Game Predictions – Florida State

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. Here are our picks for Florida State.

TJ Hartnett: I cannot express how excited I am for this game. What was once a write off (literally 3 weeks ago) has become a toss up in the minds of many. Vegas has BC as 3 point underdogs to a 2-4 FSU squad. But don’t let the numbers fool you. This team took down Wake Forest and has lost mostly nailbiters after losing its starting QB on opening night. FSU is filled with talent, and this game LITERALLY will end the Noles’ Bowl chances if they lose. They’re coming out with a chip on their shoulder and BC better be prepared. With all the hype from this night, BC will get up for the game. Based on the past two weeks, BC is the better team. Will that team show up? I think so. The Eagles finally get an ACC victory at home and string together a 3 game winning streak. BC 30, FSU 27

Quinn Kelly: A more perfect storm could not have been brewed for the Eagles this week. The offense looks like things are really clicking, the defense seems to really be gelling, and the traditionally most well-attended game of the year is on the docket tomorrow night in a Friday night, Welles Crowther Red Bandana Game against FSU. This is the perfect storm for BC to gain just its second ACC win at home in the last four years, and the first that this senior class has ever seen (with the only other being a freshman-year Thanksgiving weekend win over Syracuse). This is further a perfect opportunity to score a win over a program with some weight behind their name, even though it is a serious down year for the Noles. It is a chance to get back above .500 for the first time since week 1 and all but guarantee yourself a Bowl birth. And for whatever reason, it seems the perfect opportunity for BC to disappoint. FSU is obviously still without star QB Deondre Francois, and will now be without one of their two featured running backs in Jacques Patrick (who was on pace for a season just shy of 1,000 rushing yards). The BC defense shouldn’t have a problem controlling a weak offense, but the problem lies in BC’s offense scoring on a star-studded front seven and a Derwin James led defense. Don’t get me wrong, I love this team, and have been fully drawn back in over these last two weeks, but FSU’s record is somewhat of a farce, and they are going to bring this BC offense back down to Earth. I expect a similar type game to the 2015 meeting, low offense, great defense. Please, please, PLEASE prove me wrong, Eags! FSU 17, BC 14.

Steve McAlee: There is life again in BC Football, and I am prepared to eat my words if they find a way to put up a lot of points again this week against FSU. The Seminoles are still one of the most talented teams in the country, but they’ve mentally fallen apart due to injuries. This season is lost, but that doesn’t mean they’ll roll over to BC. So that being said, I’m not going to demand BC wins on Friday night, but if they can prove to me that this offense can really put up points consistently like they have over the last two weeks, I am ready to buy in. I think it’s a fun Friday night in Alumni, with renewed confidence on display, despite an L. A third strong showing in a row give me great hope the Eagles can still get to the coveted 6 wins for bowl eligibility. Florida State 31 – BC 30

Landon Komishane: BC football had the best all-around game against Virginia that I have seen in my four years here. The passing game has now opened up for the Eagles because defenses have to respect AJ Dillon on the ground. If Anthony Brown plays with the same confidence, he can be a weapon. The key for the Eagles last week was the big play factor. If the Eagles can find a way to keep making big plays, they will have a great chance in this game. Steve Addazio and Co. just need to take the momentum from last game and use the same philosophy to beat Florida State. On the other side, Florida State looks like a broken team. Yes, they have had a very tough schedule. The loss of Francois does not help. At 2-4, Florida State is a team that doesn’t have a lot to play for and is less motivated in this game. They are still Florida State though, so that is dangerous. This is going to be a close game, but I think BC squeaks out a victory. BC 23, FSU 22

Matt Seelig: Boston College has momentum, and Florida State is struggling, making this the best opportunity to beat the former national champions this decade. With starting quarterback Deondre Francois injured, freshman James Blackman has led the Seminoles through a rough season, with only wins against Wake Forest and Duke. That said, all but one of there losses have been within six points, so Blackman’s offense may be more of a threat than previously thought. That said, they’re playing in the home of one of the toughest defenses in the conference, and with BC’s offense finally making strides, I don’t think the Seminoles are likely to see a turnaround today. Look for the continued dominance of AJ Dillon, I expect two touchdowns from the natural freshman. Final score: 27-17 BC

Kyle Maslan: Florida State is 2-4 this season and has the same 2-3 record in conference as Boston College – “so you’re saying there’s a chance?”. Why yes there is a chance. BC has looked tremendous on the offensive end ever since Addazio said that it would all come together and be beautiful. Nothing would be more beautiful than the Eagles sending the FSU season into a full dumpster fire after a win in the Red Bandana game – honoring the late, great, Welles Crowther. BC tends to play up on Red Bandana games, beating USC, losing close to FSU (and then the blowout we wish to forget to Clemson last year). Look for Anthony Brown to be the best QB on the field Friday night, and AJ continue to show why he was so highly touted. This just doesn’t seem like the Seminoles year and it is starting to look like the year of Addazio coming back from the dead. Just imagine what this season would look like had BC beaten Wake. Boston College 24 – Florida State 20

Al Preziosi: This Florida State team has been destroyed by injuries and they are just hoping to get through the disappointing season. The Eagles, on the other hand, are riding high after a two-game road winning streak. Look for an energized BC crowd to carry the Eagles to a close victory. BC 27 – FSU 24

Sam Parsons: The Eagles have scored 40+ points in back-to-back games against ACC opponents. Want to know the most points last year’s squad racked up in an ACC game? 21. That, everyone, is what you refer to as “progress.” There’s a feeling of excitement surrounding this program for the first time in a while, and now BC must defend their home turf against a perennial ACC powerhouse that has struggled mightily this year, Florida State. The Noles lost their star QB week 1 and haven’t been the same since. With momentum, this is a golden opportunity that has been dropped at the doorstep of Boston College. However – yes, there is a however, sadly – this FSU team remains the more talented team. Only one of FSU’s four losses has been by more than a touchdown, and that was against Alabama. That means they’ve lost close games to NC State, Miami, and Louisville; that’s no slouch. I think that the Eagles will play FSU close, which is infinitely better than the effort last year’s team put up, but the more talented team will come out on top. I really hope the Eagles prove me wrong. FSU 31, BC 27

Matt Sottile: Get. Hyped. Boston College returns home after putting 40 points on the scoreboard two weeks in a row, and after outscoring Louisville and hanging on for a win, the offense came out even stronger last week against UVA, getting out to a 24-0 lead, with the help of quarterback Anthony Brown’s 275 passing yards and three touchdowns. The offense looks more fast paced, and Addazio has shown trust in his young offense to sling the ball downfield and keep the defense on its toes. BC must continue this pace and step on Florida State early. The Eagles return home for the Red Bandanna game in memory of Welles Crowther, and what better way to cap off a Friday night lights game on ESPN than with a win over the Noles for the first time since 2009? Despite Florida State’s down year, they will enter this game hungry and with everything to prove, after a 2-4 start. BC hasn’t won a home ACC football game in three years, and I think tonight is the night they show the home crowd that they are coming together, and that this is a beautiful thing. I’m counting on the pass rush to be a steady force all night long and keep pressure on James Blackman. With a chance to move to 5-4 overall and get their third straight win in the ACC, I’m all in on BC continuing to grow and take down a team that Steve Addazio has yet to beat in his tenure at The Heights. BC 26, FSU 23

Andrew Linnehan: What a difference two weeks make on this campus. Two weeks ago, it was a very real possibility BC would be 2-6 and hosting the preseason #3 team in the country, almost solidifying their inevitable doom. Yet after a shootout win against Louisville and a dominant win over Virginia, the hype around the Eagles is at an unprecedented high. And why shouldn’t it be? AJ Dillon showed he could be the next coming of Andre Williams and Anthony Brown cemented his place as BC’s quarterback for the near future. The Eagles put up 40+ points in two straight weeks and, for the first time this year, the offense has exceeded ground-and-pound. However, Florida State is no pushover on defense, particularly in the front seven, so points will be more difficult to come by. In order for the Eagles to remain competitive, the run game will need to be not only present but will need to flourish with around 5 yards per carry. Establishing the run will allow the pass offense to open up as well and will make Anthony Brown’s night a whole lot easier. Ultimately, I think BC will fall behind early due to a consuming FSU defensive line but will crawl back with a memorable effort, only to come up just short. BC loses a tough one 27-20.