Syracuse will try to snap a four-game losing streak when they host the Boston College Eagles (2:00 p.m. ET / ACC Network) on Saturday. Ahead of the game, The Juice Online’s Brendan Blehar and Wes Cheng give their predictions below.
Brendan Blehar
Season Record (0-0)
With Syracuse at 1-6, the Orange is looking for any sort of positive momentum building as they head into the final stretch of this forgettable season. While there have been flashes of good football, Syracuse has not been able to sustain this for four quarters.
On the other side, Boston College made headlines last weekend in a thriller where they nearly handed No. 1 Clemson their first loss of the season. While there is no such thing as moral victories in a sport where every game matters, this game alone should show where the 4-3 Eagles are as a team compared to the Orange.
Boston College averages almost 28 points a game and should be able to handle this one easily. Syracuse’s offense has struggled, and as a result, time of possession has kept their defense on the field more much than it should be.
In the loss to Wake Forest, Syracuse’s offense was unable to eclipse 60 total plays, which in turn totally gassed a young defense. Syracuse averages just 65 plays on offense this year, and for reference, they averaged 85 last year.
Given Rex Culpepper’s turnover issues and Syracuse’s inability to come away with points when they’re deep in their own territory, Boston College should win this one with relative ease in a 35-14 decision.
» Related: Three takeaways from Syracuse’s loss to Wake Forest
Wes Cheng
Season Record 3-3
Boston College is left wondering ‘what if?’ after a close loss to Clemson last week. The Eagles went into halftime against the No. 1 team in the country and presumptive ACC representative in the College Football Championship up 18. But even without Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers eked out a six-point win despite not having Trevor Lawrence (COVID).
Quarterback Phil Jurkovec looked sharp in the first half, and ultimately finished with 204 yards and a pair of scores, but threw a costly intentional grounding pass late for a safety, and looked mostly flustered in the second half.
For Syracuse, the season is all about getting younger players experience for 2021, which means that the Orange should give freshman quarterback JaCobian Morgan more opportunities. He relieved an ineffective Rex Culpepper late in the Wake Forest game, leading the Orange to a touchdown drive while completing all seven of his passes.
Granted, the game was out of hand and Wake Forest was mostly playing second-string players and operating strictly out of a base defense, but at this point, Syracuse knows that Culpepper is not a long term answer under center.
Both defenses come have created a net positive turnover ratio, but given Syracuse’s struggles on offense all year, it’s hard to imagine the Orange getting into the win column for the rest of the year. Boston College will take this one 35-17.
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