Boston College @ Syracuse preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 29, 2014 ) Syracuse 7, Boston College 28

Syracuse parted ways with coach Scott Shafer this week, but the team will allow him to coach one final game when the Orange wrap up their season Saturday against visiting Boston College. The Orange have lost eight straight games since a 3-0 start, prompting the removal of Shafer, who is 13-23 since taking over on the sidelines.

"I feel a change in leadership is needed at this time," athletic director Mark Coyle said in a statement two days after Syracuse's 42-29 loss at North Carolina State. Boston College, meanwhile, has lost seven games in a row and is the only winless team in ACC play. The Eagles fought hard against Notre Dame last weekend before falling 19-16 at Fenway Park. "I like where we're headed right now," coach Steve Addazio told reporters. "I don't like where we are in terms of our wins and our losses right now, but I like where this team will progress and grow to."

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, RSN. LINE: Syracuse -3

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (3-8, 0-7 ACC): The Eagles forced five turnovers last week and ran for 214 yards as a team and still were unable to upend the Irish. Jeff Smith gave the squad a spark with an 80-yard TD run and a short passing TD - both in the fourth quarter - but BC generally has had awful quarterback play all season. John Fadule started and went 7-of-16 for 64 yards before suffering a concussion, leaving his status in doubt for Saturday's affair.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (3-8, 1-6): The Orange have allowed 45, 41, 37 and 42 points over their last four games and have only reached 30 points once during their eight-game skid (and that was in a triple-overtime loss to Virginia). Syracuse has used everyone but Donovan McNabb at quarterback this season with sophomore walk-on Zack Mahoney getting the nod the last two weeks and completing less than 50 percent of his passes in each outing. Freshman tailback Jordan Fredericks provided a lift with a 75-yard TD run against N.C. State - his first rushing score since Oct. 17.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Syracuse WR Brisly Estime, second on the team with 293 receiving yards, will miss the first half after getting ejected from the N.C. State game.

2. The Orange hold a 29-19 advantage in the all-time series, although the teams have split the last 10 meetings.

3. Since defeating Howard 76-0 in Week 2, the Eagles have not scored more than 17 points in any of their last nine games.

PREDICTION: Boston College 10, Syracuse 9