“I’m goin’ that way!” Zay Flowers, scoring BC’s first touchdown yesterday, is expected to declare for the NFL draft.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter in BC’s opening football game against Rutgers back on September 3, the Eagles led 21-15. Rutgers held BC to 24 yards in the final quarter, and closed out a 22-21 win with a 12-play, 96-yard drive.

Yesterday, the Eagles were ahead of Syracuse, 17-6, in the fourth quarter. With less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, BC allowed the Orange to score 26 straight points. A closing touchdown by BC made the final score 32-23. The Eagles ended their season 3-9, 2-6 in the ACC.

The late game collapse was a combination of ineffective offense and porous defense. During the Syracuse scoring binge, BC possessions ended with a punt, fumble, and turnover on downs. The Orange scored touchdowns after drives of 81, 73, 37, and 33 yards. It was almost as if having the lead was too much of a burden for the Eagles.

“It happened fast,” said coach Jeff Hafley in The Boston Globe.

As with several other games this season, yesterday was a tale of two halves. Within the first five minutes of the game, BC jumped out to a 10-0 lead, taking advantage of short fields created by a Syracuse fumble and blocked punt. At halftime, BC led 10-3, and the stats reflected more of an even game. Syracuse ran 35 plays for 142 yards in the opening half, while the Eagles had 30 plays for 133 yards.

The third quarter was quiet, with a Syracuse field goal accounting for the only points.

BC opened the final quarter with a nine-play, 78-yard drive ending with RB Patrick Garwo running five yards for the touchdown. Highlight of the drive was a 30-yard pass reception by WR Zay Flowers.

Then the Syracuse scoring binge began. When it ended, BC had the ball on their own 25 with 35 seconds remaining in the game. Somewhat remarkably, and likely influenced by Syracuse knowing they were ahead by two scores, the Eagles then drove 75 yards in 11 plays in 28 seconds. In the drive, QB Emmett Morehead started with an incomplete pass and then completed nine consecutive passes, finishing with a three-yard touchdown pass to Flowers for the final score.

It was another record-setting game for Flowers. His closing touchdown pass was the 29th of his career, exceeding by one the total by Kelvin Martin ’86 (a San Diego native). Flowers had eight catches yesterday for 110 yards. He finishes ahead of BC receivers in career receptions (200), career receiving yards (3,056), and career touchdown receptions (29). This year, Flowers had 78 receptions, tying the single-season record with Alex Amidon ’12. His 12 touchdown receptions for the year are a single-season record.

Overall, Syracuse gained 443 yards in offense, compared to 341 for BC. Morehead was 29 of 38 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. The Eagles sacked the Syracuse quarterback seven times.

Highlights

This is BC’s first nine-loss season since 2015. In the ACC, only Virginia and Virginia Tech, which each had 1-6 conference records, finished with a worse record (their final game, with each other, was canceled in honor of UVa’s slain football players). Virginia Tech’s sole win was against BC.

On to women’s lacrosse!

With the Eagles in all-white uniforms, it’s almost as if they’re not there.

As the photo above shows, snow blanketed the field in South Bend by the middle of the third quarter of yesterday’s BC-Notre Dame football game. For the rest of the game, neither team scored a point. Too bad for the Eagles that the snow didn’t come much earlier.

Prior to the precipitation, BC had been figuratively snowed under by the Irish offense. After reverting to their usual inability to stop the opposing team on its first possession, allowing Notre Dame to move 67 yards in six plays and make a field goal, quarterback Emmett Morehead threw the first of his three interceptions for the day. Five plays later, the Irish went ahead 10-0.

By the end of the first quarter, #18 Notre Dame had increased its lead to 17-0. The Irish had nine first downs, compared to BC’s single first down, and had gained 213 yards in offense, limiting the Eagles to 48 yards.

Just more yards and points for Notre Dame in the second quarter. At halftime, it was already a beatdown. Notre Dame 37, BC 0. Total offense: 386 yards for the Irish, 81 for the Eagles. On the ground, BC rushed for one yard, Notre Dame for 214.

After another Morehead interception early in the third quarter, Notre Dame scored for the final time, to make it 44-0. Then the snow came. 

For the record, for the game, BC gained 173 yards on 58 offensive plays. Notre Dame ran 63 plays and gained 437 yards. The Irish were six for seven in red zone opportunities, scoring five touchdowns. BC was zero for one.

Trevor Hass wrote in The Boston Globe today: “[WR Zay] Flowers became the Eagles’ all-time leader with 192 career receptions, freshman Alex Broome showed his versatility, and Vinny DePalma had a career-high 12 tackles. Beyond that, it was all Irish.” In the game, Flowers had three receptions for 46 yards. Kudos to these Eagles.

Morehead was nine of 22 passing for 117 yards, three interceptions, and a fumble. He was sacked four times for -23 yards.

BC falls to 3-8, 2-5 in the ACC.

Highlights?

 BC finishes its season at home Saturday, hosting Syracuse. No bowl game.