North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 23rd 2024

Preview and Prediction

After securing bowl eligibility for the sixth consecutive year, North Carolina is aiming for a four-game winning streak and its third consecutive victory on the road as they face off against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts on Saturday.

The Tar Heels (6-4, 3-3) have sandwiched two three-game winning streaks around a four-game losing streak, with their most recent victory being a 31-24 win over Wake Forest at home last week. In order to continue their streak against the Eagles (5-5, 2-4), they will need to put in a tough and gritty performance.

Both teams rely heavily on their running game, with North Carolina leading the ACC with 415 rushing attempts, just one more than Boston College. Head coach Mack Brown acknowledges that it will be a tough and competitive game, with both teams fighting to establish their dominance on the ground.

Junior running back Omarion Hampton had a season-high 244 rushing yards against Wake Forest and is only 78 yards away from becoming just the fourth ACC player in the last 20 years to have back-to-back seasons with 1,500 rushing yards. Coach Brown praises Hampton as a "machine" and highlights his ability to protect the ball and contribute in other areas as well.

North Carolina has had a 100-yard rusher in every game this season, with Hampton averaging 142.2 rushing yards per game and freshman Davion Gause also making significant contributions.

Boston College put up a strong fight against then-No. 14 SMU last week, with Kye Robichaux scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to bring the Eagles within three points. However, their offense, led by Grayson James for the first time since Thomas Castellanos left the team, was unable to capitalize on their opportunity and ended up turning the ball over on downs.

Robichaux has been a key player in the Eagles' rushing attack, racking up 288 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games. UCF transfer Jordan McDonald has also been impressive, with 196 rushing yards in recent games. Head coach Bill O'Brien praises McDonald's improvement and confidence on the field.

A win for Boston College would make them bowl eligible for the second consecutive year, after winning the Fenway Bowl against SMU in December 2020. However, O'Brien emphasizes that their focus is on taking care of business and facing the challenge of North Carolina.

North Carolina has a 6-2 record in the all-time series against Boston College, with five consecutive wins since the Eagles' victory in the 2004 Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte.

PREDICTION

North Carolina Tar Heels

Boston College Eagles

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles Recap NOV 23TH 2024

Boston College scored on five of six trips to the red zone and possessed the ball for 38:02 en route to a dominant 41-21 win over visiting North Carolina in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Grayson James finished 18-of-27 passing for 192 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another score to lead the Eagles (6-5, 3-4 ACC), who had a 420-212 advantage in total yards.

James connected with Reed Harris for a score, while Lewis Bond caught a team-high nine passes for 81 yards. Kye Robichaux paced the Eagles' run game with 93 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

The win lifted Boston College to bowl eligibility for the second straight year and eighth time in the last nine seasons.

Chris Culliver's 95-yard kickoff return was North Carolina's (6-5, 3-4) lone touchdown before Davion Gause rushed for two in the fourth quarter.

Jacolby Criswell threw for 176 yards (16-of-309), but the Donovan Ezeiruaku-led defense sacked him seven times and intercepted three passes, including a Ryan Turner return for a touchdown.

Omarion Hampton rushed for only 53 yards on 11 carries for the Tar Heels, who were 3-of-13 on third downs and committed eight penalties.

The Eagles put together a 13-play scoring drive in 6:15 following the opening kickoff. After Robichaux's touchdown catch out of the backfield was nullified due to offensive pass interference, Liam Connor snuck a career-long field goal of 49 yards just over the crossbar.

Following Boston College's quick stop, James faked the Tar Heel defense and scored on a 3-yard run to the left. A key third-and-9 conversion to Harris set up the 10-0 score.

Boston College got the ball back after stopping a fourth-and-2 and scored again in three plays on John Montague's 24-yard end-around run to the left with 9:05 left before halftime.

Culliver's ensuing kickoff return was Carolina's longest since 2017, cutting the deficit to 17-7.

An incompletion on fourth-and-2 turned the ball back to the visitors with 1:55 left in the half, but Joe Marinaro's interception three plays later set up James' 18-yard, over-the-top connection to Harris to set the 24-7 halftime score.

Turner's sack forced UNC into a three-and-out immediately following the intermission, and after Isaiah Farris busted out a 52-yard punt return, Connor booted a 27-yard field goal to extend the Eagle lead to 27-7.

After Hampton's 15-yard run on fourth-and-2 moved the chains, Neto Okpala's pressure forced Criswell to hurry a throw that Turner picked off for a 78-yard touchdown with 12:38 left.

Robichaux took a direct snap and scored on an 8-yard run with 5:51 left, capping a nine-play, 64-yard drive in 5:48.

Gause scored twice in the final 2:09.