Eagles Defeat Missouri 41-34 in Overtime Thriller on the Heights

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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Zay Flowers hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Grosel and Brandon Sebastian picked off Connor Bazelak on Missouri’s next play to seal a dramatic 41-34 overtime victory for the Boston College Eagles on Saturday afternoon in the first-ever meeting between the schools at Alumni Stadium.
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The Eagles improved to 4-0 on the season, while the Tigers dropped to 2-2.

BC rushed for 275 yards and three touchdowns as a team on 49 carries, led by a career-high 175 yards and two scores from Pat Garwo III.

Grosel was 18-29 through the air for 175 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, adding 39 yards on the ground. Flowers led all Boston College receivers with eight catches for 62 yards and the go-ahead overtime score.

Missouri took the opening drive of the game 72 yards for a touchdown, aided by a running into the kicker penalty which led to a 4th-and-1 conversion. Bazelak hit Barrett Banister for a 9-yard strike to cap off the drive for a 7-0 Tigers lead.

Backed up to its 2-yard line, Boston College quickly answered later in the first quarter on a 67-yard touchdown run from Garwo as the redshirt sophomore cut back across the hash marks to tie the game on a career-long rush.

Missouri carried a 14-7 lead into the second quarter, but the Eagles responded on the first play when rookie Jaden Williams hauled in a 7-yard pass from Grosel in the left corner of the endzone.

The Tigers regained the lead on a 28-yard field goal, but freshman Connor Lytton drilled a 49-yarder from the right hash with just seconds remaining in the first half to knot the score at 17 apiece. The kick was Lytton’s first collegiate attempt and was BC’s longest conversion since Aaron Boumerhi’s 45-yarder at Louisville two years ago.

BC opened the second half with a methodical 75-yard scoring drive that chewed up almost seven minutes and ended with Garwo’s second TD plunge of the afternoon. The 3-yard score handed Boston College its first lead of the day.

Lytton capped off another lengthy BC drive with a 31-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter, giving the Eagles a 27-17 cushion.

Missouri found its offensive rhythm and fought back in the fourth quarter, scoring back-to-back touchdowns on the ground from Michael Cox and Tyler Badie to retake the lead at 31-27.

Travis Levy thought he had won the game for Boston College with 25 seconds left in regulation on a 5-yard touchdown run up the middle, but Harrison Mevis kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime.

Flowers’ touchdown came on a ball floated delicately to the left side of the endzone from Grosel on a 2nd-and-10 from the 10-yard line. On the first play of Mizzou’s ensuing possession, Bazelak aired out a pass to the front right pylon but Sebastian leaped into the air and came down with the clinching interception.

Missouri was the first SEC team to play at Alumni Stadium since BC defeated Tennessee 20-18 on Oct. 31, 1987.

Undefeated Boston College travels to South Carolina next Saturday, Oct. 2 to face No. 9 Clemson in Death Valley at 7:30 p.m. on ACC Network.