WHO: Maryland (6-6) vs. Boston College (6-6)
WHAT: The 3rd Quick Lane Bowl
WHEN: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
WHERE: Ford Field, Detroit
THE SKINNY: Nothing says bowl season like a pair of 6-6 teams meeting in Detroit on the day after Christmas, does it?
These teams with identical records played through nearly identical seasons. While Maryland took its lumps against Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State, falling in those games by a cumulative 159-20, Boston College suffered through losses to Clemson, Louisville and Florida State by a total of 153-24.
When it’s playing in its weight class, Boston College likes to win with defense. The Eagles allow just eight points per game and a national-best 3.17 yards per play and 173.7 yards per game in their six victories.
Maryland, meanwhile, is a mirror image. The Terps score 38.7 points per game on 6.71 yards per play in their half-dozen victories (while putting up 12.2 points per game and 4.57 yards a play in their six setbacks).
This game will boil down to which team can win the tug-of-war to control the pace of the game and which team brings more energy to play in a half-filled Ford Field on a quasi-holiday afternoon.
THE LINE: Boston College, +1
THE PREDICTION: Maryland 24, Boston College 14
