Boston College Eagles Odds to win the College Football National Championship with Expert Betting Predictions

It's harder to define what success means for Boston College than for most other teams out there. Was last year a success or a failure? Well, they crushed Florida State won a thriller at Louisville, and they made a decent bowl game. But they got beaten by Iowa in that bowl game, got rolled over by Notre Dame and Clemson, and lost at home to Wake Forest and NC State. So, it was a mixed bag - which pretty much defines the Steve Addazio era. The coach is 31-33 through five seasons. Every so often he gives you reason to believe his team is about to break through, but the next time they sustain it will be the first time.

2017 in a Nutshell

It was like the Eagles were two separate and unrelated teams last season. For the first half of the year they were pretty lousy. They won their opener at Northern Illinois, and they won their fifth game against Central Michigan. But they were beaten up by Wake Forest, Notre Dame, at Clemson, and Virginia Tech. The previously-stout defense was missing in action, and the offense was inept. But then a switch was flipped. They closed out with wins in five of six, winning at Louisville and Virginia, shocking Florida State, beating UConn at Fenway Park, and winning at Syracuse. The lone loss was a close one at home against NC State that they would surely like to have back. The offense was much better, and the defense wasn't embarrassing. The team in the second half would have had at least one more win in the first half. The loss to Iowa in the Pinstripe Bowl wasn't ideal, but it wasn't an embarrassing effort, either.

Key Additions and Departures

The coaching staff is the same up top, but it has gone through some changes - especially on defense. Paul Pasqualoni had been coaching the defensive line for two years, but he left to become DC for the Detroit Lions. He's a loss, and it has caused some shuffling of personnel and roles.

On the field the shifts in personnel are typical. They lost three players to the draft - all on defense, with a linebacker and two corners. Linebacker Harold Landry is the biggest loss, but it's not insurmountable. The incoming recruiting class was not spectacular - just one four-star player among 20 new additions - but then the new classes are never great for a school like this one. The team will be in the same kind of shape that they were heading into last year on the field, more or less.

Biggest Area of Concern

As is so often the case with teams, the biggest concern is at quarterback. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Brown started last year, found his way as he gained experience, and then was lost to an injury. He's healthy again - or at least it seems that way - but mobility is a huge part of his game, so we can't yet know how ready he will be after dealing with a leg issue. They need him to be strong and take a step forward from last year to pair up with star running back A.J. Dillon.

Boston College Eagles Schedule Analysis

The Eagles, if all goes well, could start out at 5-0. They open with gift home games against UMass and Holy Cross. Then they face tougher-but-still-manageable trips to Wake Forest and Purdue, before hosting Temple. Success is no lock, but it is possible. But then they head into an absolutely brutal six-game stretch - At NC State, against Louisville and Miami, at Virginia Tech, at home against Clemson, then at Florida State. They finish with an easier one against Syracuse, and they will need it after that rough stretch.

2018-19 Boston College Eagles Betting Odds and Trends

Boston College sits at +2500 to win the ACC, which makes them the seventh choice. They don't currently have odds to win the national title listed, which tells you a lot about this team. A.J. Dillon is a long shot contender to win the Heisman at +3300 - a bet that would be more attractive if the team did get off to a hot start.

2018-19 Boston College Eagles Predictions and College Football Picks

The team should play in a bowl game again, and they should have a surprising game or two. But the schedule maker did not do them any favors, and I think it is going to be too much for them to overcome. If they were to match last year's record it would be a reasonably successful season - at least by the measure of this team.

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