Friday, September 26, 2008

Rhode Island and the Big Finish

Last tune-up game for the Eagles tomorrow as BC takes on the Rhode Island Rams at 1pm tomorrow. The Rams will likely take their $250,000 beatdown in stride.

Brian: Jeff, interesting history between Rhode Island and Boston College in football. While we haven't played each other since 1917, in each of the 6 games we've faced one another, the losing team hasn't score (BC leads the all-time series 4-2). In fact, Rhode Island hasn't scored a point in their last four games against BC. Give me some odds – odds the winning team pitches a shutout tomorrow?

Jeff: First, the winning team will be BC. So the odds that BC pitches a shutout is 50% It's a coinflip whether or not the Eagles hold URI to 0 tomorrow. The most likely way they do score is if the offense turns the ball over and gives them great field position.


Jeff: As Brian Winner of The Heights points out, we always play crappy teams on Parent's Weekend. I am heading to Death Valley again for the Clemson-Maryland game which happens to be Parent's Weekend there as well. Why can't we play anyone decent on Parent's Weekend?

Brian: Quick frankly, because we couldn't sell out our annual D-IAA game without it being parents weekend. As ATL Eagle explained, this is a win-win for the school, the students and the parents. As long as D-IAA scheduling remains the fashionable thing to do, Parent's weekend will continue to be this weekend.


Brian: Down goes #1. USC upset by Oregon State (yet again) in Corvallis. Forgetting our current blogpoll ballot and using more of a resume ranking system, who's your new #1 on Sunday?

Jeff: The winner of the Alabama-Georgia game will be #1 in every poll. That team will not only have the most impressive win of any team to date, but they also both have a pretty solid second best with Georgia's road win against Arizona State last week and of course Alabama's win over Clemson.


Jeff: Maine's finest quarterback ever - Quinton Porter - played his way into the starting role this weekend for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. What are the chances Porter follows Flutie's career path and plays a few downs in the NFL someday?

Brian: Uhh ... not very likely. 5% chance? I hope Porter does well north of the border.


Brian: Last one, while Boston College and Rhode Island have nearly nothing in common on the football field, our histories are tied together on the basketball court. Al Skinner was the coach at Rhode Island for nine seasons before moving to the Heights.

More impressive Al Skinner coaching performance – coaching up a Rhode Island team (138-126, a .523 winning percentage over 9 years including two NIT births and two NCAA births in the competitive Atlantic-10) or at Boston College (175-118, a .597 winning percentage over 10 seasons, 5 tournament births, 1 NIT appearance)?

Jeff: Can I push here? Skinner has done well at both stops. Boston College should be better than URI so his nearly .600 win percentage at BC is about equal to his .523 at Rhode Island. However, if the basketball team doesn't win more than 4 conference games next season, I will change my answer to URI.

Brian: A push is lame. Man up and make a pick. I'd have to go with Rhode Island. BC has more resources and were/are in a major basketball conference (Big East/ACC). While Al has done a tremendous job with the Eagles, getting the Rams two tournament births and two trips to the NIT is a bit more impressive in my mind.

Jeff: Recruiting Lamar Odom to Rhode Island is Al Skinner's biggest accomplishment.


Picks

Brian:
  • Connecticut +4 @ Louisville
  • Maryland +11.5 @ Clemson
  • North Carolina @ Miami -8
  • Tennessee @ Auburn -7
  • Wisconsin -6.5 @ Michigan
Jeff: You're taking UConn? And when are you gonna stop taking Auburn??

Brian: I'll stop taking Auburn when they start covering. I have a 50% chance every week. I'll keep chasing. And Louisville was made to look a lot better than they actually are last week against Kansas State, who is terrible.

Jeff: Maryland???????????? Who picked these, HD? But seriously, the Maryland pick is just blowing my mind. You have been down on Maryland. If they were 14.5 point underdogs I could see that maybe you think that they will lose but by less than 2 touchdowns. I know you don't think Clemson is spectacular, but Clemson is at home and still one of the Top 4 teams in the league. Maryland is one of the bottom four teams. Or are you high on Maryland now?

Brian: I'm not that high on Maryland and I still can't stand the Terrapins. I just think this game will be closer than 11.5 points. Look at the results of this game the last few seasons:
  • 2007 - Clemson 30, Maryland 17 (College Park)
  • 2006 - Maryland 13, Clemson 12 (Clemson)
  • 2005 - Clemson 28, Maryland 24 (College Park)
  • 2004 - Clemson 10, Maryland 7 (Clemson)
  • 2003 - Maryland 21, Clemson 7 (College Park)
These teams don't really like each other and with the exception of last season's 13 point victory, this series has been very close over the last few years.

Jeff: I just don't get it. Maryland is worse than they've been the last five years and Clemson is as good or better. You think they have a chance of winning?? I do kinda hope it is a close game since I'm going to the game.

Brian: NC State kept the game close for most of their matchup with Clemson. Maryland is a better team. I think they keep it close, but Clemson still wins. If I was playing oddsmaker, I would give the Terrapins a 20% chance of winning this game.

Jeff: I think you've lost your mind. Maryland has no better than a 3 percent chance of winning tomorrow. Here are my picks.
  • Navy @ Wake Forest -16
  • Virginia Tech +7 @ Nebraska
  • Stanford @ Washington -3.5
  • Illinois @ Penn State -15
  • UAB +25 @ South Carolina

We will both not be online for the game. Be sure to get to a game watch if you want to catch the game and don't get ESPN 360 at home. Go Eagles!

2 comments:

Winfield Featherston said...

EVERY school has a crappy team play on Parents Weekend. It's next to homecoming in priority to schedule a cupcake.

Unknown said...

Guys, it's "berths", please.