Boston College jumped out to a 16-0 lead and held off Maine for a 22-16 victory in Saturday’s nonconference action at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The Eagles (2-1) racked up 125 of their 359 yards of total offense while building their 16-0 lead in the first quarter, with a 39-yard touchdown run by Evan Dickens highlighting the hot start. Dickens logged a team-high 102 yards on 15 carries.
Mason McKenzie also found Jonathan Montague for a 31-yard score to cap the 16-point run against the FCS Black Bears. The Saginaw Valley State transfer finished 14 of 21 for 173 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Nick Laughlin caught a pair of touchdown passes from Eddie Buehler to lead Maine (1-3), scoring with nine seconds before halftime and late in the fourth quarter.
Buehler threw for 201 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on his 22-for-32 day.
The Eagles jumped to a 7-0 lead on their second possession as Dickens busted through the middle for a 39-yard touchdown to cap a three-play, 65-yard drive.
Later in the first, a Maine holding penalty in the end zone gave Boston College a safety. Four plays later, McKenzie followed with the toss to Montague to make it 16-0 at the 1:42 mark.
The hosts forced a second turnover with a K.P. Price interception — his first of two in the game — and sacked Buehler before the end of the quarter. The Eagles’ lead could have grown if not for two turnovers on downs.
After McKenzie returned from a one-play absence due to an apparent leg injury, Maine turned a leaping interception by Jamaree Gibson into points on Samuel Tremblay’s 27-yard field goal with 5:22 left before halftime.
The Eagles fell short in the red zone on their subsequent 8-play, 67-yard drive, but Luca Lombardo booted a 26-yard field goal to make it 19-3.
Maine responded with a 13-play march. Buehler’s 44-yard strike to Ty’ee Stephens set up a 5-yard reception by Laughlin three plays later for the 19-10 halftime score.
The teams traded interceptions after intermission before Lombardo’s 26-yard field goal with 6:20 left in the third capped another Boston College drive stopped short of the end zone. Maine followed with another 13-play march inside the 5-yard line, but Anthony Palano stopped Rashawn Marshall’s run on 4th-and-3.
Laughlin caught a 7-yard touchdown from Buehler with 4:34 left in regulation. Tremblay’s PAT was blocked.
