Boston College
6-5 , 3-4
North Carolina
6-5 , 3-4
Boston College Bowls Over UNC
November 23, 2024 | Football
Eagles score 41-21 win with dominant defensive effort.
The BC defense dominated with seven sacks and three interceptions, including a 78-yard pick-six by cornerback Ryan Turner that was the exclamation point in the fourth quarter. Defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku totaled two sacks in the game, including one solo, to push his season total to 13.0.
In his third start of the season, Grayson James guided the BC offense for more than 400 yards of offense, for the second game in a row, and scored the first touchdown of the day on a three-yard run. James later added a touchdown pass to Reed Harris. James finished the game 18-for-27 for 192 yards.
Boston College opened the scoring with a field goal-drive to start the game. The Eagles drove into the red zone before a penalty knocked them back to the 31-yard line. BC, which had attempted just two official field goals on the year, turned to junior kicker Liam Connor, who promptly delivered a career-long 49-yard field goal.
BC built its lead to 17-0 with touchdown runs from James and freshman Johnathan Montague Jr. The quarterback-turned-receiver found the end zone for the first time in his career on a 24-yard reverse. UNC's special teams answered back with the Tar Heels' first score of the day on a 95-yard kickoff return by Chris Culliver.
Late in the second, BC turned the ball over on downs on the UNC side of the field, but fifth-year linebacker and captain Joe Marinaro got the ball back with his first career interception. For Marinaro, the pick came in just his second career start in 39 career games. His 18-yard return set up the Eagles at the Tar Heel 32-yard line and three plays later James hit Harris for an 18-yard touchdown on a contested catch in the back of the end zone.
Leading 27-7 after the third, Boston College tacked on touchdowns from Turner's interception return and an eight-yard run by Kye Robichaux; his ninth of the season. Robichaux led all players with 93 rushing yards on 23 carries. UNC running back Omarion Hampton, who entered the game as the second-leading rusher in FBS, was limited to 53 yards. Tar Heel backup Davion Gause plunged in for a pair of four-quarter touchdowns that put the game at its final score.
Boston College wraps up the 2024 regular season next weekend against Pittsburgh with a 3 p.m. kick on The CW.
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Team Stats
UNC 0, BCE 3
BCE - Connor,Liam 49 yd field goal 13 plays, 39 yards, TOP 06:15
UNC 0, BCE 10
BCE - James,Grayson 3 yd run (Connor,Liam kick), 13 plays, 66 yards, TOP 06:58
UNC 0, BCE 17
BCE - Montague,John 24 yd run (Connor,Liam kick), 3 plays, 59 yards, TOP 01:13
UNC 7, BCE 17
UNC - Culliver,Chris 95 yd kickoff return (Burnette,Noah kick)
UNC 7, BCE 24
BCE - Harris,Reed 18 yd pass from James,Grayson (Connor,Liam kick) 3 plays, 32 yards, TOP 00:24
UNC 7, BCE 27
BCE - Connor,Liam 27 yd field goal 4 plays, 6 yards, TOP 01:31
UNC 7, BCE 34
BCE - Turner,Ryan 78 yd interception (Connor,Liam kick)
UNC 7, BCE 41
BCE - Robichaux,Kye 8 yd run (Connor,Liam kick), 9 plays, 64 yards, TOP 05:48
UNC 14, BCE 41
UNC - Gause,Davion 2 yd run (Burnette,Noah kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:42
UNC 21, BCE 41
UNC - Gause,Davion 10 yd run (Burnette,Noah kick), 2 plays, 34 yards, TOP 00:16
