Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#30 Boston College Eagles 9-3 SU; 7-5 ATS

Fargos Take Boston College has won at least eight games every year since 2001 and has won and covered every bowl game for the last six seasons. The problem with the Eagles is that they cannot get over the hump and contend for a conference title whether it is in their former conference, the Big East or now the ACC. A lot of rebuilding is expected to take place in 2006, especially on the defensive side of the ball so this does not look to be the year either. Its hard to get down on a team that has played exceptional for so long but until they can beat Miami, Florida St. or Virginia Tech, a combined 1-7 over the last five years, the Eagles will never contend. They have found the future at quarterback in junior Matt Ryan but it will be up to the defense to try and duplicate its 2005 season, finishing 16th in total defense and 7th in scoring defense. That wont happen and Boston College will be in the middle of the pack in the ACC Atlantic.

Returning Starters on Offense 6 Ryan took over for Quinton Porter at times last season where he went 5-0 as a starter including a bowl win over Boise St. He will have a lot of new faces around him as he lost his top two receivers and has just one returning wideout who caught more than 16 passes. He will be protected by an offensive line that lost two key contributors but if it can jell early, it could be another solid line. The average weight of the starters is 313 pounds and it will make way for two solid junior tailbacks in L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender. The Eagles lacked consistency on offense and they were unable to succeed against the big boys, averaging only 14.3 ppg against Florida St., Virginia Tech and Clemson. They finished 64th in the country in scoring offense and its doubtful they can improve upon that very much.

Returning Starters on Defense 6 This is where the Eagles shined last season and this is where they are going to digress in 2006. No team lost as much key personnel as Boston College did in the front seven. Gone is defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka who had 33 sacks over the last three years as well as all everything linebackers Ray Henderson and Ricky Brown. There are no seniors along the front seven and Boston College will be led by junior linebacker Brian Toal if he can recover from a shoulder injury. The passing defense was a weak 62nd in the country and the secondary is going to have to be the strength this season in order to give the front time to come together. All four starters are back and depth is a big plus. Because of the inconsistent offense last year, the defense had to carry the team much of the season but this season it could be just the opposite if the young guys dont step up fast.

Schedule Boston College will be in its second season in the ACC and it is already learning that things are not easy. To make up for the tough conference slate, the Eagles have a relatively easy non-conference schedule highlighted by a home game against BYU as the toughest of the bunch. The other three games are against Central Michigan, Maine and Buffalo which all should be three blowout victories. The ACC opener is at home against a much better Clemson team and following a game at NC State, the Eagles have back-to-back games against Virginia Tech and Florida St. Buffalo, Wake Forest, Duke and Maryland follow before the finale at Miami. The Eagles have to play the top four teams in the conference with the games against the Seminoles and Hurricanes both on the road.

You can bet on While Boston College is almost a guarantee to make it back to the postseason, it will be a tough season for the Eagles as there are more question marks this year than normally brought up in the past. The defense has held opponents to fewer than 20 ppg in four of the last five years and that likely wont happen this season. Boston College is a team that is well coached and that is reflected in its 16-6 ATS mark when coming off a loss. Keep an eye out for games at home against BYU, on the road at Florida St. and at home against Buffalo as those will be the likely games that follow defeats. The Eagles are 12-5 on the road over the last three years including a 3-2 record last season in the first ACC campaign so they are capable of pulling upsets away from home.