Boston College stuns Pitt, 31-30, in overtime
Boston College has developed a passing combination that is tough to match in the ACC.
Eagles quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed three touchdown passes to wide receiver Zay Flowers including a 25-yard in overtime in a 31-30 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday at Alumni Stadium.
“It started way back last spring, we started connecting and talking and it really came together when we got back after quarantine break,” said Flowers, who finished with six receptions for 163 yards. “That’s when we really built the connection and now we are just going.”
BC (3-1, 2-1 ACC) got the ball first in the extra frame and faced a third-and-10 from the 25 when Jurkovec found Flowers in the end zone for the third time.
Pitt needed 11 plays, twice converting on fourth down, to score on a slant pass from Kenny Pickett to Taysir Mack. BC won the game when Alex Kessman’s extra point attempt sailed wide right.
“I was coming off the edge and I almost blocked it,” said cornerback Brandon Sebastian. “Then I looked and went ‘oh my god he missed, he shanked it,’ and I was just screaming.”
Jurkovec completed 19-of-35 for 358 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first BC quarterback to pass for over 300 yards in each of his first four games. Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 25-of-48 for 266 yards and two TDs. BC had a 388-371 edge in total offense.
Pitt (3-2, 2-2) tied the game 24-24 with 40 seconds remaining on a 58-yard field goal by Alex Kessman, who had missed an earlier attempt from 55 yards BC had a chance to win the game, but Aaron Boumerhi’s attempt from 55 yards went wide left as time expired.
A 4-yard TD run by Vincent Davis late in the third quarter trimmed BC’s lead to 24-21. Pickett was a perfect 3-for-3 for 56 yards on the drive, but was briefly knocked out of the game when stuffed on a run in the red zone.
Flowers Power
Jurkovec completed touchdown passes of 44, 77 and 25 yards to the speedy Flowers. The 44-yarder put BC in front 10-7 with 13:00 left in the second. The 77-yarder put BC up 24-14 on the second play of the third quarter. Flowers’ previous long was a 61-yard touchdown strike against Duke in the season opener. Flowers caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the opening series of overtime.
“Zay is one of the best receivers in the country the way he can move is unlike anybody i have ever seen,” said Jurkovec. “We knew were going to have a chance on the deep balls and it paid off, he made the plays, he got open.”
Penalties turn into points
The Eagles defense had Pitt in a fourth-and-8 on the BC 46. Before the punt snap, defensive back Tate Haynes jumped offside. Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi sent the offense back on the field and Pickett converted with a short pass to slot receiver Jordan Addison. Nine plays later, Pickett scored on a keeper to give Pitt a 7-3 lead with 3:15 to play in the first.
BC had consecutive pass interference calls on Pitt’s second possession of the second quarter. On the ensuing snap, Pickett connected on a 19-yard touchdown toss to tailback Israel Abanikanda for a 14-10 lead with 10:35 to play.
On BC’s following possession, the Eagles faced third-and-6 at its 34 when Pitt defensive end John Morgan was flagged for roughing the quarterback on an incomplete pass. Nine plays later, Jurkovec scored on a 2-yard keeper to put BC up 17-14 with 4:50 to play in the half.
Extra points
BC had two starters that did not dress for the game. Safety Deon Jones remains out with an elbow injury he sustained against Texas State. Third down tailback Travis Levy suffered a shoulder injury against North Carolina.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2GEPihY
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