NC State Falls On The Road At Boston College

It just wasn’t NC State’s day.

NC State fell on the road at Boston College, 45-24, on Saturday afternoon.

Boston College opened the scoring with an eight-yard INT return for a touchdown with five minutes left in the first quarter. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/10/19/football-pack-falls-at-boston-college.aspx

NC State's Christopher Dunn kicked a 31-yard field goal to open the second quarter, to be answered by BC's 27-yard field goal on the next drive to make it a 10-3 Eagles lead. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/10/19/football-pack-falls-at-boston-college.aspx

BC went into the half up 24-3 after 54 and then 48-yard TD rushes by David Bailey. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/10/19/football-pack-falls-at-boston-college.aspx

The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, with the Pack getting a six-yard TD pass from Devin Leary to Thayer Thomas to bring the score to 31-10. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/10/19/football-pack-falls-at-boston-college.aspx

In the fourth quarter, Leary connected on a pair of touchdowns to Thomas and Cary Angeline. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/10/19/football-pack-falls-at-boston-college.aspx

Boston College meanwhile had all the momentum.

Boston College gained 532 total yards, including 429 on the ground, in a 45-24 win over NC State this afternoon at Alumni Stadium. The Eagles move to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in ACC play with the victory. “according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

AJ Dillon rushed 34 times for a season-high 223 yards and three touchdowns. Backfield mate David Bailey put forth the best performance of his BC career, logging 182 yards and two TD's on 16 carries.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

In his first collegiate start, Dennis Grosel was 6-of-15 for 103 yards, while rushing four times for 21 yards. The redshirt sophomore connected with tight end Hunter Long three times for 84 yards.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

Defensively, Max Richardson logged a team-best 10 - six solo, including a sack. Mike Palmer and Mehdi El Attrach each tallied seven tackles. Jason Maitre made five stops and logged his first career interception - a pick-six for the first score of the game. “according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx
-----
Each of the first drives of the day for Boston College and NC State ended in a punt. BC's defense held stout on its first try, forcing a three-and-out thanks to Shitta Sillah's first career sack, pushing the Pack back 13 yards.
On their next drive, the Eagles broke into the red zone for the first time as Grosel and tight end Hunter Long connected on a 51-yard passing play. But penalty flags stalled the drive for BC and the 38-yard field goal attempt by Aaron Boumerhi sailed wide left with 8:55 to go in the opening quarter.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

On its next offensive possession, BC drove to the NC State 37-yard line but could get no further. Grant Carlson's punt pinned the Wolfpack at their own 1-yard line, setting up the BC defense for the first score of the day. Jason Maitre made a quick hands pick-six at the line of scrimmage, jumping in front of wideout Devin Carter on 3rd-and-8, returning it for the score. BC led, 7-0, with 5:36 left in the opening quarter.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

BC's defense held the line again, stalling the Wolfpack's 10-play, 63-yard drive on the goal line, forcing a turnover on downs. But the Eagles would go three-and-out as the quarter ended. NC State began on the BC 41-yard line and engineered a six-play, 28-yard drive, resulting in a 31-yard field goal, making it 7-3 with 11:51 to go in the second quarter.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

The Eagles extended it to 10-3, with 7:23 to go after a 27-yard chip shot from Boumerhi, capping an 11-yard, 63 yard drive. Dillon gained 53 of those 63 yards on the ground.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

Another three-and-out by NC State - and a 13-yard punt - gave BC good field position on its next drive. On the third play of the drive, David Bailey blasted through the Wolfpack D-Line for a 54-yard touchdown run - the longest run from scrimmage in the sophomore's career, making it 17-3 with 5:07 remaining in the quarter.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

Bailey broke it open again on BC's next drive, this time plowing 48 yards to the end zone for his second score of the afternoon. BC extended its lead to 24-3 with just under three minutes to play in the half. The score would into the halftime break.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

The second half began with another strong series from the Boston College defensive corps. After NC State drove deep into BC territory, the Eagles notched another goal-line stand, forcing the turnover on downs at their own two-yard line.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

BC marched the length of the field, using 16 plays to go 98 yards, capped by a two-yard plunge by Dillon into the end zone, making it 31-3 with 6:02 to go in the third. On the drive, Dillon gained 27 yards on the ground, while Bailey covered 28 yards. Grosel and Long connected for 33 yards in the air - including a 25-yard reception.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

NC State's Thayer Thomas caught the first touchdown of the afternoon for the Pack late in the third quarter, on a nine-play, 75-yard drive. BC would lead, 31-10.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

Dillon would log his second rushing score of the afternoon, this time from three yards out. He carried the ball the final 30 yards of the 67-yard drive, advancing the Eagles' lead to 38-10 with 14:32 to play.”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

The Wolfpack tacked on another score, as Thomas hauled in a six-yard TD pass from Devin Leary, making it 38-17 with just under nine minutes to go. But the BC rushing attack answered right back, as Dillon tallied his third rushing score of the game, capping a six-play, 54-yard drive, making it 45-17. “according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

NC State added a late TD on a 15-yard connection between Leary and Cary Angeline, making it 45-24 with 2:04 left. “according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles led NC State, 31-3, midway through the third quarter. It was the largest lead held by BC versus an FBS opponent of the season.

• AJ Dillon now has three career games with 200+ yards rushing.

• Dillon and Bailey each surpassed the 100-yard mark in the first half. Dillon had 117, while Bailey had 113.

• Jason Maitre's first quarter pick-six was the first of the season for BC.

• The Eagles' defense forced three turnovers-on-downs on the afternoon, including two goal-line defensive stands.
  ”according to https://bceagles.com/news/2019/10/19/football-eagles-rush-past-wolfpack.aspx

  NC State will continue to be on the road as they head to Winston Salem on Saturday where they will take on Wake Forest.