Boston College
7-6 , 3-5
SMU
11-3 , 8-0
This is Our City: BC Bests #17/24 SMU for Wasabi Fenway Bowl Victory
December 28, 2023 | Football
Thomas Castellanos named Offensive MVP; rushes for career-high 155 yards and two TDs.
BOSTON – Boston College defeated #17/24 SMU, 23-14, on Thursday at the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, held at Fenway Park.
Thomas Castellanos was named the game's offensive MVP, rushing for a career-high 155 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles' signal caller was also 11-for-18 for 102 yards in the rainy conditions.
Kye Robichaux carried the ball 12 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 18 yards. Lewis Bond hauled in four catches for 35 yards. Jaden Skeete made two grabs for 40 yards, while Alex Broome made three catches for nine yards.
It marks the first Bowl victory for the Eagles since 2016 - a 36-30 win over Maryland in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.
SMU's offense took the field first and advanced to the BC 43-yard line, before Donovan Ezeiruaku stripped Mustangs' QB Kevin Jennings. The ball was recovered by Neto Okpala. On its first drive of the day, the Eagles took a 3-0 lead after a career-long 45-yard field goal from Liam Conner.
After forcing the Mustangs to a three-and-out on their next possession - including a near blocked-punt by BC's Edwin Kolenge - the Eagles began their next drive in SMU territory, but Conner missed from 45 yards out and the score remained, 3-0, heading into the second quarter. SMU scored the first touchdown of the game with 9:14 left in the second, finding the end zone from one-yard out after a 15-play, 78-yard drive..
Kye Robichaux and the Eagles countered, as the running back carved his way into the end zone by the Red Sox bullpen, making it 10-7 with 3:07 to go in the first half. Castellanos accounted for 51 of the 77 yards on the ground for the 10-play drive, including a 13-yard keeper after a toss-back lateral from Robichaux. The Mustangs would pull ahead, 14-10, with eight seconds left in the second quarter and took that lead into the clubhouse at halftime.
BC had the ball to start the second half but had its drive cut short near the SMU end zone on a Castellanos interception. Both teams traded punts on their next two possessions before BC's special teams came up big, as KP Price blocked the Mustangs' 45-yard field goal attempt near the end of the third quarter.
Castellanos put the Eagles up 17-14 with 12:22 to play, keeping it for a 15-yard touchdown run. The Eagles' touchdown drive covered 72 yards in eight plays, with a Jaedn Skeete 32-yard reception setting up the scoring play. BC forced a turnover on downs on the next drive, as SMU's pass on 4th and 3 bounced off the turf in what is normally shallow center.
Castellanos struck paydirt again - this time from 14 yards out - maneuvering his way around the Pesky Pole and into the endzone with 9:48 left, extending the BC lead to nine - at 23-14.
Kam Arnold earned the game's defensive MVP award, leading Boston College with six tackles - four solo and two for a loss - including a sack and two QB hurries. Five different Eagles' logged five tackles apiece, including captain Vinny DePalma - in his final game in a BC uniform. Okpala, Price, Khari Johnson, and Daveon Crouch also logged five tackles.
With the win, the Eagles move to 15-13 all-time in Bowl games and conclude their 2023 season with a 7-6 record.
Team Stats
SMU 0, BOS 3
BOS - Connor,Liam 45 yd field goal 8 plays, 30 yards, TOP 03:42
SMU 7, BOS 3
SMU - Johnson Jr.,LJ 1 yd run (Rogers,Collin kick), 15 plays, 78 yards, TOP 06:32
SMU 7, BOS 10
BOS - Robichaux,Kye 6 yd run (Connor,Liam kick), 10 plays, 77 yards, TOP 05:59
SMU 14, BOS 10
SMU - Knighton,Jaylan 6 yd pass from Jennings,Kevin (Rogers,Collin kick) 10 plays, 55 yards, TOP 02:52
SMU 14, BOS 17
BOS - Castellanos,Thomas 15 yd run (Connor,Liam kick), 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 03:59
SMU 14, BOS 23
BOS - Castellanos,Thomas 14 yd run (), 3 plays, 42 yards, TOP 01:19
