Seminole stunner

The November 9 BC-FSU game was the annual “Red Bandanna Game,” honoring the life and memory of Welles Crowther ’99, who died in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. He is reported to have saved as many as 18 lives before succumbing. His mother and other members of his family were introduced at the game.

With 2:33 remaining in the game, BC quarterback Dennis Grosel ended a 13-play, 90-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge that tied the November 9 game with Florida State at 24-24. For Eagles fans in the crowd and watching on television, it seemed BC had mucho momentum to bring the game to overtime, at least.

Less than a minute later, a Seminole was in the end zone after catching a 60-yard touchdown pass, and Florida State held a 31-24 lead. After BC received the ensuing kickoff, and less than 30 seconds after scoring, the Seminoles intercepted Grosel. Three plays later, Florida State scored a final touchdown on a 66-yard run, and led 38-24. Game over.

Not quite. With BC getting the ball on the 25 yard line with 1:03 remaining, Grosel threw five consecutive complete passes, culminating in a 20-yard pass to Kobay White to bring the game back to a one-score difference, 38-31. BC’s onside kick attempt failed. This time, game over.

The game was close in several measures and wildly different in others. The teams were close in total offense (524 for FSU, 508 for BC), but the Eagles achieved their total in 93 plays, while the Seminoles needed only 57. BC possessed the ball for 17 minutes longer than Florida State (38:30 to 21:30). That’s more than a quarter of the game.

It was explosiveness versus grinding. AJ Dillon ran for 165 yards on 40 carries, no touchdowns. FSU’s Jordan Travis gained 94 yards on 3 carries, scoring two touchdowns.

Overall, Grosel was 20 of 29 passing for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. He also ran for 30 yards and 1 touchdown.

Here are highlights.

The Eagles are 5-5 and, after having enjoyed a bye week, travel to South Bend, Ind., to meet Notre Dame (8-2).

 

Orange crushed

The Boston College offense is set up to dominate lesser teams, particularly on the ground. Yesterday, in record-setting offensive performances, the Eagles beat the Syracuse Orangemen . . . to a pulp.

AJ Dillon, BC’s all-time leading touchdown scorer. Photo by John Munson

In its 58-27 win in Syracuse’s Carrier Dome, BC gained a school-record 691 yards in total offense, 484 of them in the first half, also a record. The Eagle’s 44 points in the first half were another school record, and put them ahead 44-20. The final 58-point total is the largest BC has ever scored against an ACC opponent.

In one seven-minute span in the sec and quarter, the Eagles scored 27 points,

On the ground, BC gained 496 yards, yet another school record. Running back AJ Dillon gained 242 yards on 35 carries (6.9 yards per carry average) and scored three touchdowns. Running mate David Bailey carried the ball 16 times and gained 173 yards (10.8 ypc), scoring two touchdowns. Freshman Zay Flowers ended up with the highest rushing average, with 30 yards in two carries.

With Syracuse focused on the run (however ineptly), BC quarterback Dennis Grosel was efficient, able to find wide open receivers for long gains. His final stats were 8 of 10 passing for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns, including TD passes of 64 and 50 yards.

In this type of game, as was the case in BC’s 59-7 loss to Clemson only a week earlier, little about the losing team is relevant.

Enjoy a ton of highlights.

BC improved to 5-4 on the season, 3-3 in the conference.

Next up, in the annual “Red Bandanna Game,” the Eagles play Florida State. Another morning game, and back at Striders.

 

 

Orange Crush

Travis Etienne ran for 109 yards in the Clemson rout.

For five minutes, 44 seconds, in yesterday’s BC-Clemson football game, the Eagles marched 75 yards in 15 plays to score a touchdown to reduce the Tigers’ lead to 17-7. Fittingly, the touchdown was scored by AJ Dillon on a nine-yard run. Later in the game, Dillon became BC’s all-time leading rusher.

The rest of the game was all Clemson. Coming into the game favored by five touchdowns or more, the Tigers were college football’s most dominant favorite on yesterday’s slate of games. And they beat the spread.

Despite taking its foot off the gas in the second half, Clemson routed BC, 59-7.

On defense, after giving up a then-school-record 664 yards to Louisville three weeks ago, BC gave Clemson 10 more, allowing the Tigers to gain 674 total yards. On offense, the Eagles failed to reach triple digits either rushing or passing, gaining only 177 yards in total offense, a season low.

BC quarterback Dennis Grosel, in place of Anthony Brown, lost for the season to injury, completed 3 of 14 passes for 53 yards, including a 30-yard pass to tight end Hunter Long in the sole touchdown drive.

This was BC’s 14th loss to a ranked team in its last 15 such games and 12th consecutive loss to Clemson.

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The Eagles are 4-4 for the season, 2-3 in the ACC. They have four remaining games and need to win at least two of those to qualify for participating in a post-season bowl game. Next up, 3-5 Syracuse.