Boston College shook off a rough start and walked out of Chestnut Hill with something it badly needed: its first ACC win of the season.
The Eagles beat Pitt 27-21 on Saturday afternoon, turning a 12-0 hole into a comeback win that snapped a two-game skid and moved Boston College to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Pitt fell to 5-2 and 2-2 in the ACC.
Pitt came out firing on the opening snap. Corey Dailey hit Cataurus Hicks on a 75-yard touchdown strike with 14:42 left in the first quarter, and the Panthers were off and rolling. Boston College’s first possession went nowhere, and things got worse when Bryce LaFollette’s punt was blocked and sent into the end zone for a Pitt safety, stretching the margin to 9-0 with 13:06 left in the first.
The Panthers added again on a 28-yard field goal from Antonio Chadha with 7:58 to go in the quarter, pushing the lead to 12-0. But Boston College settled in after that, and the tone of the game changed before the first quarter ended.
Bo MacCormack III got the Eagles on the board with a one-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes. Then, with less than a minute left in the second quarter, McKenzie found Javarius Green for an 11-yard touchdown to give Boston College a 14-12 halftime lead. It was Green’s first career touchdown reception.
Boston College kept the pressure on right after the break. On the opening drive of the second half, McKenzie connected with Landon Wright on a 69-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 21-12 with 14:14 left in the third.
Pitt answered with field goals to stay alive. Chadha hit from 29 yards with 10:22 remaining in the third, then added a 42-yarder with 22 seconds left in the period to trim the Eagles’ advantage to 21-18.
The Eagles built back in front early in the fourth. Evan Dickens punched in a one-yard touchdown run with 13:02 remaining, and the score was set up by Wright’s 53-yard catch that put the ball at the one. Luca Lombardo missed the extra point after an illegal snap penalty, leaving Boston College up 27-18.
Pitt kept coming and pulled within six on Chadha’s 38-yard field goal with 8:13 left. The Panthers had one more shot late after Raion Strader intercepted McKenzie with 2:12 to go, but Boston College answered right back when Charlie Comella picked off Pitt’s return interception with 1:34 remaining.
McKenzie then finished off the win himself, running for 12 yards and a first down with 1:14 left to seal it for Boston College.
The Eagles head to Atlanta next to face Georgia Tech. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Narduzzi Just Left Pitt Fans With A Bigger Question Before Miami
Pat Narduzzi spent much of his postgame session sorting through what went wrong in Pitts 27-21 loss at Boston College, from the offenses uneven rhythm to the penalties and defensive issues that helped shape the result. He also addressed the decision to start Corey Dailey after a week-long competition, a move that put the quarterback situation front and center even as the coach emphasized the need to dig into the tape and clean up the details before the Panthers move on.
The bigger question now is whether that same uncertainty follows Pitt into next weeks matchup with Miami. Narduzzi left plenty to review after the loss, but he did not give the Panthers any clarity on how he plans to handle the position moving forward, which leaves the upcoming preparation a little more complicated than a typical postgame reset. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Gets A Needed Boost For A Crucial Pitt Test
Boston College heads into its ACC matchup with Pitt looking to steady itself after back-to-back conference losses, and the Eagles will at least have a little more help on hand when the Panthers come to town. The return of linebacker Bodie Kahoun and offensive lineman Michael Crounse gives Boston College a boost at two spots that matter on a short week, especially with the Eagles still searching for their first conference win.
The timing matters for Pitt, too, because this is the kind of test that can tell you plenty about a team in October. The Panthers arrive with only one loss, coming off a defeat to UNC, and they will see a Boston College group trying to patch itself together before a crucial ACC game that could shape the middle of the league race. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Makes A Quarterback Move That Changes The Boston College Stakes
The quarterback picture at Pitt has shifted again, and it comes at a time when every move carries extra weight. True freshman Corey Dailey will get the start over fifth-year senior Holden Geriner, giving the Panthers a different look under center as they head into a game that now feels a little more pivotal for the rest of the season.
Dailey, a highly rated recruit from Texas, has only seen limited game action, but he did show a spark in a late-game drive against Bucknell. Pat Narduzzi had already signaled one direction before, and he has not been shy about revisiting quarterback decisions when the situation demands it, so the change adds another layer of intrigue to how Pitt approaches Boston College. [Read more 🡒]