Florida State 31, Boston College 24: Amari Thomas runs in the winner late
Amari Thomas scored from 11 yards with 2:29 left as Florida State ran for 202 yards and won 31-24 at Boston College.
Florida State won it on the ground. Amari Thomas broke an 11-yard touchdown run with 2:29 left to break a 24-24 tie, and the Seminoles left Alumni Stadium with a 31-24 win over Boston College on Saturday.
The Seminoles ran for 202 yards and lost the turnover battle only narrowly, 2-1 in their favor. That was enough to overcome a 10-0 start for the Eagles and nearly seven fewer minutes with the ball. Both teams are now 4-5.
How it was won
Boston College scored first. Bo MacCormack III ran in from 6 yards at 7:38 of the first quarter, and L. Lombardo added a 48-yard field goal at 3:21 for a 10-0 lead.
The second quarter swung the game. Ashton Daniels opened it with a 4-yard touchdown run at 14:06. Mason McKenzie answered with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Nedrick Boldin Jr. at 9:24 to make it 17-7. Florida State then scored twice: Thomas ran 20 yards for a touchdown at 6:03, and G. Panikowski is credited with a 1-yard touchdown run at 0:51. The Seminoles led 21-17 at halftime.
Boston College went back in front at 4:11 of the third quarter when McKenzie found J. Green for a 2-yard score, 24-21. Panikowski tied it with a 22-yard field goal at 13:22 of the fourth. The game stayed level until Thomas's 11-yard run at 2:29, and the Eagles did not score again.
The box score tells a familiar story for both sides. Florida State outgained Boston College 380 to 320 and had 22 first downs to 19. Both teams converted 8 of 14 on third down. Boston College held the ball for 29:42 to Florida State's 22:40, but turned it over twice to the Seminoles' once.
Thomas finished with 98 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. Quintrevion Wisner added 58 yards on 12 carries. Daniels completed 15 of 26 for 178 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception. Micahi Danzy caught 7 passes for 86 yards, and Jasen Lopez had 4 for 54.
For Boston College, MacCormack ran 16 times for 105 yards and a score. McKenzie was 15 of 27 for 166 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and ran 13 times for 38 yards. Boldin caught 2 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown, and Kaelan Chudzinski had 3 catches for 38 yards.
Against the number
Florida State closed as a 5.5-point favorite and won by 7, so the Seminoles covered. Until Thomas scored with 2:29 left, the favorite was tied and well short of the number.
The total closed at 53.5, and 55 points went over. The 21 combined points in the second quarter did most of the work.
On the moneyline, Florida State closed at -218 and Boston College at +180. The market had the Seminoles as clear favorites, and the late score kept that price from going the other way. Full closing prices are on the game page.
What's next
Florida State goes to Pittsburgh on Friday, November 13 (ESPN). The Seminoles have won two of their last six after losses to Clemson, Miami and Louisville. Two more wins in the final stretch would get them to bowl eligibility.
Boston College visits No. 11 Notre Dame on Saturday, November 14 (NBC). The Eagles have lost two straight, including a 47-2 loss at Duke, and face their hardest remaining game at 4-5.
