2005 Boston College Eagles Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Boston College’s final season of football in the Big East Conference was a roller coaster ride of the most extreme nature for both their fans and the sports handicapping community. The ultimate sports betting lesson from BC is that when it comes to making football picks against the odds, expect the unexpected.

Boston College’s 2004 season started innocently enough with three consecutive straight up wins, with the last two of those also being wins against the odds. In their next game at lightly regarded Wake Forrest, however, BC fell 14-17 as a pick’em selection. That particular sports betting line was one that simply felt “weird” and “strange” to many in the sports handicapping community and the lesson is that if the line doesn’t make sense, don’t try and make sense out of it. Some sports bettors felt that BC was a bargain, but those who have been around the sports handicapping block sensed a trap and left BC off their list of football picks.

After a non-lined home win over 1-AA Massachusetts, BC traveled to Pittsburgh to take on a struggling Panther team that was in the midst of a week long coaching controversy in addition to being criticized for season long sloppy play. The line on BC climbed to a ridiculous 8.5-points as the general sports betting public completely overreacted to the negative news out of Pitt. The home dogs beat BC in OT 20-17. At this point Boston College was 4-2 straight up and 2-3 against the odds.

Many online sports betting blogs were highly critical of Boston College after their loss at Pitt, and many posts claimed that BC was “overrated” and would fold up and quit the rest of the way, and that their next game at Notre Dame was a great spot for the Irish to straighten out their season. Notre Dame, one of college football’s “name brand” teams, was bet up to a 7-point favorite, only to lose 23-24. For the second straight week BC gave a tremendous sports handicapping less on “reactive” sports betting and value (or lack thereof) against the sports betting line. In their next three games BC went undefeated straight up and took two against the odds settting up their home finale against reeling Syracuse. With a win, BC would be Big East champs and all of that added up to the Eagles being bet all the way up to 11.5-point chalks. Incredibly Syracuse destroyed BC 43-17 in a major upset that blew apart numerous bankrolls. This example is another great sports handicapping lesson for those who “assume” things.