Oskeim Sports previews the college football game between Massachusetts and Boston College. Oskeim recommends grabbing the points with the Minutemen as one of his free NCAA Football picks on Saturday.
Oskeim also suggests laying the points with Marshall as one of his free NCAA Football picks on September 1. Be sure to visit Oskeim’s award-winning Blog for more free NCAA Football picks throughout the 2018 season!
Massachusetts returns sixteen starters from last year’s squad that won four of its last 6 games, including impressive victories over Appalachian State and BYU. The Minutemen demonstrated incredible resolve in 2017 after starting the season with six straight defeats.
That character begins at the top with head coach Mark Whipple, who took over a 2-9 team and secured the IAA National Title in his first year. Despite finishing 4-8 last year, six of the Minutemen’s losses were by an average of 7.2 points per game (four decided by one possession).
The Minutemen have an important game under their belt in 2018, a dominating 63-15 win over Duquesne in which they outgained the Dukes 572-253. Massachusetts possesses an above-average offense led by senior quarterback Andrew Ford, who averaged 6.9 yards per pass attempt last season and finished with 22 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
Ford is supported by an experienced backfield that returns everyone from 2017, and an offensive line that boasts 68 career starts overall. Defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham enters his second season in Amherst and fields a very good secondary that allowed a 53.3% completion rate last year.
Massachusetts’ stop unit was 0.4 yards per play worse than average in 2017 but should improve in the second year of Pinkham’s scheme. Overall, coach Whipple has his best team yet and I have Massachusetts qualifying for a postseason berth in 2018!
Boston College head coach Steve Addazio enters the 2018 campaign with the most talent he has ever had during his five-year tenure in Chestnut Hill. The Eagles welcome back sixteen returning starters, possess one of the nation’s best offensive lines that will create holes for AJ Dillon, who eclipsed 1rushinging yards in seven games last season.
The hype machine is alive and well in Amherst and I question whether the Eagles are capable of handling the noise. Massachusetts is a profitable 7-3 ATS in its last ten games as a double-digit underdog and gained invaluable game reps last week.
The Minutemen are also 6-0 ATS after scoring 40 or more points in their previous game, 5-0 ATS following a win and 4-0 ATS off a win by 20 or more points. Boston College has struggled to cover the Vegas number in September affairs, going just 2-5 ATS in early-season contests.
Finally, Massachusetts applies to very good 41-15 ATS, 39-13 ATS and 37-10 ATS systems that invest on certain road underdogs following a game in which they amassed 400+ total yards and/or outgained their opponent by 125+ yards.
Grab the inflated number with the Minutemen as one of Oskeim Sports’ free NCAA Football picks for Saturday, September 1.
Oskeim Sports’ Free NCAA Football Picks:
- Massachusetts (+18) (-110) over Boston College
- Marshall (-2) (-110) over Miami Ohio
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