QB Thomas Castellanos scores a two-yard TD against Northern Illinois.
According to ESPN Radio College GameDay, BC paid Northern Illinois University $1.1 million to come to Chestnut Hill to open the 2023 football season yesterday. As one of the show’s commentators said about NIU’s 27-24 win in overtime, “They left with the money and they left with the win.”
BC fans left deflated. This was the second successive disappointing opening game loss against an underdog opponent. Last year, BC led Rutgers 21-15 in the fourth quarter, but allowed the Scarlet Knights a 12-play 96-yard drive to close out the game, 22-21. It was the first act in a 3-9 season. NIU’s win yesterday was its first in four games with BC.
The tone of the game was set early, as the Eagles had the ball for only three minutes in the first quarter, less than half of the time NIU had possession. Of the four quarters in the game, the Huskies possessed the ball more than twice as long as BC in three of them and for three minutes more in the remaining quarter. Overall, NIU had possession for 36 minutes, 53 seconds, BC for 20 minutes, 47 seconds. The Eagles ran only 66 plays in the game, compared to 78 for NIU.
Neither team scored in the first half until the Huskies passed seven yards for a touchdown with 2:44 remaining and took a 7-0 lead into halftime. Receiving the kickoff to start the second half, NIU went on an extended, methodical drive, often aided by untimely penalties by BC, to take a 14-0 lead. In the game overall, BC had 10 penalties for 93 yards.
The Eagles’ fortune and performance changed when BC recovered a NIU fumble on their 25 yard line with 6:53 left in the third quarter. BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos finished a five-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Bond to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.
Castellanos was a surprise participant in this game. He alternated with last year’s starter, Emmett Morehead, in the first half, but played nearly all of the second half. He is a transfer from University of Central Florida. He’s 5-10 sophomore, from Waycross, Ga. The TD pass in the third quarter was the first of his collegiate career.
NIU pushed its lead to 21-7 with 9:24 to play in the game. And then, for BC fans, it got interesting and then exciting. Near midfield on the ensuring BC drive, Castellanos faced fourth-and-five. Retreating from the pressure, Castellanos kept going back and back, swerving, faking, and then running forward to complete a long pass for a 10-yard gain and first down. He had a much shorter run on a two-yard run for a touchdown to make the score 21-14 with 5:59 left.
The Huskies got two first downs, but punted back to BC on its 17 with 3:23 minutes left in the game. It took Castellanos less than two minutes to get the tying touchdown. He had runs for 16 and 10 yards and threw a 22-yard pass to Ryan O’Keefe to get BC to the NIU 30. A 30-yard pass to Jaden Williams sealed the deal. Tied 21-21.
On offense first in overtime, Eagles gained only four yards in three plays and Liam Connor kicked a 39-yard field goal. NIU scored a touchdown for the win in four plays.
With BC rejuvenated in the second half, the teams were close in total offense, 338 yards for NIU and 314 for the Eagles. Castellanos finished 13 of 28 passing for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He also rushed for 67 yards, leading the team, and a touchdown. Running back Patrick Garwo added 44 yards on 10 carries.
The Eagles play ancient foe Holy Cross Saturday, September 9, at 9 am PT.