Game Predictions – Central Michigan

Game Predictions – Central Michigan

For every Football, Hockey, Basketball, and Baseball game this year, the board members of WZBC Sports will be offering their picks on whether the Eagles will win or lose. Throughout the year, we will be tracking who has the best prediction record, crowning a winner at the conclusion of Baseball season. Here are our picks for the Clemson. 

Standings:

Matt Sottile4-0
TJ Hartnett3-1
Quinn Kelly3-1
Steve McAlee3-1
Landon Komishane3-1
Matt Seelig3-1
Kyle Maslan3-1
Ben Neuwirth3-1
Al Preziosi3-1
Andrew Linnehan3-1
Sam Parsons3-1

TJ Hartnett: Oh baby, welcome to “Must Win” season, my favorite time of year! It’s parents weekend, the weather looks like pure fall, and the Chippewas are coming to town! This is the most classic make it or break it game of the season. If the Eagles come up victorious, they keep marching on towards the possibility of bowl world. If the Eagles come up short, que the dumpster fire emoji. Don’t sleep on the 2-2 Chippies, they beat Kansas already this year despite being blown out by the Orange of Syracuse. If the Defense plays the way they did against the #2 Tigers, BC will win. But also, if the Offense plays the way they did against the #2 Tigers, BC fans may find themselves checking their pulses. CMU has a much worse defense, one the Eagles should be able to put 20+ points on. This is a huge statement game for AB13, where he can truly break out and attempt to silence the doubters heading into an under the lights matchup vs the Hokies. Chippewas are coming off a loss to Miami of Ohio, another MAC 2-2 wonder. BC CANNOT lose this game, and that pressure will be felt throughout Alumni. Eagles will show up, turnovers will be forced, and though they may make you sweat, the offense will come through. Eagles 24, CMU 10

Steve McAlee: BC’s defense still plays with a ferocity that can be matched by very few units in the country. Special teams has also been excellent. No matter who you play, though, if you are unwilling to take advantage of turnovers and stomp on your opponent while they’re down, you will not win football games; I don’t care who you’re playing. That is the M.O. of Steve Addazio’s offensive scheme: play NOT to lose rather than strike while the iron’s hot. The iron will be hot against CMU, but allowing the team to strike is a sight we have rarely seen in the last three seasons. Maybe this is finally the week where BC’s insistent run game bullies around a lesser run defense (ranked 92nd in the nation). If AJ Dillon continues to get more carries and the defense plays close to as inspired as they were in Death Valley, I think BC pulls this one out. BC 19, Central Michigan 17

Landon Komishane: This could be considered as the proverbial “trap game” for BC. Central Michigan is coming off of two straight losses, and they have been struggling on both sides of the ball. BC has shown some flashes against some better opponents, but their overall football strategy of playing not to lose has hurt them in big spots. Steve Addazio was unwilling to take any chances with his freshman quarterback and did not get aggressive. They are just happy to keep the game close. If BC continues to use that philosophy, they will continue to lose games against better opponents. With two ranked opponents in Virginia Tech and Louisville coming up on the schedule, BC needs this game to get back on track. However, everyone seems to be writing off this game because of how unimpressive CMU has been. BC had a letdown against Colorado State three years ago when no one expected it. This will be a close game as BC is unable to put their foot on the gas pedal. I think Central Michigan will catch BC off guard and upset the Eagles on Parents’ Weekend. Then Steve Addazio’s seat will start to get very hot. Central Michigan 20, BC 17

Matt Seelig: With an excellent performance from our defense and special teams against Clemson, Central Michigan should be a winnable game. The Chippewas have been stumbling, losing their last two games to Syracuse and Miami Ohio. A struggling MAC team should be nothing compared to the defending national champions. The trouble, as always, is that you can’t win a football game with just defense and special teams. As we saw last week, holding Clemson to one touchdown means nothing if you can’t put the ball in the end zone yourself. BC’s offense has yet to put up big numbers, but this might be their best opportunity for a good offensive game. Central Michigan gave up a combined 83 points to Syracuse and Miami. Their defense will not be as airtight as Clemson’s and I think we have the talent to score on them, even with Coach Addazio’s hyper-conservative offensive strategy. If our defense plays a good game, we may only need a couple scoring drives to add one to the W column. BC 20 – Central Michigan 13

Kyle Maslan: Three losses in a row needs to stop this week if anybody in the BC locker room still has postseason aspirations. Central Michigan is comming in reeling off of back to back losses to ‘Cuse and Miami (OH) and hopefully BC can make it three straight. The CMU offense has stalled against upper level opponents scoring under 20 points each game. Their defense hasn’t been stellar either giving up over 27 points every game this year. BC has yet to score more than 23 points in a game so we will see if Anthony Brown and Company can have a breakout game vs. the MAAC opponent and make it 3 for 3 on Parent’s weekend in my time here. Look for BC to try and extend the good feelings from 3 quarters of Clemson into 4 quarters vs. CMU. Boston College 30 – Central Michigan 10

Ben Neuwirth: BC was extremely effective against Clemson last week, the 7-7 score at the end of the 3rd quarter shocked everyone, but ultimately came up short, losing their 3rd consecutive game. They face a depleted Central Michigan team missing 2 of their starting receivers and star tight end but southpaw QB Shane Morris was a top recruit and is still dangerous and WR Mark Chapman is a yardage monster. The Eagles secondary was shut down until they ran out of gas in Death Valley. They’ll be missing star LB Connor Strachan, a big loss, but this unit has to rebound. If they can enforce a no fly zone while QB Anthony Brown and fellow frosh A.J. Dillon roast a feeble Chippewa run defense, Boston College can come out of top and begin to turn around their season. Another loss could send the team into a spiral. BC 27 CMU 20

Al Preziosi: This game is likely the easiest remaining for Boston College. To have any shot at a bowl game, the Eagles must win this one. Expect a defensive battle for most of the game, but BC’s offense should give the Eagles enough to win. BC 23 – CMU 10

Sam Parsons: The Chippewas coming to town might just be the pick-me-up this BC team needs. CMU has dropped their last two games to Syracuse and Miami University by a combined 41 points, and the Eagles have dropped their last two games to great opponents in ways similar to each other: 3 quarters of solid football, followed by a quarter of awful football. A home game on parents’ weekend against a MAC team could be a good practice in sustainability. The biggest problem this Eagles defense has had so far has been giving up rushing yards to opposing QBs: they’ve ceded 504 yards on the ground to opposing signal callers (never allowing fewer than 92 in a game) in the first four games. Luckily, CMU QB Shane Morris has just 96 yards on the ground through his first four games. BC ought to win this game; whether they will do it convincingly, though, is much more dicey. BC 27, CMU 23

Matt Sottile: The injuries continue to pile up for Boston College, after Max Richardson and Connor Strachan left last weekvs. Clemson and will be out indefinitely. Not good. The Eagles’ defense held tough for almost three quarters of play in Death Valley last week against the defending national champions, but after ultimately suffering a 34-7 loss, they find themselves in a must win game to have any hope of the team making a bowl game and keeping Steve Addazio employed. Both teams feature weak offenses, but the Eagles’ defense has shown the ability to limit explosive plays this year and turn the ball over. While BC’s offense has elected to play call conservatively this year, Jon Hilliman and AJ Dillon can expose the Chippewas’ weak run defense and give BC enough momentum to open up the secondary for Anthony Brown and allow the Eagles to get a much needed win in a low-scoring contest. BC 20, CMU 16