Eric Dungey goes off as #19 Syracuse defeats Boston College 42-21

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It was Senior Day at Chestnut Hill on Saturday, however, the senior that stole the show was not wearing maroon and gold. Instead, he was in Orange and White. Senior QB Eric Dungey was a one-man wrecking crew as he was responsible for six touchdowns. The performance helped the #19 Syracuse Orangemen (9-3, 6-2) beat up on Boston College (7-5, 4-4) 42-21.

The Eagles defense had no answers for Dungey who picked apart the secondary by going 21-34 for 362 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. When not ripping BC defense through the air, he did it on the ground gaining 67 yards on 18 carries with three more touchdowns. Dungey has set a new single-season record at Syracuse with the 32 TD’s he has been a part of.

It was not just the Orangemen single-caller that did the damage. Running back, Dontae Strickland put his head down and rumbled through the Eagles defensive front to the tune of 129 yards on 20 carries. Wide receiver, Sean Riley caught five balls good for 115 yards including a 75-yard catch and run on a blown coverage by the Eagles defensive backfield. That big play came after the Eagles took their only lead of the game which lasted all of eleven seconds.

Syracuse won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. BC’s first drive was productive until they had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by senior Cotton Lichtenberg. As has been the case far too many times this season, the kick was no good wide left.

Syracuse’s first drive met with the same fate. A 44 yard FG try by Andre Szmyt also went wide left. Each team had a scoring opportunity and both came up empty.

Boston College’s next drive proved to be more of what they had in mind. An 11-play, 74-yard drive ended when QB Anthony Brown (17-for- 37, 251 yards and three touchdowns one pick) found a wide open Jake Burt for a three-yard touchdown catch. For Burt, the. R-Jr. tight end, it was his first career touchdown catch.

Brown finds @JakeBurt23 on the throw back to the tight end and the Eagles take the lead!#WeAreBC🦅 pic.twitter.com/rfSnEscPPf

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) November 24, 2018

7-0 Eagles.

Eleven seconds after the Eagles had taken the lead it was gone. Dungey found a very wide open Riley down the right sideline in front of the BC bench. Riley did the rest as he hauled in the pass and raced to the end zone untouched to tie the game at 7-7.

The Orange would take the lead for good toward the end of the quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Eagles return man Michael Walker fumbled the kick. It was recovered by Syracuse’s kicker Sterling Hofrichter in BC territory. Four plays later, Dungey ran for the first of his three rushing touchdowns. This one from four yards out. At the end of the first quarter, it was Syracuse by a touchdown, 14-7.

The Orange would go up by two scores as Dungey would score again on the ground from two yards out. The touchdown was set up by two big runs from Strickland of 32,19 yards.

21-7 Syracuse.

The Eagles would get one back as Brown hooked up with Jeff Smith for a 69-yard catch and run down the right sideline.

21-14 Orange..

Before halftime, Syracuse restored the two touchdown advantage when Dungey ran for his third score of the half. This one was from 18 yards out. The score was set up by Dungey’s arm as he connected with Taj Harris for 35 yards. At the break, Syracuse had a 28-14 lead.

The Orange started the second half with the football. Dungey would make his only real mistake of the afternoon. He was picked off by Taj-Amir Torres (third of the season). BC’s offense took full advantage from the Syracuse 31. Boston College needed only two plays when Brown hit Ben Glines for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Boston College was back in the game now down 28-21 early in the third quarter.

Syracuse had all the answers on this day. Brown was intercepted by Trill Williams, his second of the year. Dungey and his offense went to work and five completion and five runs later, the Syracuse quarterback found Jamal Custis for a 22-yard strike. 35-21 Syracuse late third quarter.

In the fourth, the Orange added one more as Dungey hit Harris for a two-yard strike to finish the day and scoring.

42-21 Syracuse.

It’s a final from the Heights. Thank you Seniors. #WeAreBC pic.twitter.com/sgoh4ebOYo

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) November 24, 2018

After the game, Head Coach Steve Addazio focused more on the future than what had just happened to his team. He said the goal “is to win eight games”. He will use the extra time afforded to him focusing on playing in a bowl game and to develop some of his young players who will be coming back to the program next year. He saw “lots of positive this year” and believes the future is bright at Boston College.

The Eagles will have to wait to find out where and who they will be playing in their bowl game. It will give some of their star players like A.J. Dillon, who did not play in the second half on Saturday, and Zack Allen who left the game in the third quarter and never returned, a chance to get healthier.

It will also give the Eagles seniors one more chance to finish their careers on the winning side.