Orange crushed

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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

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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.

Video

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.

 

Whipping Wolfpack

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David Bailey

North Carolina State entered yesterday’s football game against BC leading the ACC and ranked fifth in the nation in defense against the run. They left the game shredded by the Eagles’ rushing attack that set team and national marks for yardage and led BC to a 45-24 win.

Running backs AJ Dillon and David Bailey each ran for 180+ yards, the first time that’s ever happened for the Eagles and the first time in national college football in 20 years. Dillon rushed 34 times for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Bailey ran for 182 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns (54- and 48-yard runs), on 16 attempts.

As a team, BC ran for 429 yards, more than N.C. State had allowed in its first 6 games combined. The Eagles also passed for 103 yards for a total offense of 532 yards, the third straight game BC has exceeded 500 yards in offense.

The Eagles actually scored first on a defensive play, an 8-yard pick 6 by Jason Maitre. The BC defense, which had been so porous in other games, held N.C. State to 56 yards rushing (4 yards in the 1st half), and 366 yards total offense for the game.

Enjoy some video highlights.

This Saturday, the opponent is top 5 Clemson in late afternoon.