Thrilling Fourth Quarter Leads Boston College Past MSU

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College downed Michigan State, 23-19, in the annual Red Bandanna Game in front of a sold out crowd of 44,500 at Alumni Stadium on Saturday night.

Lewis Bond's 42-yard touchdown reception from Thomas Castellanos with 1:28 to play - followed up by Max Tucker's game-sealing interception in the end zone with 42 seconds to play proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth affair. With the win, Boston College moves to 3-1 on the season.

Castellanos finished the night 10-for-16 for 140 yards and a touchdown, while also gaining 15 yards on the ground. Treshaun Ward carried the ball 14 times for 102 yards and a score, while Bond led all receivers with six catches and 102 yards, including the go-ahead score.

Michigan State put three points on the board on its first drive of the night, using nine plays to cover 26 yards and set up the 41-yard field goal with a little over nine minutes to go in the first quarter. Boston College drove it deep into Spartans territory, but a fumble on the MSU nine-yard line stopped the potential scoring drive.

Richard found the end zone on the Eagles' next drive, taking it 11 yards for his first collegiate touchdown to make it 6-3 with 12 and a half minutes left in the second quarter.. The rush capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up more than six minutes on the clock. MSU would respond with a touchdown on its next drive, taking a 10-6 lead with 8:10 left in the second frame.

Carter Davis logged his first career interception as the Spartans were driving into Eagles' territory. He picked off a pass from MSU's Aidan Chiles at the BC 22 with 3:15 to go in the half. The Spartans tacked on another field goal to end the half with a 13-6 lead.

The Eagles created some momentum coming out of the locker room. The special teams corps forced a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half, recovering the ball deep in Spartans' territory. Luca Lombardo drilled a 39-yard field goal, cutting it to 13-9 with 12:35 to go in the third. On the next series, Amari Jackson logged the second interception of the night for BC, giving the Eagles the ball at the MSU 36.

One play and eight seconds later, Ward took it 36 yards on the ground for the score, putting the Eagles ahead, 16-13, with 12:20 left in the quarter. MSU's Jonathan Kim would tie it at 16-all on a 51-yarder with 9:06 to go in the third.

Kim struck again with 4:12 left, connecting from 27 yards out, giving Michigan State a 19-16 lead. The MSU drive chewed up 9:24 on 18 plays, covering 89 yards. But the Castellanos and Bond connection paid off on the next drive, as the duo accounted for 55 of 75 yards on the scoring series, capped by a 42-yard strike with 1:28 left in regulation, giving BC a 23-19 lead.

Tucker hauled in BC's third interception of the night - this time in the MSU endzone - with 36 ticks remaining.

Kam Arnold recorded a game-high nine tackles, including five solo stops. Donovan Ezeiruaku logged eight tackles - two solo and 2.5 for a loss, including a sack. Cam Horsley made seven stops - two for a loss and Daveon Crouch registered six tackles. Three Eagles - Tucker, Davis, and Jackson - each picked off one pass.

Each year, Boston College honors Welles Crowther '99 with its annual Red Bandanna Game. The red bandanna was a defining feature used to identify Crowther, who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Crowther, known to survivors as "The Man in the Red Bandanna" is credited with saving at least one dozen people in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Crowther played lacrosse at BC and worked as an equities trader in New York, on the 104th floor of the South Tower, following graduation. BC began its Red Bandanna Game tradition in 2014 with a 37-31 upset of No. 9 USC. The Eagles are 5-6 all-time in Red Bandanna Games.

Boston College returns to action next week - Sept. 28 - at home against Western Kentucky. Kickoff is set for noon and for the game will air live on ACC Network.

Limited tickets are still available by visiting BCEagles.com or calling the Boston College Athletics Box Office at (617) 552-GOBC,

Thrilling Fourth Quarter Leads Boston College Past MSU

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Kam Arnold

Lewis Bond

Daveon Crouch

Carter Davis

Donovan Ezeiruaku

Cam Horsley

Amari Jackson

Luca Lombardo

Max Tucker

Treshaun Ward