Rutgers vs. Boston College odds, picks, predictions: Betting preview, start time for Week 2 college football — SkimNews
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- Boston College hosts Rutgers on Friday after a 34-15 loss at Cincinnati, despite outgaining the Bearcats 388-339 and losing primarily because Cincinnati rushed for 254 yards while BC went 1-for-4 on fourth down with zero takeaways
- Rutgers is turning to backup QB AJ Surace — who went 6-of-9 with a touchdown in relief — after starter Dylan Lonergan threw three interceptions in a 37-21 home loss to UMass, a team that hadn't won a game in nearly 700 days
- Greg Schiano is in his 18th total season (seventh in this stint) at Rutgers, while Bill O'Brien is in Year 3 at Boston College after a 2-10 campaign last season
- The SportsLine Projection Model, upgraded for 2026 to better factor in the transfer portal and on a 33-20 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks since 2024, backs the Over 54.5 points in Friday's matchup
- Both defenses ranked among the worst nationally in 2025 — BC allowed 32.8 points per game (14th-most) while Rutgers gave up 31.8 — and Week 1 showed no apparent improvement on either side
Why it matters: With both defenses surrendering 200+ rushing yards in Week 1, the betting market is pricing Friday as a shootout — the model's Over 54.5 pick leans on continued defensive weakness rather than any expected correction. Both Schiano and O'Brien face early pressure after disappointing 2025 campaigns, and Rutgers is already making a quarterback change just one week into the season.
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