Maine-ly meh

Zay Flowers gathers in one of his team-leading eight receptions against Maine.

A win is a win, of course. For the Eagles to get their first victory of the season yesterday, however, following two losses, was disappointing to the many who had anticipated something of a break-through successful season for BC this year.

That the first win was achieved in a game in which the Eagles displayed many of the same deficiencies that contributed to the opening losses to Rutgers and Virginia Tech was also frustrating to many fans. And that the first win came against Maine, an FCS team that had previously lost to Colgate and had been crushed by New Mexico, 41-0, did not inspire hopes for the season’s renewal.

That said, the Eagles won by three touchdowns, 38-17, and quarterback Phil Jurkovec had impressive stats. Jurkovec was 25 of 37 for 320 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His long completion was 53 yards. He was also sacked three times and faced consistent pressure, as had happened extensively in the first two games.

Leading BC receiver senior Zay Flowers had eight catches again Maine for 89 yards and one touchdown, opening scoring by the Eagles on a 51-yard reception and run. His three-game total is 22 receptions for 295 yards.

Entering the game ranked last among FBS teams in rushing, BC managed to get triple digits against the Black Bears, rushing for 111. Redshirt junior Pat Garwo III, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season, led the team yesterday with 78 yards on 17 carries, scoring two touchdowns. Garwo, leading rusher for the Eagles this season, had gained only 40 yards rushing total in the two earlier games.

Maine actually had two more offensive plays than BC, 72-70, and gained 378 yards total overall, 289 yards through the air.

Highlights of BC-Maine.

(During the first two weeks of the season, I was on a trip to Michigan and Boston/Cape Cod and didn’t have the capability to post reports on the first two games. Maybe not the heart, either. I attended the Rutgers game, as did Lissa and Brian Tsu, both ’00, as well as Lori and Joe ’74 Mahler. I don’t see much point to provide summaries and highlights of the Rutgers and Virginia Tech games. Better, I think, to relegate them to the bad memories bin.)

Next week, the Eagles go to Tallahassee to play Florida State (3-0). The Seminoles had a close win over Louisville in their opener, an easy win over Duquesne, and edged LSU yesterday, 24-23. Game time is 5 pm our time.

Jurkovec juice

QB Phil Jurkovec returned to lead Eagles to first ACC win. Barry Chin/Boston Globe

Friday night game against Virginia Tech. National television game in Alumni Stadium. Red bandana game. Four straight games lost in the ACC. Game BC needed to win.

Cue the return of starting Eagle quarterback Phil Jurkovec, injured in the second game of the season against UMass and not expected to come back this year. In a combination of grit, determination, and good fortune, Jurkovec led BC to a 17-3 win over the Hokies last night to garner its first conference victory.

BC coach Jeff Hafley said Jurkovec had been medically cleared to play the previous Friday. Rumors that the Eagles’ top quarterback would return to play appeared earlier yesterday and were confirmed just before game time. The coach noticed things were different with Jurkovec back.

“It’s probably the most confident, fearless, and the best leadership I’ve seen from him since we’ve been here,” Hafley said in the post-game press conference. “Not his best performance, but he threw some good balls. He had a different way about him today and we all felt it.”

Statistically, it was a mediocre performance by Jurkovec. He was 7 of 13 passing for 112 yards. Two passes accounted for 81 of those passing yards. And he threw an interception.

It was that interception, however, that offered a sense of how Jurkovec’s presence might be a special factor.

On BC’s first possession, the Eagles had reached the VaTech 35. Jurkovec’s throw on second-and-12 was intercepted at the six-yard line. On the return, BC’s Jaelen Gill forced a fumble that was recovered on the 13 by . . . Jurkovec.

On the subsequent third down, Jurkovec ran for an eight-yard touchdown, vaulting into the end zone.

If BC’s offense was “adequate,” Virginia Tech’s was lethargic, as the score would indicate. VaTech’s total offense was 235 yards, 162 of them on the ground.

The Hokies’ starting quarterback, who played at La Jolla Country Day, was injured early in the game and did not return. VaTech overall was 7 of 17 for 73 yards.

The Eagles totaled 346 yards in offense, 234 on the ground. They ran 67 plays in the game, compared to 51 for Virginia Tech.

Patrick Garwo ran for 116 yards.

For the game, Jurkovec ran nine times, for 65 yards. He was not sacked. Leading rusher for BC was Patrick Garwo, who gained 116 yards on 30 carries.

Here are highlights.

(Special thanks to Lori Mahler, who brought red bandanas to the San Diego Eagle game watch for those of us who did not have one. The photo below shows the group at The Corner Drafthouse.

The red bandana, of course, is symbolic of 1999 graduate Welles Crowther, who saved the lives of numerous people during the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, but perished. People noted that the young man who had guided them to safety amid the dust and debris wore a red bandana over his nose and mouth. That covering was the accessory Crowther carried since boyhood. The Eagles wear a special uniform and fans wear the red bandana in his honor at the annual game.)

The Eagles’ record improved to 5-4, 1-4 in the ACC. Three games remain for BC to get a sixth win and bowl game eligibility.

Syracuse 21, BC 6
I was too bummed by the result of the BC-Syracuse game on Saturday, October 30, to post a game story. I apologize for shirking that duty.

The Eagles had led in that game, 3-0, at halftime and they added another field goal to go up 6-0 in the third quarter. In a five-minute span, however, the Orange scored three touchdowns on runs of 51 and 48 yards and a 68-yard punt return.

You can watch if you want. :)

The Eagles meet Georgia Tech in Atlanta next Saturday, November 13. Game time 12:30 pm PT.

Eagles paste Colgate

Grad transfer tight end Trae Barry hurdles a Colgate defender on way to 51-yard touchdown reception. John Quackenbos photo

Boston College started its season-opener against Colgate with a seven-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown 2:20 into the game. Expected. The Eagles then had two brief possessions, totaling seven plays for 20 yards and two punts in the quarter. Briefly concerning, as the Raiders, who had the ball twice as long in the quarter as BC and more first downs, failed to score, and the Eagles had a very productive second quarter on their way to a 51-0 pasting of Colgate.

Final statistics show the scale of the rout. BC finished with 525 total yards, while holding the Raiders to 189 yards. The Eagles ran 65 offensive plays and averaged 8.1 yards per play. After their two punts in the first quarter, BC didn’t punt the rest of the game.

BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec was 16 of 24 for 303 yards and three touchdowns. He passed to seven different receivers in the first half, leading the Eagles to a 27-0 lead at halftime. He also led the team in rushing, gaining 61 yards on five carries. Backup QB Dennis Grosel was 5 of 6 for 44 yards in the second half.

Wide receiver Zay Flowers had more than 100 yards receiving in the first half, finishing with seven receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown. Freshman wide receiver Jaden Williams and grad transfer tight end Trae Barry each had his first touchdown reception for BC.

Here are highlights.

The game was BC’s first with fans since November 9, 2019. Announced attendance was 28,991. BC required proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for all attending the game.

The Eagles (1-0) travel to Amherst, Mass., next Saturday to play UMass (0-1). The Minutemen lost to Pitt today, 51-7. Game time is 12:30 pm PT.