Who's Playing

Boston College @ Cincinnati

Current Records: Boston College 6-6; Cincinnati 10-3

What to Know

The Boston College Eagles and the Cincinnati Bearcats have had some time off and are no doubt ready to hit the field. Bowl season is underway, and BC and Cincinnati will compete for postseason bragging rights in the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. The Eagles aren't expected to win, but seeing as the odds didn't stop them last game, maybe the squad has another upset up their sleeve.

The Eagles were able to grind out a solid win over the Pittsburgh Panthers five weeks ago, winning 26-19. The Eagles can attribute much of their success to RB AJ Dillon, who rushed for one TD and 178 yards on 32 carries. That touchdown -- 61-yard rush in the third quarter -- was one of the highlights of the game.

The Eagles' defense was a force to be reckoned with, as it collected one interception and four fumbles. That interception came courtesy of DB Jahmin Muse with 7:08 remaining in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati was first on the board but had to settle for second at the end of their matchup against the Memphis Tigers four weeks ago. The Bearcats were within a late touchdown of stealing the victory, but they took the "L" against Memphis 29-24. Despite the loss, the Bearcats had strong showings from QB Desmond Ridder, who accumulated 233 passing yards in addition to rushing for one TD and 113 yards, and RB Michael Warren II, who punched in two rushing touchdowns.

BC's win brought them up to 6-6 while Cincinnati's defeat pulled them down to 10-3. A couple stats to keep an eye on: BC enters the contest with only six interceptions, good for 17th best in the nation. But Cincinnati enters the game having picked the ball off 16 times, good for fifth in the nation. We'll see which of these strengths -- offense or defense -- will win out.

How To Watch

  • When: Thursday at 3 p.m. ET
  • Where: Legion Field -- Birmingham, Alabama
  • TV: ESPN
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $25.28

Odds

The Bearcats are a big 7.5-point favorite against the Eagles, according to the latest college football odds.

Vegas was right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 7.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: 55

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Series History

This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last five years.