Missouri Tigers vs. Boston College Eagles Prediction: Who will win and why

This weekend brings us a remarkable SEC-ACC matchup that also marks one of only two meetings between top-ranked teams on the same field when No. 24 Boston College takes on No. 6 Missouri on the road on Saturday in Week 3 of college football.

The last time these teams met is one that Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz would rather forget, as the Eagles won a 7-point game in overtime that saw hordes of BC fans storm the court.

Back then, Missouri was still searching for its identity. The team seems to have found that identity now, having posted 11 wins in a season, including a victory in the Cotton Bowl.

Missouri hasn't allowed a point in two games this season, but Boston College will likely test that defense a little more. It ranks No. 8 nationally with 285 rushing yards per game behind a dynamic attack led by dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos.

What can we expect from this matchup? Here's what to look for when Missouri and Boston College face off in this Week 3 college football game with our updated prediction.

1. Fight on the line. Missouri will look to build an early run with Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll to balance the offense, but they will be tested against a BC front that ranks 7th in the FBS in run defense, allowing just 40.5 yards per game and averaging just 1.62 yards per carry.

The rotation of the first seven can boast big bodies that can be physically superior to an opponent, as was the case against Florida State. With Neto Okpala and Donovan Ezeiraku, two edge rushers returned, who together were responsible for 3 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries.

2. Mizzou's wideouts. Luther Burden and Theo Wease are likely to be used for Saturday's game and their return should bode well for Brady Cook, who hasn't really been asked to take over a game yet as the Tigers' defense has carried the team so far.

Noel and Carroll have played well replacing Cody Schrader in the backfield, a key as Missouri looks to add balance to its offense and utilize its star receivers and their speed advantage against a BC defense that can be exploited in the back end.

3. BC's offensive trio. In addition to Castellanos, the Eagles' tailbacks Treshaun Ward and Kye Robichaux pose a serious threat to Missouri's defense. The quarterback has his planned runs, but is also a gifted improviser and has the agility of a tailback with the perimeter speed of a good receiver.

Combined with the quarterback's lateral mobility, the Eagles can also run the middle pretty well, racking up 263 yards against the Seminoles and taking up a lot of time with longer offenses. Missouri will have to reckon with a group of talented runners that can go in any direction.

Lines provided courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Missouri: -15.5 (-105)
Boston College: +15.5 (-115)

Missouri wins: -710
Boston College win: +490

Over 53.5 points: -105
Below 53.5 points: -115

BC's win over Florida State helped the team climb into the AP rankings, but given the Seminoles' poor performance, that victory remains questionable on a purely objective level.

There is no doubt about the Eagles' ability to gain yards on the ground with their talented backfield and the X-factor that Castellanos brings to the team with his skills, combined with what appears to be a great, well-coordinated run defense at the line.

But Missouri has a completely different level of talent on both sides of the ball, has an advantage at the skill positions and plays better defense overall.

College Football HQ's selection…

More … Missouri vs. Boston College score prediction by expert model

When: Saturday, September 14
Time: 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time
Television: SEC Network

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The game odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.

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