Predicting the 2025 season ahead of training camp

Finally.

We get real football to talk about this week as camp opens Wednesday morning (9 a.m.) and all eyes will of course be on the QB competition that’s about to unfold.

While there’s little to no questions with some position group (receiver, RB, cornerback), there’s plenty of others (D-line, LBs, tight ends, O-line continuity). There’s plenty of reason for optimism, but BC is also still in a spot where things could change drastically if someone goes down in any one of those groups.

With all that in mind, I figured I’d try and give a record prediction for the season so it’s officially on record before we hit August. I will continue to try and live off my Grayson James victory lap of 2024 forever, but there’s also a chance I’m very wrong about everything this year. That’s the fun of all this, right?

Anyway, here’s how I think things shake out for the 2025 Eagles:

Week 1 vs. Fordham – Win

I mean, if they don’t win this one then we already have huge problems. Now, the Patriot League is better than people give it credit for (see the Holy Cross game two years ago), but there are zero excuses not to come out firing in the opener at home, even if Shaker Reisig has to play for whatever reason. 1-0.

Week 2 @ Michigan State – Win

If Grayson is playing last year the team doesn’t struggle mightily to score all night, even with the crappy conditions. The defense and overall aura around Alumni that night because of the red bandanna game willed BC to victory. Tommy was fine, but I still believe they were and are a much better team than the Spartans. First tough road environment and a national television game. Sneaky big spot very early on.

Week 3 @ Stanford – Loss

Just such a tough turnaround where you ultimately lose a day with the travel. Now, the good news is that this game is also on national TV out there so you don’t have the awkward early start time or anything, but I just think the Cardinal take advantage of the spot and squeak out like, a field goal win.

Week 4 – Bye

Don’t love how early this first one is, but probably a good little chance to take a step back and evaluate what’s gone right and wrong the first three weeks.

Week 5 vs. Cal – Win

Bounce back opportunity after a week off. Cal may have to deal with the early start time (kickoff time is still TBD) and even if they don’t, the Golden Bears will be coming off a game against San Diego State. Like BC heading out to Stanford, you either have to change routine or lose a day with travel. I also believe BC will be harder to play against at home this season (maybe more hopeful than anything else, but for now I genuinely believe that). 3-1 through the first quarter of the season. Not bad at all.

Week 6 @ Pitt – Win

This will be a grind-it-out game regardless of who the QB is for BC. Just a tough place to play now and we all saw what the Panthers were capable of last season. I get old school Big East vibes when I think about this game. The ghost of Phil Jurkovec won’t be an issue when the final buzzer sounds though, Eagles win a ground-dominant game something like 17-14.

Week 7 vs. Clemson – Loss

Hate to do it because I think they keep it close, but Klubnik leads a late drive to finish it. Since covering the team, the losses in Death Valley have been excruciating and the one time the Tigers came here during my tenure it was ugly after halftime. This game will be competitive and hopefully it’s nationally televised (3:30 start would be ideal).

Week 8 vs. UConn – Win

Don’t sleep on the Huskies. Jim Mora has done some damn good work down there, making a bowl two of his first three seasons and obviously upsetting the Eagles at The Rent a few years ago. Having said all that, if BC is a true contender in the ACC they don’t lose this game at home. One of the things that separates a legitimate team from just an okay team is dominating second-tier teams at home, especially later in the season. BC should roll.

Week 9 @ Louisville – Win

Probably the game I’m least confident in, but hopefully you get a chance to rest some guys in the second half of the UConn game to prep for this one. Tough road environment and this is one of those coin flip conference games probably. Leaning towards the positive side and just saying they pull it out somehow, maybe in OT?

Week 10 vs. Notre Dame – Loss

Basically the same thing as Clemson here for me. I think they’re right there in every single game this season and it just comes down to a play or two late. Bill O’Brien has said his team needs to be better in those situations and winning on the margins. I know I’m much higher on the lines on both sides of the ball than many of you are and that’s fair, but the Eagles won’t get bullied by anyone this season. Hopefully I’m wrong on this one and the upset goes down.

Week 11 vs. SMU – Win

Red Bandanna night or day. Could have won down there last season if not for a few mistakes. Of the ‘big three’ games at home this is the one I’m most confident in by a very large margin. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to say that they win by at least two scores. I think the Mustangs take a step back this season while I think BC is on the rise.

Week 12 vs. Georgia Tech – Win

Battling for an ACC title berth at this point, it’s just absolutely not a game they lose. Are the Yellow Jackets good? Sure, but if the Eagles are at the level I think they are, this is a win.

Week 13 – Bye

Love this one. You know exactly where you stand at this point and (hopefully) a bowl berth is well in hand. Ideally, that ACC title berth is well within sight heading into the final game…

Week 14 @ Syracuse – Win

Can’t come this far to only come this far, right? Dome is more often than not a tough place to play and the Orange might be in the exact same boat as BC in terms of competing for a conference title game opportunity. Again, I know some of you think they’re just scraping to try and get a bowl bid at this point in the season, but I have full faith in this staff getting the team to the next level in Year 2.

Final regular season record: 9-3

ACC title game berth, lose in the championship game. Don’t ask me to name which bowl they end up in, I just know it finally won’t be somewhere you can take a train to get to.

Let the hate messages begin…but in all seriousness, looking forward to finally getting some real reporting done for you guys starting Wednesday!