Boston College 49, Georgia Tech 27: 388 rushing yards bury the Yellow Jackets

Boston College trailed 13-12 at halftime at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday and then ran Georgia Tech off the field. The Eagles finished with 388 rushing yards, scored 31 points after the break and won 49-27 without committing a turnover.

Quarterback Mason McKenzie ran 14 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Bo MacCormack III added 155 yards and three scores on 20 carries. Boston College moves to 4-3 with its second straight win. Georgia Tech falls to 2-5.

How it was won

Georgia Tech had the better start. Alberto Mendoza hit K. Roche Jr. for a 4-yard touchdown on the opening drive, and A. Birr added a 32-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead after one quarter.

Boston College answered quickly in the second. McKenzie found Nedrick Boldin Jr. for a 25-yard touchdown, and MacCormack ran in from 7 yards less than four minutes later. Both extra points missed, so the Eagles led only 12-10. Birr's 20-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the half put the Yellow Jackets back in front, 13-12.

The third quarter turned it. MacCormack scored from 2 yards out at 12:13, though the two-point try failed, and McKenzie ran in from 6 at 7:40 to make it 25-13. L. Lombardo's 23-yard field goal opened the fourth quarter at 28-13.

Georgia Tech pulled within 28-20 on Justice Haynes' 15-yard run. It got no closer. McKenzie went 15 yards for a touchdown at 9:34, and on the next Georgia Tech possession C. Comella intercepted Mendoza and returned it 47 yards for a score and a 42-20 lead. G. Adamson threw 30 yards to Dalen Penson for a late Georgia Tech touchdown, and MacCormack closed the scoring with a 19-yard run at 3:14.

The box score matches the story. Boston College outgained Georgia Tech 489-355, held the ball for 31:45 and converted 4 of 8 third downs. McKenzie was a modest 9 of 17 passing for 101 yards; the Eagles did not need more. Javarius Green caught 3 passes for 57 yards.

Georgia Tech moved the ball through the air, with Mendoza completing 17 of 24 for 186 yards, Penson catching 5 for 88 and Jordan Allen 4 for 85. But the Yellow Jackets ran for only 101 yards, went 2 of 11 on third down and turned it over twice, both on Mendoza interceptions. Haynes had 53 yards on 14 carries.

Against the number

Georgia Tech closed as a 6.5-point favorite, and Boston College covered outright, winning by 22. The Eagles closed at +200 on the moneyline against -245 for Georgia Tech, so the underdog price paid in full.

The total closed at 50.5. The teams combined for 76 points, a comfortable over, helped by 31 fourth-quarter points that included a defensive touchdown. Odds history and the full market picture are on the game page.

What's next

Boston College goes to Duke on Saturday, October 31, on CW. The Eagles have won two in a row after a 27-21 win over Pittsburgh and this result, and have now scored 76 points across those two games.

Georgia Tech travels to Pittsburgh the same day, on ESPN2. The Yellow Jackets have lost two straight, allowing 34 points at Virginia Tech and 49 here, and have dropped five of seven overall. Their two wins came against Mercer and Duke.