Staff Predictions: Miami Vs. Boston College

We are hours away from game time, and Marcus Benjamin and Frank Tucker provide score predictions for Miami-Boston College. Kickoff is set for noon Eastern from Chestnut Hill, MA, on Black Friday.

This game is vital for the trajectory and overall morale of the program. Miami is guaranteed a winning season with a win, and they feel good going into a bowl game. A loss, and it will be doom and gloom again from the fan base.

Like every ACC game for Miami this season, I expect this one to be competitive. If I were asked whether or not Miami would win this game two weeks ago, I would probably pick BC to pull off the upset. With Miami looking to get the taste of losing out of its mouth, I feel the Hurricanes come out with a win, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a blowout.

Miami has the edge in major statistical categories, including total offense (432.9-390.7), total defense (326.8-378.6), rushing defense (92.9-189.4), passing offense (262.1-192.6) and sacks allowed (1.27-1.55) among others. The Hurricanes have more talent than BC, and some injuries in its defensive backfield decimate the Eagles. They do not have their best receiver, Ryan O'Keefe, out for the season.

BC is a one-dimensional offense reliant upon the running game of quarterback Thomas Castellanos and running back Kye Robichaux, so I expect Miami to focus on stopping the run and making the 101st-ranked passing offense beat them.

This game has the feel of the season finale in 2021 for the Hurricanes when Miami dominated Duke 47-10. That game was also noon in a half-empty stadium in Durham. This game will not be a full stadium by any stretch, and I think the most motivated to win will be the players on the field in orange and green.

Prediction: 30-20, Miami

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Eight wins and big-time recruiting momentum going into Mario Cristobal’s third season or six/seven wins and even more questions going into what could be a make-or-break year for Miami’s native son. That is what is at stake on Saturday.

Miami is on a three-game skid, but there are positives to take from those games. For one, Boston College is not the top ten opponent that the Hurricanes faced in Florida State and Louisville - two games that came down to the very end.

The group effort at running back, especially with the electric talents of Brashard Smith being utilized, is proving Miami can run on even the best defenses in college football. Boston College allows opponents to average nearly 190 yards per game and two-plus scores with five yards a pop on each carry. Miami is going to take advantage of that.

On the flip side of the field in this matchup, Miami has been dominant defensively, besides Louisville's bump in the road last week. Jeff Brohm is not calling plays for BC, though. The Eagles have scored 30 points in a game just as many times as they’ve scored under 20. Can they run the ball? Yes, but their one-dimensional approach will allow defensive coordinator Lance Guidry to focus on one thing: a recipe for disaster for opponents.

This is a must-win for Miami from a future standpoint, and based on the talent difference, the weaknesses of Boston College, and the overall need to get back on the winning side of things, I love for a get-back performance for the Canes in this one.

Prediction: 38-24, Miami

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