Boston College closed out the non-league portion of its schedule and extended its win streak to four games with a 21-14 victory over UConn in a regional grudge match on Saturday before 36,902 at Alumni Stadium.
BC improved to 5-3 and can attain bowl eligibility with a third ACC win on Friday night at old rival Syracuse. The Eagles avenged last season’s disastrous 13-3 loss at UConn and leads the series 13-1-2. The final score in both ties was 0-0.
“We’ve won four in a row and that’s not easy to do, it’s not easy to win a game,” said BC coach Jeff Hafley. “We have a short week and we have to turn it around and I thought UConn had a good plan and played hard.
“It was a game we should win and ultimately it is what we did. When we play them, that’s the expectation.”
BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos took advantage of the unseasonably warm playing conditions to pass for 151 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Kye Robichaux led the ground game with 112 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns. Alex Broome added 80 more with a touchdown reception.
BC rolled up 433 yards of total offense with 30 first downs, 246 rushing yards and converted 10-of-16 on third down and 3-of-5 on fourth down. Freshman Jaedn Skeete caught the first four passes of his career and led the group with 61 yards with a long of 34.
“I thought we were sloppy today on offense and we have stuff to clean up,” said Hafley. “I think the run game has been the main difference and protecting the quarterback.”
UConn opened the game with a three-and-out while the Eagles’ first possession ended on a Castellanos fumble at the Huskies 49. UConn converted the turnover into a 7-0 lead when defensive tackle Jelani Stafford scored on a dive from the one with 4:26 to play for his sixth of the season.
“They get low and they have a 300-pound tackle that can run really hard,” said middle linebacker Vinny DePalma. “When you see him, you hope they kind of throw it.”
BC responded with a 10-play, 75-yard, drive that began with a 17-yard scamper by Castellanos. After converting on fourth and one to the UConn 31, BC needed three more plays to tie the game 7-7 with nine seconds to play in the first. Robichaux plowed through the middle of UConn’s short yardage defense from the five for his fifth of the season.
BC went ahead 14-7 with a methodical 12-play, 66-yard, drive that drained 6:02 off the clock. On third and goal from the six, Castellanos sidestepped a UConn blitz and hit Broome in the flat for an easy six with 6:26 to play.
BC had a chance to extend its lead after stoning the Huskies on a fourth and one at the UConn 40. Castellanos mounted an effective two-minute offense but was intercepted in the end zone to end the threat.
“At the end of the half we should have gone up with at least a field goal there,” said Hafley. “We kept UConn in the game and that is no disrespect.”
In a surprise development, Hafley started backup Emmett Morehead under center in place of Castellanos, who was attended to by the BC medical staff at halftime. Morehead completed 3-of-4 passes for 28 yards, but the drive fizzled on a missed 44-yard field goal attempt by Liam Connor with 7:39 to play in the third.
“Thomas wasn’t feeling well at the half and Emmett was ready to go,” said Hafley. “He practices really hard and everybody had total trust in him.”
Castellanos resumed his duties on the next drive and converted on a third and 12 from the BC 28 with a 16-yard toss to Skeete. Castellanos was 3-of-3 passing for 55 yards and picked up 30 on a scrambling throw to tight end Charlie Gordinier at the UConn 13. Robichaux capped the trip on a 13-yard run with 40 seconds remaining for his second of the game and sixth of the season.
The Huskies caused a collective panic attack in the stadium when tailback Cam Edwards made it 21-14 on a 30-yard run with 13:51 to play in the game.
