BC stays perfect with OT thriller over Missouri
BOSTON COLLEGE 41 MISSOURI 34
The Boston College offense and defense acted in unison when it mattered most. Wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Grosel to put the Eagles up 41-34 on the first series of overtime against Missouri on Saturday at Alumni Stadium.
Then BC clinched the its biggest victory of the season when safety Brandon Sebastian intercepted Mizzou quarterback Connor Bazelak in the right corner of the end zone.
The Eagles improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2007 and were overwhelmed when their fans stormed the field in delirium. BC begins league play next Saturday night against reigning ACC champion Clemson at Memorial Stadium.
“I ran the wrong coverage, I ran the wrong thing,” said Sebastian. “I seen the man release and I seen the quarterback getting ready to throw long and I just snuck underneath it.”
The game became a frenzied spectacle in the final two possessions of regulation. Tailback Travis Levy put BC up 34-31 on a 5-yard run with 25 seconds in regulation. Missouri responded by going 36 yards on six plays and tied the game with a 56-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis with no time remaining.
“Our football team is one of the most resilient group of guys that truly love each other,” said BC coach Jeff Hafley. “They play for each other and they play fearless and they don’t flinch and that’s why I’m so proud to be their coach.”
BC rolled up 450 yards of total offense with 275 on the ground and 175 through the air.
Rugged sophomore tailback Par Garwo III rushed for a season high 175 yards on 25 carries behind an offense front that imposed its will on Mizzou’s defense. Garwo scored BC’s first touchdown on a 67-yard scamper with a splendid show of open field running
“They were a huge help and none of this would have happened without them,” said Garwo. “If you saw what they were doing to the other team they made running easy.”
Bazelak countered the Eagles ground game by completing 30-of-41 passes for 303 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Tigers rolled up 391 yards of total offense and converted on 8-of-12 first downs. Tailback Tyler Badie rushed for 72 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns and caught five passes for 70 yards.
“Credit to Missouri, they are very well coached and their offense is explosive just like we thought,” said Hafley. “They are big up front, their back is the most underrated in college football and their quarterback is one of the best in the country.”
Dennis the menace
On BC’s first play from scrimmage, Grosel’s long ball to Jaden Williams was intercepted by safety Shawn Robinson on the Mizzou 38. A miscue of that magnitude could have rattled a back-up QB making his second start, but Grosel recovered to complete 18-of-29 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran nine times for a net of 35 that included a pair of crucial first down runs.
“We knew there were going to be some ups and downs coming in and that wasn’t what I was hoping for on the first play of the game,” said Grosel. “It’s a long game and you have to keep going and I’m happy with that.”