BC football comes up big late to secure huge win over Syracuse

With its season at a tipping point, and in danger of collapsing once again, the Boston College football team broke through with conviction.

After watching double-digit leads disappear in losses to Virginia and Louisville, the Eagles saw a 14-point cushion over Syracuse morph into a 7-point deficit Saturday. This time, BC responded, playing inspired football late to secure a 37-31 triumph at Alumni Stadium.

“I think it was probably the first time in a while, I would say all the way back to the beginning of the season, where we played a complete game,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said.

Backup quarterback Grayson James entered with BC down 7 early in the third when starter Thomas Castellanos hobbled off with an apparent leg injury. James spearheaded three scoring drives, as the Eagles (5-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) continued to lean heavily on their overpowering offensive line to wear down the Orange (6-3, 3-3).

Kye Robichaux (28 carries, 198 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Jordan McDonald (15 carries, 133 yards, 1 TD) led the way, as the Eagles racked up a season-high 313 rushing yards.

“That’s what we have to be,” O’Brien said. “We’re in Boston. We’re not in LA. We’re in Boston. We’re in a city that’s built on toughness and determination and grittiness and overcoming adversity. That’s who we are.”

James found a wide-open Jeremiah Franklin for an 18-yard strike on a fourth-and-1 play-action pass with 6:51 remaining to push the lead to 37-28. Jackson Kennedy cut the deficit to 6 points on a 25-yard field goal with 1:16 left, then Jayden McGowan recovered the onside kick to seal it.

While James attempted only six passes, he was a threat to throw, which Castellanos wasn’t. O’Brien said “a little bit of everything” went into the decision to insert James. He called it a luxury to have two experienced options.

“Grayson’s come up big for us twice this year in games that we really needed, Western Kentucky and today,” O’Brien said.

BC’s game plan wasn’t a secret. The Eagles opened the game with eight consecutive rushes before a promising drive resulted in a missed 29-yard field goal. BC’s defense neutralized Syracuse’s high-octane passing attack early, then Daveon Crouch forced a fumble and Quintayvious Hutchins recovered it to give the Eagles prime field position.

Robichaux capitalized, bouncing to the outside and scoring from 34 yards out to put Boston College ahead, 7-0, with 2:43 left in the first quarter.

The Eagles took that lead into the second quarter, and a Donovan Ezeiruaku sack paved the way for a 9-yard touchdown pass from Castellanos to Lewis Bond with 8:55 remaining in the half. The completion was Castellanos’s first of the game and one of just two in the half.

BC’s offense became predictable as the half progressed. Meanwhile, Syracuse found a rhythm, tying it with a 17-yard reception from Oronde Gadsden II and a 3-yard rush from LeQuint Allen.

Castellanos then threw a pass behind Reed Harris late in the second that was intercepted. After starting the year with promise, Castellanos has regressed considerably in recent weeks and looked out of sorts.

The Eagles and Orange entered halftime knotted at 14. BC held a commanding 172-35 halftime edge on the ground, while SU racked up 179 passing yards to Boston College’s 14. Teams with contrasting styles played to their strengths, and it resulted in a relatively even start.

McDonald — a Central Florida transfer who had five carries on the season — was a bright spot for BC with 105 rushing yards in the half. McDonald, who earned playing time off the practice squad, made quick, sound decisions and showed shiftiness and burst in key spots.

“I’m so proud of Jordan,” Robichaux said.

Early in the third, Castellanos limped off after taking a powerful hit on a sack.

Syracuse jumped ahead, 21-14, with a 4-yard TD run from Allen. James entered on the next BC drive, and Robichaux provided a 41-yard scamper and a 5-yard 14-yard TD rush to tie it just 49 seconds later.

“When Tommy had to come out of the game, we kind of knew we were still going to be in a good place, because the whole team has trust in Grayson,” Robichaux said.

Moments after giving the defense an animated pep talk on the sideline, Ezeiruaku knocked the ball out of quarterback Kyle McCord’s hands. Ezeiruaku tried to corral it, but he kicked it out of bounds for a safety that gave the Eagles a 23-21 edge with 7:33 left in the third.

“That’s a bad look on me,” Ezeiruaku said with a grin. “I pride myself on being an athlete.”

It was Boston College’s first safety since 2012 against Miami, and it kept momentum on BC’s side.

McDonald powered in from 13 yards out to give Boston College a 30-21 advantage through three, then Darrell Gill Jr. hauled in a 12-yard TD pass to trim it to 30-28 with 11:16 left.

Then came Franklin’s TD catch, as the Eagles did enough to salvage their season. O’Brien credited offensive coordinator Will Lawing for drawing up the play and having faith that it would work.

“Those can be the hardest plays sometimes,” James said. “It’s just so wide open you start thinking about it.”

Boston College travels to No. 13 SMU on Saturday, in a rematch of last year’s Fenway Bowl. The Eagles won, 23-14, but this Mustangs team is a different beast.

The Eagles will shift their focus there soon, but for now, they’ll cherish a signature victory over a talented rival.

“We feel like we’ve been close,” O’Brien said. “We realize that close doesn’t count, but we felt like we could play a game like this.”