BC football finishes on a winning note in regular season finale against Pitt

College sports

“There is no quitting in Boston College football. We don’t use that word here.”

By Trevor Hass, The Boston Globe

November 30, 2024

Stuck in a bad patch in late October, in danger of letting their season completely collapse, members of the Boston College football team vowed to redeem themselves and end on a winning note.

Decisive wins over Syracuse and North Carolina were game-changers, and a 34-23 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday cemented what the Eagles had started.

For a program looking for a breakthrough, the 2024 regular season is a major step in the right direction. The Eagles (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) still have room to rise to the upper echelon of the conference in the years to come. But surpassing the Panthers (7-5, 3-5) – in a crucial game they might have lost in previous seasons – showed the Eagles were heading in the right direction.

“They held on,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said. “They never gave up. There is no giving up in Boston College football. We don’t use that word here.

The Eagles averaged 35 points per game during a 3-1 November run and racked up six home wins for the first time since 2009.

BC earned its first seven-win regular season since 2018 and has a chance to clinch its first eight-win season since 2009 with a bowl victory.

“I’m very proud today to have the chance to possibly win eight games, which hasn’t been done in a long time,” said O’Brien. “I’m just proud to be associated with Boston College football.”

BC’s defense was effective early, constantly swarming Pittsburgh quarterback Nate Yarnell and forcing him to make quick decisions. Donovan Ezeiruaku (10 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hits) and Joe Marinaro combined for a sack, which led to a punt and set up a touchdown from junior running back Jordan McDonald moments later.

McDonald, who masterfully complemented starter Kye Robichaux late in the season, burst into the middle and took off. A bad throw on the extra point kept it 6-0 — a lead the Eagles took in the second quarter after limiting Pitt to 56 total net yards in the first.

After another BC stop, junior quarterback Grayson James found Reed Harris, a 6-foot-5 deep threat, for a 53-yard reception. Robichaux then scored from 2 yards out to give the Eagles a 13-0 lead with 6:35 left in the half. Robichaux, a senior, has now scored at least one touchdown in six straight games, including six in the last four games.

Pitt responded with an 11-yard TD pass from Yarnell to Gavin Bartholomew. The Panthers had a chance to take the lead late in the half, but Neto Okpala and Ty Clemons changed the complexion with one fluid play.

Okpala shook Yarnell and forced a wobbly throw. Clemons, a 6-3, 273-pound defensive lineman, intercepted the pass and raced 55 yards to the house with 33 seconds left in the half. Clemons celebrated with the BC students – who continued to make their presence felt, even on Thanksgiving weekend – as the Eagles regained their momentum in an instant.

“I was screaming to death,” Ezeiruaku said. “I think I had a headache afterwards because I was screaming so much.”

Pick 6 was the first made by a BC defensive lineman since Nick Larkin in 2007, and the return was the longest made by an Eagles defensive lineman since Mathias Kiwanuka in 2004. BC , who entered Saturday tied for ninth in the nation with 15 interceptions, provided perhaps his most scintillating takeaway yet in a season full of them.

Ben Sauls kicked a 57-yard field goal as game time expired for Pitt, but BC still held a 20-10 advantage after a largely productive first half. James finished the half 9-for-11 for 151 yards, and the Eagles held the Panthers to 34 net yards on the ground.

Pitt chipped away in the third, as Bartholomew’s 5-yard TD reception made it 20-17 for the Eagles with 7:50 left in the quarter.

BC responded with an 83-yard, eight-play drive, capped by an acrobatic 28-yard TD reception by Harris on a third-and-20 James heave.

The Eagles took a 27-17 lead into the fourth quarter and continued to make life difficult for Yarnell.

Pittsburgh went for fourth-and-2 from its own 39 and Quintayvious Hutchins helped BC secure the save with 11:09 to play. James then found Lewis Bond on fourth-and-5, which led to a 15-yard TD dagger from James (20 for 28, 253 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT) to tight end Kamari Morales with 4:57 to play. His six touchdown receptions tied Sean Ryan (2003) for the most by a BC tight end since 1996.

James, who has steadily improved since replacing Thomas Castellanos, continues to bring life to the offense.

“He’s been the same person since I’ve known him,” Morales said. “Calm, cool, serene. »

Konata Mumpfield added a 15-yard TD reception with 3:59 left for Pitt, but the outcome had already been decided.

The Eagles, who have struggled to put their teams together at times this season, buried the Panthers when they had the chance.

“That’s what coach always talked about, putting people away when you get the chance,” James said.

The Eagles will find out their bowl opponent next Sunday. They’ll change direction soon, but for now, they’ll cherish this milestone win on Senior Day.

“The culture of this team is unmatched,” James said. “Everyone is excited to go play for each other. There is no ego. Everyone goes out there and wants to win for BC football.