Late Score Lifts BC over Pack, 38-31

Boston College quarterback Chris Crane rushed for his third touchdown of the game, a 13-yard jaunt, with 22.8 seconds to play, as the Eagles escaped with a 38-31 victory over NC State Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The Wolfpack, which twice trailed by two touchdowns, fought back to tie the game at 31-31 with 3:33 remaining on redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson’s two-yard run, recharging a sold-out Homecoming crowd and seizing the game’s momentum.

But Crane swiftly led his team down the field, directing a masterful seven-play, 70-yard, game-winning drive in just over three minutes. Crane had thrown for only 461 yards in the Eagles’ first four games, but picked apart the Wolfpack defense with three rushing touchdowns and two passing scores on the day. He completed 34 of his 51 passes for 428 yards and rushed for another 42 yards.

“He was on fire in the first half,” said O’Brien, who recruited the fifth-year senior quarterback when he was the head coach at Boston College. “He was making every throw with pin-point accuracy. We got his best shot.”

The Eagles (4-1 overall, 1-1 ACC) could have put the game away earlier in the fourth quarter, but gave the ball away on downs at the Wolfpack’s 37-yard line with six minutes to play.

On the first play from scrimmage, Wilson hit sophomore Owen Spencer with a 35-yard pass on the sideline. On the next play, tight end George Bryan reached behind himself for a spectacular one-handed 20-yard pass that took the Wolfpack to BC’s 8-yard line.

After a sack and an incompletion, Boston College was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, putting the Wolfpack on the 2-yard line. On the next play, Wilson scurried around the left end for the game-tying touchdown.

“There was no doubt in my mind, after that, that we were going to win the game,” said Wilson, who completed 19 of his 33 passes for 218 yards. “We just kept playing hard. But losing like that hurts. We have to keep working. It was a tough way to lose a game.

“I do feel like each game we are getting better on offense.”

The Wolfpack has the next 12 days off before facing Florida State on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Carter-Finley Stadium. O'Brien said he would give his team the next three days off, so it can continue to heal from the injuries that have decimated his roster. Overall, though, he goes into the mini-break feeling good about the way his depleted team managed to fight back and nearly take the victory.

"The one thing that has been constant throughout the year is that we have played hard and stayed after it," O'brien said. "We have to make sure we continue to do that. I know they are awfully disappointed with where we are right now. We will have to get our heads up, and get back and get some healthy bodies back and then go play."

Twice, Boston College went up by two touchdowns, but big plays by the Wolfpack (2-4, 0-2) on offense, defense and special teams kept it in the game. The NC State defense created three turnovers in the game, while the offense did not give the ball away all day long.

One play after junior Clem Johnson returned a kickoff to the 39-yard line, Wilson hit Spencer with a 61-yard touchdown pass, the longest pass or reception of either of their careers, pulling the Wolfpack within a touchdown.

Early in the third quarter, on fourth and five, the Eagles faked a punt to upback Brian Toal, who rambled 39-yards for the first down and more. Four plays later, Crane ran for his second touchdown of the game to give his team to a 28-17 lead.

“That fake punt was a big play in the game,” O’Brien said. “We stopped them, but then they were able to score and put us in a deeper hole.”

On their next possession, the Eagles extended that lead to 14 points on a 17-yard Steve Aponavicius field goal.

Two big special teams’ plays and two forced fumbles kept the Wolfpack within four points, 21-17, at the half, after Boston College jumped out to a 14-point lead in the high-scoring first quarter. Crane threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the opening period.

But the Wolfpack closed the gap, thanks to a 100-yard kickoff return by freshman receiver T.J. Graham and a field goal by sophomore Josh Czajchowski.

On the final play of the opening quarter, Graham took the ball one-yard deep in the end zone and raced up the right sideline. He cut back to the middle around the Boston College 25-yard line to take advantage of a block by Johnson, who saw his first action of the season after suffering a preseason broken jaw.

“I just have to trust my speed,” said Graham, a state high school sprint champion.

It was the longest kickoff return in school history, better by one yard than the 99-yard return Darrell Blackman had against Clemson last season.

After freshman linebacker Dwayne Maddox forced a fumble a the BC 28-yard line that was recovered by teammate Willie Young, the Wolfpack drove all the way inside the Eagles’ 1-yard line. On third down, Wilson had the ball slapped out of his hands as he tried to stretch over the goal line.

Offensive lineman Ted Larsen recovered the fumble and the Pack settled for the 22-yard field goal with 8:46 remaining before the half.

Crane threw the ball with pin-point accuracy all game long, completing 17 of his 25 passes for 261 yards in the first half alone.

Wilson, in his return after missing last week’s game because of an injury, scored the Wolfpack’s first touchdown of the game on a 10-yard quarterback keeper to tie the score at 7-7, the capper on a seven-play, 61-yard drive.

The Eagles opened the scoring on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Crane to Justin Jarvis with 9:47 remaining in the first quarter. Crane connected with Rich on a 12-yard pass for the Eagles’ second touchdown.

BC built its biggest lead after Crane scored on a five-yard run with nine seconds remaining in the first quarter. Graham, who entered the game second in the nation in kickoff returns, returned the ensuing kickoff for the first touchdown of his career.

Earlier in the game, Graham broke loose for a 60-yard return to set up the Wolfpack’s first score. On another return, Graham handed off to teammate J.C. Neal for a 36-yard return.

The Wolfpack has the next 12 days off until it hosts Florida State on Thursday, Oct. 16, in a 7:30 p.m. game broadcast nationally on ESPN.