Boston College’s Defense Has Eight Takeaways, But SMU Is Favored by 21 Points. What Gives?

Boston College’s defense is absolutely showing out, tying for 13th in the FBS with eight takeaways through four games. Yet, when they roll into Dallas this Saturday, October 3, to face SMU, the Mustangs are favored by a staggering 21 points. That’s a huge spread for a team that’s forcing turnovers like crazy.

SMU’s ACC Reign vs. That Fenway Flashback

Let’s rewind a bit, because SMU wasn’t always flexing this hard. Back in the 2023 Fenway Bowl, SMU was an American champion, ranked, and considered heavy favorites. But Boston College pulled off a 23-14 stunner that afternoon, marking Kevin Jennings’ second collegiate start. Talk about a rude “welcome to the ACC” reality check for SMU before they even officially joined.

But then, everything changed. Once SMU swapped that American patch for an ACC one, it’s been a completely different story. The Mustangs have just been straight up dominating their ACC peers, racking up an impressive 15-3 record in conference play over two-plus seasons. And yeah, that includes two double-digit wins over Boston College. Their last meeting in November 2025? SMU rolled, 45-13. The Mustangs are on a two-game streak against BC, leading the all-time series 3-1. So, yeah, the history books say SMU should be a heavy favorite, but that BC defense is making some noise.

BC’s D is Ballin’ Out While The O is Stalling

Boston College sits at 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC, but man, their defense is leaving it all out there. They nearly pulled off a massive upset against Virginia Tech in Week 4, holding a 14-6 lead in the fourth quarter. It slipped away, yeah, with a crucial fourth-down conversion and a crushing 76-yard game-winning touchdown run by Jeff Overton with less than five minutes left. That’s a tough pill to swallow.

But don’t let that final score hide the facts: this defense is legit. Virginia Tech could barely move the ball in crunch time, going just 4-of-17 on third and fourth downs. Defensive end E’Lla Boykin brought the heat with two sacks, and inside linebacker Anthony Palano has been a tackling machine, continuing his streak of four straight games with a tackle for loss. Star strong safety KP Price added 10 tackles against the Hokies. They’re tied for 13th in the FBS with those eight takeaways. Plus, they’ve held three consecutive opponents to 21 points or fewer, with a pass defense that ranks 24th nationally, giving up only 166 yards per game. Marcus Upton is a huge part of that, leading the team with four pass breakups and the most solo stops.

Now, the flip side. The offense? Yikes. Boston College has been shut out in two first halves this year, and they’ve finished three entire halves without a single touchdown. Their 22-16 win over FCS Maine earlier this season was a struggle, with the team never reaching the end zone after the first quarter. The passing game, specifically, needs a serious glow-up.

So, when SMU and Boston College kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET on The CW Network, get ready for a clash of styles. Can Boston College’s tenacious defense force enough turnovers to keep this thing close against a high-flying SMU team? Or will the Mustangs’ dominance, backed by that hefty 21-point spread, prove too much for BC’s struggling offense? We’ll find out what gives on Saturday.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.