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.