Kye Robichaux scores one of his two touchdowns in BC’s 38-23 win yesterday over Georgia Tech.

Boston College exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring three touchdowns and allowing none, to muscle a 38-23 victory yesterday over Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga.

The Eagles put on an offensive show, gaining 563 yards total offense, 308 on the ground. QB Thomas Castellanos was again the principal offensive threat, but he was joined by Kye Robichaux. Both natives of Georgia, Castellanos and Robichaux combined for 296 yards rushing, 165 by Robichaux, and each scored two of BC’s four offensive touchdowns.

The other touchdown for the Eagles was scored by yet another Georgia native, Amari Jackson, who ran back an amazing pass interception 30 yards for the score. (The Peach State natives must have enjoyed playing in front of family and friends.) Jackson had his back to the ball when it arrived, but it struck the inside of his left arm and he was somehow able to secure the ball for the interception and score. The play was cited as college football’s “top play” yesterday on ESPN’s College Football Final. Check it out in the highlights.

Jackson’s pick-six with less than two minutes in the first quarter gave the lead back to the Eagles. BC had scored first with a field goal and Georgia Tech responded with a touchdown. The Eagles started somewhat slow again offensively, possessing the ball for less than five minutes and running only 12 plays, compared to 23 plays for the Yellow Jackets. But the Eagles led, 10-7.

The situation flipped somewhat in the second quarter, with BC running 21 plays for 124 yards and holding the ball for more than nine minutes. Castellanos scored BC’s touchdown on a 12-yard run. The Eagles went into halftime leading 17-10.

The third quarter featured some fireworks, but all for Georgia Tech. After the Yellow Jackets intercepted Castellano’s pass into the end zone on BC’s initial possession, Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King sprinted 71 yards to tie the score at 17. A second long drive later brought the score to 23-17, advantage Yellow Jackets.

King would finish the day with 150 yards on 10 carries, becoming only the second opposing quarterback to outrush Castellanos this season. Holy Cross’s Matthew Sluka also outgained Castellanos on the ground.

The fourth quarter was a highlight reel for the Eagles. BC scored on a two-yard run by Robichaux only 36 seconds into the quarter. On their second possession, Castellanos scored on a 43-yard run. On Georgia Tech’s next possession, the Eagles’s Elijah Jones intercepted their pass attempt, returning the ball to the Eagles on their 40.

First play, Robichaux for 57 yards. Next play, Robichaux runs into the endzone from the three. Jones intercepted his second pass on the next Georgia Tech possession and the Eagles were able to run out the last 5:42 of the game.

In the final quarter, BC scored 21 unanswered points, ran 21 plays for 199 yards, and held the Yellow Jackets to 79 yards on 14 plays.

Castellanos finished the game 17 of 29 passing for 255 yards, no touchdowns, one interception. Leading receiver for BC was Lewis Bond, with five catches for 72 yards. Robichaux added another 54 yards offense on three pass receptions. Eight different Eagles caught a pass in the game.

Here are highlights (10:19).

BC improved to 4-3, 2-2 in the ACC. They have the same overall record as Clemson, which is 2-3 in conference play.

The Eagles will seek revenge on their opponent this Saturday, when they meet UConn, victor last season in a humiliating defeat for BC. Kickoff is 9 am.

Following UConn, the last four games of the regular season are on an unusual schedule. Two Friday games, a Thursday game, and one “normal” Saturday game. Times are all Pacific Time.
Friday, November 3 — Syracuse, 4:30 pm
Saturday, November 11 — Virginia Tech, time TBA
Thursday, November 16 — Pitt, 4 pm
Friday, November 24 — Miami, 9 am

BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos ran for four touchdowns against Army. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

The complaint so far this season was that BC football started slow. Their start yesterday against Army West Point wasn’t fast, but it was better than that of the opponent.

With steady and occasionally heavy rain making both teams one-dimensional, the Eagles relied on the legs of QB Thomas Castellanos to take a half-time lead, survive a third-quarter surge by the Black Knights, and, after losing the lead in the fourth quarter, go on a 12-play 62-yard drive ending with a one-yard rush for a Castellanos touchdown with 25 seconds left and a 27-24 win.

Castellanos became the first BC quarterback to score four touchdowns on the ground and the first Eagle to score four rushing touchdowns since running back A.J. Dillon in 2017.

The Eagles scored first on a 20-yard run by Castellanos and, after an Army West Point field goal, scored a second TD on a four-yard rush by Castellanos to lead at halftime, 13-3. Kicker Liam Connor missed the PAT after the initial touchdown.

In the first half, BC had 13 first downs to Army’s 3 and 37 plays for 168 yards to Army’s 19 plays for 78 yards.

BC once again allowed its opponent to score on the initial drive of the second half. Army West Point got a great start with a 53-yard kickoff return bringing the ball to the BC 37. Six straight rushing plays brought the Black Knights to the endzone and cut the BC lead to 13-10.

The teams then traded touchdowns to enter the final quarter with BC in the lead 20-17.

Army West Point continued a 7-play, 61-yard drive to take the lead 24-20 with 11:43 to go. After BC punted on the next possession, Army appeared to score a touchdown on a 50-yard pass. The play was nullified after review determined the Army quarterback had been beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the forward pass. Army punted.

The Eagles took possession with 5:34 remaining. Running 12 consecutive running plays, BC covered 62 yards, with the final play a one-yard rush by Castellanos for the touchdown. With the extra point, BC led 27-24 with 25 seconds remaining.

Army’s final series ended three plays later when BC recovered an Army fumble and then ran out the clock.

Overall, the Eagles gained 372 yards offense, 299 on the ground. Army West Point was held to 161 yards rushing and 266 yards total.

Castellanos finished with 142 net yards on 31 carries, leading rusher in the game for either team. RB Patrick Garwo contributed mightily with 111 yards on 14 carries. Castellanos was four-for-nine passing for 73 yards with one interception.

With this performance adding to his season totals, Castellanos ranks first in rushing among FBS quarterbacks overall and 26th among all players.

Highlights

BC improves its record to 3-3 halfway through the season. After a bye week, the Eagles play at Georgia Tech on Saturday, October 21, time TBD.

Defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had five tackles and a sack against Virginia.

The intended effort, again, was to play fast from the beginning of the game. That’s been repeated throughout the season, but not yet achieved. In yesterday’s game against Virginia, BC continued the string, falling behind to the winless Cavaliers, 21-7, in the first half.

Halftime must have been refreshing for the Eagles. BC dominated the third quarter and then won its first ACC game of the season, edging Virginia, 27-24, with a 42-yard field goal by Liam Connor with just over two minutes left.

In certainly one of their best quarters this season, the Eagles ran 23 plays for 176 yards in the third quarter, possessing the ball for 10 minutes, 45 seconds. They limited the Cavaliers to eight plays, 12 yards, and zero points. More importantly, BC scored two touchdowns and a field goal to take the lead, 24-21. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos was three-of-five passing, for 40 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter. He also ran six times for 43 yards.

The Eagles rushed for 136 yards in the third quarter, just about two-thirds of their game total 203 yards rushing.

BC bettered the Cavaliers statistically again in the final quarter, though not as distinctively as in the third. After Virginia recovered a BC fumble on the BC39, they tied the score with a 44-yard field goal. On BC’s next possession, they went on an 11-play drive, using just under five minutes on the clock, and Connor hit another 42-yard field goal.

The Cavaliers got the ball back with 2:11 on the clock. BC held them on downs and ran out the clock for the win.

The stats for BC in the opening quarter were ghastly. The Eagles ran 13 plays for 33 yards offense. The second quarter was a little better, but BC allowed Virginia to gain 171 yards in that quarter. The insult came on the final play of the quarter, when Virginia connected on a 36-yard Hail Mary pass to the end zone to go up 21-7.

For the game, Castellanos was 16 of 26 for 183 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. For only the second time this season, he was not also BC’s leading rusher. RB Patrick Garwo III gained 87 net yards on 23 carries and scored a touchdown. Castellanos ran for 78 yards on 16 carries. WR Lewis Bond was BC’s leading receiver with seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles committed only five penalties yesterday, but had four turnovers: two passes intercepted and two fumbles lost. BC sacked the Virginia quarterback five times.

WR Ryan O’Keefe was injured colliding with a Virginia player early in the fourth quarter. He remained laying on the field for about 10 minutes being treated by medical personnel before being removed on a stretcher. BC reported he had been taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for tests on a neck injury and observation. It noted midday Sunday that he had been discharged and had returned to the BC campus.

Highlights (11:52)

The Eagles’ record improved to 2-3 overall, 1-2 in the ACC. They remain tied with Clemson in the ACC standings. :) BC’s other win this year was over Holy Cross, which lost to Harvard Saturday.

The Eagles play Army next Saturday at West Point. Game time is 9 am PT.