Boston College beats Syracuse 58-27

SYRACUSE, N.H. (AP) — AJ Dillon and David Bailey combined for 414 yards rushing and five touchdowns, Dennis Grosel passed for 195 yards and three more scores, and Boston College blew past Syracuse 58-27 on Saturday, the Orange’s fourth straight loss.

Boston College (5-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), which had dropped three of four, stunned the Orange with big play after big play in the decisive second quarter, racking up 294 yards and scoring 34 points.

Dillon, who scored three touchdowns, rushed for 242 yards on 35 carries to boost his season total to 1,286. He entered the game ranked fourth nationally in rushing yards and rushing yards per game (130.5) for a unit that was averaging 255.6 yards on the ground. Bailey added a career-high 172 yards rushing on 16 carries.

BC set a school record with 691 yards offensively, averaging 9.2 yards per play. The Eagles’ 496 yards rushing were the most ever allowed by the Orange. The previous record was 457, set by West Virginia in 2006. BC’s record for rushing yards in a game is 518 against UMass in 1973.

Grosel started the carnage with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Kobay White on the first play of the second quarter to tie the game at 17-all. Using the play-action pass to attack a defense braced for the Eagles staunch run game, Grosel hit Zay Flowers for a 50-yard score after Andre Szmyt’s 20-yard field goal had given the Orange (3-6, 0-5) their last lead in the game.

Both White and Flowers were wide open behind a confused secondary, and then Dillon ripped off a 51-yard run, going untouched through the left side of the line and breaking free. Bailey followed with a 74-yard run and Grosel hit Isaiah Miranda for a 4-yard touchdown in the final minute for a 44-20 halftime lead.

BC outgained Syracuse 484-196 in the opening half, 336 of that on the ground, to easily overcome two turnovers.

Tommy DeVito hit Aaron Hackett and Trishton Jackson with touchdown passes for the Orange in the first quarter, Jackson’s 26-yard catch giving the Orange a 17-10 lead in the final minute. Jackson also had an 85-yard touchdown reception late in the third.

BC entered the game tied for seventh nationally and atop the ACC with North Carolina State with just six turnovers and committed two in the first quarter as the Orange forced two fumbles to boost their season total to nine fumble recoveries. Orange safety Andre Cisco got the first and defensive back Trill Williams the second, and the offense produced 10 points off the BC miscues.

THE TAKEAWAY

Boston College: The Eagles host Florida State next week and close the season with two tough road games, at Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. With Dillon and Bailey in the backfield and Grosel operating efficiently under center — he was 8 of 10 passing — the Eagles need just one win to qualify for a bowl game.

Syracuse: The injury-plagued Orange get a much-needed bye week to try to get healthier before playing their last two road games of the season in succession, at Duke and Louisville. Achieving six wins to qualify for the postseason seems a longshot at best for the only team in the ACC without a conference win.

STREAK ENDS

Syracuse entered the game with 11 turnovers on the season and had not committed one in 242 offensive plays, including 172 pass attempts. The spotless span included the previous three games, the best streak since coach Dino Babers took over four years ago. The streak ended when DeVito lost a fumble late in the second quarter.

UNUSUAL STAT

The Eagles won the toss and drove 71 yards in 13 plays, taking a 3-0 lead on Aaron Boumerhi’s 21-yard field goal. The Orange came right back on their first possession, with DeVito hitting tight end Aaron Hackett for a 9-yard score. That gave the Orange a 7-3 lead and was the first lead change in a Syracuse game this season. There were three more before BC took charge.

UP NEXT

Boston College hosts Florida State next Saturday at noon.

Syracuse has a bye week before traveling to Duke on Nov. 16.