College Sports

Here’s how BC racked up a program-record 691 yards vs. Syracuse

The Eagles bounced back from a 59-7 loss to Clemson with a 58-27 win over the Orange.

Boston College's AJ Dillon drags Syracuse's Eric Coley in the second quarter. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

By Trevor Hass

5 minutes to read

COMMENTARY

A week after surrendering a program-record 674 yards of offense in a disheartening 59-7 loss to Clemson, Boston College (5-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) responded by registering a program-record 691 yards of offense in a dominant 58-27 road win over Syracuse (3-6, 0-6).

The Eagles turned in one of their best offensive performances ever, reached several unprecedented milestones, and helped their bowl chances tremendously in the process.

AJ Dillon pieced together a monster game with 35 carries for 242 yards and three touchdowns. David Bailey added 16 rushes, 172 yards, and two TDs, as BC finished with 496 yards on the ground – the most it’s ever recorded in a conference game.

Advertisement:

“We’ve got two big horses and we’ve got a really good offensive line, so we were going to try to come in here and establish that part of our football game, without question,” BC coach Steve Addazio told reporters Saturday.

Dillon and Bailey – as they have been for much of the season – were catalysts, but they didn’t do it alone. Quarterback Dennis Grosel, the receiving corps, BC’s offensive line, and the defense all played a key role in helping the offense flourish.

The over/under coming in was set at 60 points, and Boston College and Syracuse exceeded that mark by halftime. Here’s how the Eagles scored 58 points on a day where touchdowns reigned supreme and Syracuse tackles were nowhere to be found.

AJ Dillon and David Bailey went off.

Dillon, who set the school record for rushing yards last week, added another accolade to a steadily growing list Saturday.

Advertisement:

When he broke free for a 51-yard score in the second quarter, he became BC’s all-time leader with 35 rushing touchdowns. Of course, he was just getting started, as that was his first of three TDs on the day, but this one was particularly meaningful.

“A mindset that I’ve always had as long as I’ve played football is I always want to be the guy,” Dillon told reporters. “Not in a cocky way, not in an ego way, but I feel comfortable looking at my teammates, my coaches, and knowing that if we need to score you can put the ball in my hands and I’m going to do everything I can to get that.”

His first TD gave the Eagles a 31-20 lead with 5:31 left in the half, then he added scores of 5 and 2 yards in the second half. Dillon worked his way into a rhythm, and it quickly became clear he was having one of those days BC fans have grown very accustomed to over the years.

This was his second game in the last three, and the fourth of his career, with 200-plus rushing yards. The 242 he accumulated Saturday were the ninth-most in BC history.

Advertisement:

“He just mashes through them, and they’re not ready for that kind of impact,” Syracuse coach Dino Babers told reporters. “It’s a heavyweight against a welterweight.”

Dillon wasn’t the only BC heavyweight, as Bailey also did his part. He started the action with a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter and added a 74-yarder late in the second when he broke a tackle, found an opening, and showed off his speed in the open field.

Though Dillon and Bailey are known as physically imposing backs – and make no mistake, they are – they both showed that they’re hard to bring down once they wiggle free.

Together, they combined for 51 carries, 414 yards, and five touchdowns, befuddling and dismantling the Syracuse defense all afternoon.

Dennis Grosel turned in his best game yet.

A play midway through the second quarter illustrated how dangerous the Eagles can be when everything is working.

Trailing 20-17, they had already picked up multiple first downs on the drive and had the ball at midfield. They decided on a play-action pass, and the Orange had no idea where the ball was going. Grosel lofted a perfect bomb to Zay Flowers, and Flowers had no problem waltzing into the end zone to cap a 50-yard score.

Advertisement:

The sequence epitomized the way BC likes to play. Boston College prides itself on its physicality up front and its lethal backs, but in a perfect world, it loves to mix it up with deep passes.

Grosel, who came in completing just 19 of his 60 passes this season, upped his percentage significantly Saturday. He finished 8 of 10 with 195 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first BC player since Matt Ryan in 2007 to have multiple passing TDs of 50-plus yards in a single game.

In addition to the heave to Flowers, he unleashed a 64-yard toss to Kobay White nine seconds into the second quarter. That was the longest pass of his career, and it knotted the score at 17.

BC reached the end zone on each of its next four drives as well to take a commanding 44-20 edge into halftime. The first, third, and fourth quarters ended up with both teams scoring 24 apiece, as the 34-3 second quarter made all the difference.

Though the middle of the game was rosy for the Eagles, the beginning wasn’t as smooth. BC was uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, as usually sure-handed Hunter Long and David Bailey both fumbled in the first quarter.

Boston College had turned it over just six times in eight games, so it was surprising to see it happen twice in a row, but Grosel helped the offense regroup and ultimately dominate.

The Eagles’ previous record for yards in a game was 656, which came against Penn State in 1982. Their previous record for points in an ACC game was 52, versus NC State in 2009. Their 496 rushing yards are the most by any FBS team versus an FBS opponent this year, and they averaged 9.2 yards per play.

Advertisement:

“When you can do what we do like we did it, that’s overwhelming for a defense,” Addazio said. “First of all, we move at a pretty good clip, and what happens on the other side, your DBs, your safeties, they’re taking a beating, they’re tackling 250-pound backs, and if you can stay on the field, you start to wear them down. They start creeping in the box, they start abandoning their coverage and then you’re hitting them on play-actions.”

They got production from several other sources.

While Dillon, Bailey, and Grosel all played a major part, they had plenty of help from the offensive line and other role players. Offensive linemen Tyler Vrabel, Anthony Palazzolo, Alec Lindstrom, John Phillips, and Ben Petrula dominated all day, and tight end Isaiah Miranda scored his first career touchdown after Chris Garrison was ruled out for the season with a knee injury before the game.

On defense, Max Richardson forced a fumble and led the Eagles once again with seven solo tackles, while Brandon Barlow registered a team-high two sacks. The defense was solid the bulk of the game and dominant in the pivotal second quarter.

The challenge will likely be tougher against Florida State this Saturday at noon, but the Eagles are invigorated knowing they’re one home win over a perennial powerhouse away from becoming bowl eligible. Boston College bounced back convincingly after a thumping at Clemson, and the Eagles are hoping to keep the momentum going.

“We played an elite football team [Clemson] and sometimes things can roll on you,” Addazio said. “It’s like here today, sometimes things can roll on you a little bit. For me to say we’re off and running now, everything’s just ducky and gravy — I’m just saying, you know what, I’m looking forward to getting to Tuesday’s practice and getting to Florida State.”

Advertisement:

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com