7-40 North Carolina FINAL

  • Week 7: Sat. 10/14: Syracuse 3-41 Florida State FINAL

  • Week 8: Sat. 10/21: Bye

  • Week 9: Thurs. 10/26: Syracuse 10-38 Virginia Tech FINAL

  • Week 10: Fri. 11/03: Syracuse vs. Boston College, 7:30 p.m., ET, ESPN2

  • Week 11: Sat. 11/11: Syracuse vs. Pitt, 3:30 p.m., ET, ACC Network

  • Week 12: Sat. 11/18: Syracuse at Georgia Tech, TBD

  • Week 13: Sat. 11/25: Syracuse vs. Wake Forest, TBD

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boston College-Syracuse: odds, predictions, how to watch rivalry game