Boston College vs. Florida State: Breaking Down the Monday Night Matchup

As Boston College heads to Florida State for a Monday night showdown, there’s more to this game than meets the eye. Florida State, coming off a disappointing 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech, has plenty to prove, especially after their offense struggled to get going. With a new defensive coordinator in place and some key adjustments needed, the Seminoles might be more focused on tightening up their defense rather than putting up big numbers.

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Boston College, under new head coach Bill O’Brien, is likely to take a conservative approach, leaning on their running game to control the tempo. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos, with his dual-threat ability, will test FSU’s defense, which has historically struggled against mobile quarterbacks. If Boston College can sustain long drives and keep the ball out of FSU’s hands, this could turn into a grind-it-out type of game.

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The total points line is set at 50.5, and there’s reason to believe this game might stay under that mark. Non-Saturday Power Five matchups tend to go under 56% of the time, and with both teams dealing with early-season adjustments, this trend becomes particularly relevant. Florida State’s offensive struggles, coupled with Boston College’s ball-control strategy, suggest a lower-scoring game is in the cards.

The Official Play: Considering the context, I’m leaning toward the under 50.5 points. Both teams have enough defensive strengths and offensive uncertainties to suggest this will be a tightly contested, lower-scoring affair. If you’re expecting a high-scoring shootout, you might be in for a surprise—this game could very well be decided by who makes fewer mistakes rather than who scores more points.