In a matchup of top 25 teams, No. 6 Missouri and No. 24 Boston College battle on the gridiron on Saturday afternoon in Colombia.
The Tigers have been dominant through two games, securing shutout wins and covers against Murray State and Buffalo.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have also had an excellent start under their new coach. They went on the road to beat Florida State in their opener before shutting out Duquesne last week.
The oddsmakers don't have this one priced like a game between ranked foes, which I believe gives us value when it comes to backing the road underdog.
Here's my Boston College vs Missouri prediction and pick.
- Prediction: Boston College +15 or better
My Boston College-Missouri best bet is on the Eagles spread with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Boston College vs Missouri Odds, Lines, Spread
Boston College Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -115 | 52.5 -105o / -115u | +450 |
Missouri Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -105 | 52.5 -105o / -115u | -600 |
- Point Spread: Boston College +14.5 · Missouri -14.5
- Total: Over/Under 52.5 Points (-105 / -115)
- Moneyline: Boston College ML +450 · Missouri ML -600
Boston College Eagles Betting Preview: O'Brien Working Out So Far
After leading the program to a bowl victory, Jeff Hafley decided to leave the college ranks and head back to the NFL as the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator. The move didn’t happen until late January, which left fans worried about this season.
However, Boston College brought in an experienced coach to lead the school forward in coach Bill O’Brien. He arrives at BC after stints as the head coach at Penn State and the Houston Texans, while he also served as an assistant under legends Bill Belichick and Nick Saban.
O’Brien has wasted no time in his first season with the Eagles. In fact, Boston College returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since November 12, 2018.
The Week 3 ranking also marks the earliest BC has been ranked in a season since the 2005 AP Preseason Poll. It helps when you go on the road in the opener and dominate Florida State on Labor Day.
It'll be interesting to see how O’Brien does back in the college ranks, but he has to love his start so far.
Missouri Tigers Betting Preview: Defense Rules
No new coach is roaming the sidelines at Missouri as Eliah Drinkwitz looks to continue his strong numbers at the program. He's guided the Tigers to bowl bids in each of his first four seasons, and the No. 6 ranking in the AP Poll is the highest for the school since 2013.
One of the keys to his success has been how his teams have played at Memorial Stadium. Missouri has won 18 straight non-SEC games at home, which matches the program’s record.
As for this season, it's been the defense that's stolen all of the headlines so far. MU’s "Death Row Defense" has recorded back-to-back shutouts to open the year, the first time the Tigers have recorded consecutive shutouts since 1966.
Missouri leads the nation in multiple categories, and with multiple stars returning on offense, Drinkwitz has this program headed toward a bid for the playoffs.
<span >How to Make College Football Picks For My Boston College vs Missouri Prediction</span>
When I saw the opening lines come out on Sunday night, I was scrolling through games and circling the ones to dive deeper into. This line jumped off the screen, and I couldn’t look away from it.
So, my best bet is to take Boston College to cover the +17 at BetMGM. I would still bet below the key number down to +15.
It just feels like a lot of points against a team I do feel has solid talent and a good head coach.
I also think we’re buying too much into Missouri’s wins against Buffalo and Murray State.
In those victories, the Tigers covered, but it came down to the final moments in both games. They scored a touchdown with less than a minute remaining against the Bulls to cover the number after using a field goal in the final two minutes to cash against the Racers.
Another advantage for the Eagles is having Thomas Castellanos at quarterback, who can be dangerous with his legs and arm. His explosive runs on designed calls or when scrambling is an area to attack Missouri.
Going back to last season, the Tigers ranked in the bottom 15 among Power Four teams in rush explosiveness allowed on defense.
This is going to be a BC attack that will look to chew up yards and the clock on the ground on offense. It also helps that Missouri has ranked outside the top 70 in seconds per play offensively under Drinkwitz.
I’m expecting this to be more of a low-scoring contest, so give me all the points with a team that has a playmaker at quarterback who I feel will do just enough to stay inside the number.
Pick: Boston College +15 or Better
<span >How to Watch Boston College vs Missouri</span>
Location: | Memorial Stadium, Columbia, MO |
Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
Kickoff Time: | 12:45 p.m. ET |
TV / Streaming: | SEC Network |
Missouri vs. Boston College Betting Trends
- 73% of the bets and 62% of the money are on Boston College against the spread.
- 57% of the bets and 41% of the money are on the over.
- 90% of the bets and 97% of the money are on Missouri moneyline.
College Football Weather: Missouri-Boston College Forecast