BC had dropped 10 straight heading into Saturday’s matchup with Syracuse and was still in search of its first Football Bowl Subdivision victory. SU, meanwhile, had lost seven straight and was coming off a 63-point loss to Notre Dame. One team had to win.
Boston College leaned on wide receiver Lewis Bond and running backs Turbo Richard and Jordan McDonald to earn a convincing, 34-12, triumph at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Eagles (2-10, 1-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) craved a positive push heading into the offseason, and now, they have one. The performance against the Orange (3-9, 1-7) serves a purpose for the program and could potentially be a springboard for future success.
“They gave us everything they’ve got,” said BC coach Bill O’Brien. “Look, we don’t want to ever experience this type of a season again, but there’s a lot to carry from this season as far as adversity and never quitting.”
O’Brien noted that the start to the fight song in the locker room was a bit choppy initially (it had been a while), but eventually, they found a rhythm and belted it out with pride.
This is BC’s first road win since O’Brien’s debut against then-No. 10 Florida State last year. The Eagles have now defeated Syracuse three straight times and are 6-4 in the last 10 matchups.
While it was still a dreadful season as a whole, this result offers a glimmer of hope.
“It feels amazing,” said BC safety KP Price. “It’s a new feeling for the season.”
BC starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan left early in the first quarter with his right thumb in a blue ice cup and never returned. O’Brien said Lonergan tried to grip the ball but wasn’t able to do so.
Backup Grayson James (16 for 24, 288 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs) found himself in a familiar spot and managed the game well as he so often did throughout an admirable career.
“I’m very proud of Grayson,” O’Brien said. “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever been around. Thirty-three years. He’s just an awesome guy. He deserves to go out a winner like this. He’s shown to be a hell of a relief pitcher.”
The teams traded field goals in an uninspiring yet even first half. The Eagles jumped ahead, 3-0, through 1, on a 30-yard kick from Luca Lombardo with 4:04 left in the quarter. Syracuse tied it on a 49-yard field goal from Tripp Woody early in the second.
Woody drilled a 29-yarder, then Lombardo connected on a 31-yarder in the final minute to make it 6-6 heading into halftime.
Price paced the Eagles with eight solo tackles in the half, while all-time program leader Bond (8 catches, 171 yards) added more catches to his resume and finished a stellar season with 993 receiving yards.
“He’s a quarterback’s best friend,” James said of Bond. “He knows how to get open.”
Syracuse, which entered averaging just 11 points per game since original starting quarterback Steve Angeli went down in Week 4, mixed and matched between quarterback Joe Filardi and tight end Dan Villari at QB.
Villari often lined up in the Wildcat, which worked in spurts, but each promising drive resulted in a field goal as the Eagles did enough to keep it tight. Boston College averaged 8.6 yards per completion, while Syracuse averaged 5.7 yards per carry in the first half.
BC surged in front, 13-6, three minutes into the third on a 16-yard run from Richard (15 carries, 102 yards, 2 TDs), set up by a 54-yard Bond grab that changed the complexion of the game.
“We needed to open things up with the passing game, and I felt like we were able to do that,” James said. “We kept hitting on it, so plays kept coming off the call sheet.”
The Eagles had a chance to extend the margin to double digits, but Lombardo — who was 16 of 16 on field goals and 32 of 32 on extra points — missed a 40-yarder wide right. BC got the ball back moments later, and this time, Boston College capitalized on a 2-yard burst from McDonald.
BC preserved a 20-6 edge heading into the fourth, then Richard added a 46-yard score and McDonald a 14-yard TD to put the game out of reach. Price, Omar Thornton, and E’Lla Boykin powered the Eagles defensively in a dynamic all-around effort.
“We turned it up a notch,” Price said. “We knew we had to stop the Wildcat.”
Villari added a 1-yard score late for the Orange, but the outcome had been decided long ago.
Trevor Hass can be reached at trevor.hass@globe.com. Follow him on X @TrevorHass.
