3 things to know for the Quick Lane Bowl

Need a brief primer before you attempt to watch all 40 bowl games this season? We’ve got you covered. Here are three things you need to know about the Quick Lane Bowl.

QUICK LANE BOWL
Boston College (6-6) vs. Maryland (6-6)
Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m. ET
ESPN

– Both teams earned bowl eligibility in their final regular season games. For Maryland, 2016 has been a roller coaster. First-year head coach DJ Durkin started Maryland’s season off hot with four straight victories. Then, the Terps lost six of the following seven games by a massive margin of 260-73. Maryland earned its sixth win in a 31-13 defeat over Rutgers and hopes to parlay a bowl victory into momentum for next season.

Boston College finished its season notching consecutive victories over UConn and Wake Forest to achieve six wins. 0-2 in bowl games with Steve Addazio at the helm, Addazio and his dudes would like to keep him off the hot seat with a bowl win.

– Points will be hard to come by in this contest. BC ranks eighth in total defense in FBS, allowing 310.6 yards per game. Run defense is where BC truly shines. Seventh best in FBS, the Eagles have shut down opposing rushing attacks all season to the tune of 106.9 yards on average. The Eagles are led by star defensive end Harold Landry. A second team AP All-American, Landry is tied for most sacks in FBS with 15 and leads FBS in forced fumbles with seven.

While the defense has thrived, BC’s offense can only be described as abysmal. The Eagles are 128th in average yards, 121st in passing yards, 119th in third down conversion, and 123rd in points per game. Although nightmarishly ineffective, BC has a chance for some offensive success against Maryland’s 80th ranked defense. The Terps 100th ranked pass defense should allow Kentucky transfer quarterback Patrick Towles — 1,579 yards, 10 TDs — to make some plays through the air.

– Similar to BC, Maryland’s offense does not strike fear into its opponents. The Terps rank 93rd in yards per game and 105th in third down conversation percentage and need explosive plays to stay out of third-down situations. Lucky for them, sophomore running back Ty Johnson is the definition of explosive. Averaging 8.9 yard-per-carry, Johnson — 845 yards, 4 TDs — is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Johnson’s playmaking against the stellar BC run defense will be key to Maryland’s success.

Mascot fight prediction: We have a terrapin versus an eagle in the “Planet Earth” Bowl. This should be an easy victory for the eagle. Maybe the small marsh turtle dives below the water for protection, but that only prevents the inevitable for few minutes. I’m taking the predatory bird with a sharp beak and dive-bomb attacks.

Quick Lane
Graham Watson: Maryland 21, Boston College 17
Nick Bromberg: Boston College 13, Maryland 10
Sam Cooper: Maryland 20, Boston College 17
Chris Herbert: Maryland 17, Boston College 12