Syracuse @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2013 ) Boston College 31, Syracuse 34

Boston College will try to bounce back from a disheartening loss when it hosts Syracuse on Saturday to wrap up the regular-season slate for both teams. The Eagles are eligible for a bowl game but could have put an exclamation point on their season by defeating then-No. 1 Florida State last week. Boston College had chances to steal a victory but ended up falling 20-17 on a field goal with three seconds left.

The Eagles ran for 240 yards and got one big play in the passing game - a 49-yard TD pass from Tyler Murphy to Shakim Phillips - but it wasn't enough to end the Seminoles' school-record 27-game winning streak. "I think when you play those kind of games, they take a toll on you emotionally," Boston College coach Steve Addazio told reporters on Monday. "There's no doubt. You have to re-bite and re-gather. Everyone in the country feels that way, it's not just us. But to act like that doesn't take a toll on you - it does. I feel it today." The Orange, meanwhile, are wrapping up a disappointing season in which they've dropped four straight games and eight of nine.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Boston College -11

ABOUT SYRACUSE (3-8, 1-6 ACC): At this point in the season, the Orange are looking to develop some of their younger players, such as their quarterback duo of freshman A.J. Long and sophomore Mitch Kimble. Last week, the two QBs combined to go 10-of-25 for 149 yards and each threw an interception, including Kimble's pick as part of an 0-for-6 performance in a 30-7 loss at Pittsburgh. On the other side of the ball, freshman linebacker Zaire Franklin had a career-high 10 tackles last week in place of the injured Marqez Hodge.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (6-5, 3-4): Murphy isn't asked to do much through the air, but he has played interception-free football in five of the last six games. The senior also leads the team with 1,059 rushing yards and has 10 scores on the ground - one less than Jon Hilliman (693 yards) - and the Eagles are ranked 11th in the nation with 261.8 rushing yards per game. Another bright spot for Boston College of late has been a lack of penalties - just eight for 85 yards over the last three contests.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Since defeating Wake Forest 30-7 on Oct. 18, Syracuse has scored a total of 40 points in its last four games.

2. The Orange lead the all-time series 29-18, including a thrilling 34-31 victory last year in which a touchdown pass with six seconds left made Syracuse bowl eligible.

3. Murphy's season high for passing is just 173 yards, set in Week 1 against Massachusetts.

PREDICTION: Boston College 16, Syracuse 10