- Where: Cotton Bowl – Dallas, Texas
- Payout: $1.2 million
- Date: December 26, 2018
- Time: 12:30 PM CST
- Channel: ESPN
- Bowl Gifts: RFID-blocking Ridge Wallet; Big Game Football
- Gift Grade: C-; However, if “The Big Game Football” looks like the picture above – A+
Formerly known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl, the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl features an ACC vs Mountain West Conference match-up as Boston College takes on 25th ranked Boise State at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX.
Recent Bowl Success
Boston College is making their third straight bowl appearance, and fifth in six years under head coach Steve Addazzio.
Boise State is making their 17th straight bowl appearance where they’ve gone 10-6 in those games since 2002. This is the first time in seven years this bowl game has had a ranked opponent.
Quick Look: Boise State
The Boise State Broncos continue to be a model of consistency over the last 20 years in college football, and they come into this game with a loss to Fresno State in the Mountain West Conference Championship game. Before that loss, the Broncos had won seven straight games, including wins over Fresno State and Utah State who have both already won bowls this year and will finish the season in the Top 25.
This is a Boise State team that can also beat you with their defense.
Offensively, Rypien has been a stud for the Broncos, completing 67% of his passes for 3,705 yards, 30 TDs and only 7 interceptions. Rypien won MWC Offensive Player of the Year, but the defense is only allowing 355 yards per game, including 130 on the ground. A key match-up to watch will be Boston College running back A.J. Dillon as he goes up against the Boise State front.
Quick Look: Boston College
Dillon has 1,100-plus yards rushing, while missing two games this year, and is averaging just under 5 yards per carry, but he’s often going up against a stacked box, because he’s the Eagles best offensive asset. Dillon has carried the ball 20-plus times in six games this year, including 37 carries against FSU – a game the Eagles lost by one point on the road.
Boston College head coach Steve Addazio is a defensive minded guy, but his defense ranks 54th in scoring defense this year allowing 25.7 points per game, and has a defensive efficiency ranking of 38th. One odd stat that really stands out with BC is that they lead the nation with 18 interceptions, but rank 96th in pass defense giving up just under 250 yards per game. If Rypien can protect the ball, which he consistently does,the Broncos may be able to put a big number on this BC defense.
The Bronco’s also have Alexander Mattison who could very well hit the 1,500 yard mark this season. He has 17 rushing touchdowns on the season and has rushed for over 200 yards in each of the last two games.
Boston College is limping into this game, having lost their last three games, and coach Addazio was given a 2-year contract extension. You would assume that Addazio has one more year to turn this program around for the better. If BC loses to Boise State, this will be the fifth time in six years that the team has gone 7-6 under Addazio. A bowl win would be a nice start, but I expect the Boise State offense to be too much for the defense to handle, and for the BC offense to keep pace.
One positive for Boston College in this game – no plays called by Scott Loeffler.
Prediction: Boise State covers, winning 42-28
