2013 Advocare V100 Bowl
Boston College Eagles vs Arizona Wildcats
Independence Stadium – Shreveport, Louisiana
Tuesday, December 31, 2013, 12:30 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Arizona -7
Current Line: Arizona -7 1/2 (-105)
Opening Total: 57
Current Total: 57
Opening Money Line: Arizona -300 / BC +250
Current Money Line: Arizona -300 / BC +250
The 7-5 Boston College Eagles and 7-5 Arizona Wilds meet for the first time ever in Tuesday’s Advocare V100 Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. This is a match-up between arguably the nation’s two best running backs in Boston College’s Andre Williams and Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey. Williams won the Doak Walker award for the nation’s best running back and both were All-Americans.
Boston College went 4-4 in the ACC Atlantic division. The Eagles tied for third with Syracuse behind 8-0 Florida State and 7-1 Clemson. BC is 13-9 all-time in bowl games. The Eagles return to a bowl for the first time since losing to Nevada 20-13 in the 2010 Fight Hunger Bowl. Boston College has lost 3 straight bowl games after an 8 game post-season winning streak. BC has never played a bowl game in Louisiana before.
Arizona went 4-5 in the Pac 12 South and finished fourth. The Wildcats are 7-9-1 all-time in bowl games. Arizona beat Nevada 49-48 last year in the New Mexico Bowl to snap a two game bowl losing streak. Arizona has also never played a bowl game in Louisiana.
Boston College is coached by Steve Addazio. The Eagles have home wins over Villanova 24-14, Wake Forest 24-10, Army 48-27, Virginia Tech 34-27, and North Carolina State 38-21, along with road wins at New Mexico State 48-34 and Maryland 29-26. BC has a home loss to Florida State 48-34 along with road losses at USC 35-7, Clemson 24-14, North Carolina 34-10, and Syracuse 34-31 to close out the regular season. The Syracuse loss snapped a four game winning streak for Boston College. All five of the Eagles’ losses came to teams that went to a bowl. BC is 7-5 ATS and the total is 7-5 as well. The Eagles were 2.5 point favorites against Syracuse and the total was 51.5.
Boston College outscoring teams 28.4-27.8 this season. The Eagles are averaging 369.4 total yards per game including 218.5 rushing and 150.9 passing yards. Boston College is #89 in total offense, #115 in passing and #20 in rushing out of 125 teams. BC is allowing 423.2 yards per game on defense including 268.2 passing and 155 rushing yards. Boston College is #88 in total defense and #112 against the pass. The Eagles are +3 in turnovers with 18 takeaways. Boston College is 58/168 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 80/191. BC is averaging 29 penalty yards per game and opponents are averaging 43. The Eagles have forced 35 sacks this season and allowed 20. BC is 28/29 scoring in the red zone with 17 touchdowns and opponents are 32/41 with 26 touchdowns. The Eagles have allowed one pick six and a fumble return for a touchdown this season, and have a kick return TD and a pick six.
BC quarterback Chase Rettig has completed 61.6% of his passes for 1,804 yards with 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, along with 54 carries for only 80 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Andre Williams has 329 carries, 2,102 yards and 17 touchdowns. He left the Syracuse game with a shoulder injury, and is questionable for the bowl game. Myles Willis has 55 carries for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 5 catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Rouse has 20 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. Little used running back Tajh Kimble is questionable with a knee injury.
Receiver Alex Amidon has 67 catches, 903 yards and 5 touchdowns. No other receiver has more than 12 catches this season. Jake Sincovec and C.J. Parsons each have 3 touchdown catches. Receivers Nigel Matthews, Marcus Grant and Charlie Callinan are questionable as are tight ends Brian Miller and Jarrett Darmstatter. Two defensive players are out Tuesday.
Arizona is coached by Rich Rodriguez. Arizona opened the season with 3 straight wins over Northern Arizona 35-0 and UTSA 38-13, both in Tucson, and a road win at UNLV 58-13. The Wildcats beat Utah 35-24 and Oregon 42-16 and also has road wins at Colorado 44-20 and at California 33-28. The Wildcats have road losses at Washington 31-13, USC 38-31 and Arizona State 58-21 to close out the regular season, along with home losses to UCLA 31-26 and Washington State 24-17. Arizona is 5-7 ATS and the total is 4-8 this season. The Wildcats were a 10 point underdog against Arizona State and the total was 61.5.
Arizona is outscoring teams 33-25 this season. The Wildcats are #40 nationally in scoring and #45 in points allowed. Arizona is averaging 452.6 yards per game including the nation’s 11th best rushing attack at 265.8 yards per game. The passing game is #100 out of 125 teams at 186.8 yards per game. Arizona is #35 in total offense. On defense, the Wildcats are allowing 405.2 yards per game including 235.5 passing and 169.6 yards per game. The Wildcats are +4 in turnovers with 20 takeaways. Arizona is 104/228 on third and fourth down conversions, and opponents are 87/220. Arizona averages 38 penalty yards per game and opponents are averaging 56. The Wildcats have forced 21 sacks and allowed 16. Arizona is 42/51 scoring in the red zone with 33 touchdowns, and opponents are 30/35 with 24 touchdowns. The Wildcats have 4 pick sixes this season, and have allowed one.
Arizona quarterback B.J. Denker has completed 60.5% of his passes for 2,241 yards with 14 touchdowns and 7 picks. Denker also has 167 carries, 898 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Running back Ka’Deem Carey has 322 carries, 1,716 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 26 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. Daniel Jenkins has 58 carries, 377 yards and a touchdown, along with 10 catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. Jared Baker, Javelle Allen and Kylan Butler will also get some carries. Allen and Butler each have a rushing touchdown.
Nate Phillips has 42 catches for 503 yards and 7 touchdowns. Terrance Miller has 39 catches, 456 yards and a touchdown Samajie Grant has 45 catches, for 355 yards and a touchdown. Garic Wharton has 16 catches for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns. Terrence Miller and Johnny Jackson will also get some catches. Three Wildcat receivers, DaVonte Neal, Trevor Ermisch and Austin Hill, are all out, and so are three Arizona defensive players including 2 linebackers.
Boston College is 6-0 ATS after failing to cover, 5-0 against teams with winning records, 6-2 after a straight up loss, 2-5 in non-conference games, 2-6 in neutral site games, 2-7 on grass, 1-4 in bowl games, 0-6 in December, and 0-4 against Pac 12 teams.
Arizona is 4-9 ATS after allowing 40 points or more, and on grass, 11-27 after rushing for 200 yards or more, 2-5 after failing to cover, and after allowing 450 total yards or more, 2-7 against teams with winning records, 1-4 overall, and 0-4 in December.
Obviously, if Williams can’t go that puts a serious dent in BC’s hopes for pulling off the upset. Arizona has a much better defense. Boston college struggles against the pass but Arizona doesn’t pass much. Still I like the Wildcats to win but the Eagles keep it close.
