Boston College Beats Mizzou 41-34 In OT
BOSTON (AP) — Denis Grosel hit Zay Flowers from 10 yards out in overtime, and Brandon Sebastian's interception sealed the victory on Saturday as Boston College recovered after blowing two fourth-quarter leads to beat Missouri 41-34.
BC fans stormed the field to celebrate the win in the first-ever meeting between the schools and the Eagles' first 4-0 start since Matt Ryan led them to eight straight victories to start the 2007 season.
Travis Levy scored from 5-yards out to give BC a 34-31 lead with 25 seconds to play in regulation, bouncing off one defender at the 1 and scampering in. But Connor Bazelak led the Tigers (2-2) to the Eagles' 39 and Harrison Mevis barely cleared the crossbar with a 56-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime.
BC had the ball first and picked up one first down on a third-down pass to Levy. After Levy was stopped for a loss of 1, Grosel found Flowers open on the left side of the end zone. Missouri's Connor Bazelak went for the end zone on the first play, but Sebastian leaped in front of the receiver at the goal line and came down with the ball to finish it.
Pat Garwo ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard score in the first quarter. Grosel, a walk-on who took over as starter when Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec injured his wrist in Week 2, threw for 175 yards and two scores; he also ran for 35 yards to help BC convert on 11 of 17 third-down attempts and both times it went for it on fourth.
Bazelak completed 30 of 41 passes for 303 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Tyler Badie ran for 72 yards and two scores, and Tauskie Dove caught three passes for 89 yards.
BC led 27-17 to start the fourth quarter, but Missouri went ahead 31-27 on Badie's second TD, an 8-yard run. BC started at its own 40 after the Tigers committed a personal foul on the kickoff -- which went for a touchback anyway.
Grosel led them on a 15-play scoring drive that ate 5:53 off the clock and left the Tigers just 25 seconds. Bazelak completed a 19-yard pass to Barrett Banister and a 12-yarder to Keke Chism before the Tigers called their final timeout at the BC 44 with 6 seconds left.
With Doug Flutie in the crowd — he posed for pictures with fans in front of the "Hail Flutie" statue outside Alumni Stadium after the game — Missouri opted against the Hail Mary and threw a short out to Banister to put the ball at the 39 with 3 seconds left.
THE TAKEAWAY
Missouri: Coach Eliah Drinkwitz raised eyebrows when he said he would have rather faced a regional rival in the Tigers' recruiting area than schlep out to Boston. With the loss, he can be sure he won't end his signing drought in the state of Massachusetts.
Boston College: The Eagles won their first three games against non-Power Five schools by a combined score of 124-31. With a win over the first Southeastern Conference school to visit Chestnut Hill since 1987, they have one that means something.
UP NEXT
Missouri: Hosts Tennessee on Oct. 2.
Boston College: Visits No. 9 Clemson in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
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