Patrick Garwo celebrates his and BC’s lone touchdown.

It was not certain that BC’s late drive deep into Clemson territory would result in victory. But the Eagles could have won and should have won. Instead it was another frustrating loss to the Tigers yesterday, 19-13.

With 49 seconds remaining in the game, down by six points, BC was on the Clemson 11. BC quarterback Dennis Grosel had thrown five straight complete passes to bring the team from its own 36 and the Eagles looked poised to win. An incomplete pass was followed by Grosel’s fumble of the shotgun snap from center. Grosel attempted tp pick up the ball rather than fall on it and Clemson recovered. Two kneel-downs and the Tigers escaped with the win.

Screenshot of BC’s final play.

BC’s final play was their third. and obviously most costly, turnover of the game. Grosel passes were intercepted twice. The Eagles lost possession of the ball a total of four times, but had recovered three.

They were also penalized 10 times, including three penalties in succession on their penultimate drive of the game. Having moved from their 25 to the Clemson 32, BC was called for ineligible receiver down field on an incomplete pass. The Eagles then committed two successive false starts to move back to the Clemson 47. On fourth and nine on the Clemson 31, Grosel’s pass to Zay Flowers was marked a yard short and Clemson took over.

Yesterday was BC’s third consecutive visit to Memorial Stadium, “Death Valley.” They played last night before 79,159 fans, easily the most in the last two seasons. The Tigers’ victory was their 31st straight in such friendly surroundings.

Overall, the game featured only two touchdowns and six field goals, four of them by Clemson. Halfway through the opening quarter, Clemson scored its touchdown on a 59-yard run by Kobe Pace, who had 128 yards for the game. The subsequent BC possession was a 10-play, 70-yard drive culminating in a 22-yard field goal by Connor Lytton.

After the Tigers added two field goals in the second quarter for their biggest lead, 13-3, the Eagles went on a 15-play, 58-yard drive for another Lytton field goal to close out the half at 13-6.

BC had only 50 yards offense in the first half to 123 for Clemson. No shoot out. BC’s leading running back, Patrick Garwo, had one carry for zero yards.

To open the second half, however, the Eagles went 75 yards in four plays, featuring passes of 39 and 33 yards, with Garwo running in from the three for BC’s lone touchdown and tying the score. The teams then exchanged stalled drives until the Tigers hit a 35-yard field goal to go up 16-13 at the end of the quarter. BC had the ball for less than five minutes in the quarter.

On Clemson’s second drive of the final quarter, the Tigers added a 42-yard field goal to make the score 19-13. Then BC’s final two ultimately unsuccessful possessions began.

The Eagles ended the game with 358 yards total offense, 311 of them through the air. Grosel was 23 of 40 passing, with two interceptions. After a goose egg and single carry in the first half, Garwo ran 11 times for 57 yards in the second. Clemson had 438 yards, 231 on the ground.

Video highlights of the game.

BC (4-1) has a bye week coming up, letting us stew about missed opportunities for an extra week. They play North Carolina State at home on Saturday, October 16.

Pat Garwo (24) finishes his 67-yard run for BC’s first score.

It didn’t start off well for the Eagles yesterday, playing Missouri for the first time. Returning the opening kickoff to their 28, the Tigers went on a 10-play, 72-yard drive, with QB Connor Bazelak completing 8 of 8 passes, to take a quick 7-0 lead.

Brandon Sebastian (10) runs off the field after his interception in overtime secures the BC win.

It ended much better for the Eagles, though not without significant nervousness among BC fans beforehand. The teams had gone to overtime after Missouri, starting at its 25 with 25 seconds remaining, and the Eagles ahead 34-31, was able to get into position for a successful 56-yard field goal. BC had the ball first in overtime and scored a touchdown in five plays. Missouri opted to go for it all on its first play and DB Brandon Sebastian intercepted the pass in the end zone to secure a 41-34 victory.

The Eagles open the season 4-0 for the first time since 2007.

With the teams tied at 17 at the half, BC dominated the third quarter to take a 27-17 lead. The Eagles started the second half with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. On Missouri’s second play following the touchdown, BC’s DB Josh DeBerry intercepted a Tiger pass attempt. Sixteen plays later, Eagles kicker Connor Lytton kicked a 31-yard field goal. BC had 28 plays for 135 yards in the quarter compared to Missouri’s 4 plays for 17 yards and the Eagles held the ball for 13 minutes, 42 seconds of the 15-minute period.

The Tigers simply flipped the story in the final quarter. While time of possession was far less skewed than in the third period, the Tigers scored 17 points to the Eagles’ 7 and BC’s lead was gone.

The game, as the score would indicate, featured lots of offense, as both teams combined for 841 yards. The difference was in how each team got those yards. The Eagles rushed 49 times, more than double the attempts by Missouri, and gained 275 yards rushing, more than tripling the Tigers’ 88 yards on the ground. Mizzou threw 42 times, completing 30 for 303 yards. BC QB Dennis Grosel was 18 of 29 passing for 175 yards.

Star running back for the Eagles was redshirt sophomore Pat Garwo, who ran for 175 yards in 25 carries, including a 67-yard run to score BC’s first touchdown. Leading receiver for the Eagles was Zay Flowers, with 8 catches for 62 yards, 50 of them gained after the catch.

Here are highlights.

BC (4-0) travels to Death Valley to play Clemson Saturday. The contest against the perennial powerhouse lost a lot of its luster with the Tigers losing to North Carolina State in overtime yesterday to fall to 2-2. The Eagles play N.C. State at home on October 16.

Game time Saturday is 4:30 pm PT.

Patrick Garwo runs for an Eagles touchdown.

In its game notes, BC proudly reported that the Eagles yesterday held the Temple Owls to 239 yards total offense, the second lowest total by an opponent during Jeff Hafley’s tenure as coach, in their 28-3 win over Temple.

What to say then about BC gaining only 221 yards total offense? Great Temple defense? Or meh BC offense?

The Eagles’ 34 yards total passing in a win may be the team’s lowest in the modern era. BC usually features at least one pass reception of that distance in a game. QB Dennis Grosel, starting a complete game for the first time this season, threw only 13 times, completing only five, with one interception. Grosel personally rushed for more yards, gaining 47.

BC’s leading rusher, Patrick Garwo, edged Grosel for the team lead with 49 yards on the ground. Receiver Zay Flowers had a single run of 47 yards.

The Eagles started off the game gang busters as Travis Levy ran the opening kickoff 66 yards to inside the Temple 30. Three plays later, Grosel threw his one touchdown pass of the game — 19 yards to Jaden Williams. Took 1:39 to score the opening touchdown.

A 10-play drive brought BC to a 14-0 lead to close out the first quarter. The Eagles had the ball for 10 minutes 40 seconds in the quarter. 

Temple achieved its initial first down with 11:25 to go in the second quarter. The Owls started with three consecutive three-and-out series. Of their five possessions in the first half, four did not record a first down.

BC closed out the first half with another touchdown and went into halftime with a 21-0 lead.

While the Owls dominated the third quarter, possessing the ball for 11 minutes, 35 seconds, they failed to score. They opened the final quarter with a field goal, but the Eagles responded with another touchdown for the 28-3 final score.

The Eagles ran only 48 plays on offense the entire game, while Temple had 60. BC was efficient, however, scoring four touchdowns on four appearances in the red zone.

Here are video highlights.

The Eagles (3-0) return to Alumni Stadium Saturday to meet the Missouri Tigers (2-1) of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Gametime is 9 am PT.