Eagles' Second Half Rally Falls Just Short in Pinstripe Bowl

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BRONX, N.Y. — Boston College lost to Nebraska, 20-15, in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The loss ends the Eagles’ season at 7-6, while the Cornhuskers also end the year with a 7-6 record.

Nebraska built a 13-0 lead with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns. However, BC got on the board with a blocked PAT returned for two points by Ashton McShane. With a chance to make it a one-score game in the final minute before the half, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs inside the Husker red zone. It was the third turnover on downs of the half for BC.

The Cornhuskers struck first in the second half, taking a 20-2 lead with 6:14 to go in the third quarter. The Eagles reached paydirt with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter, engineering an eight-play, 64-yard drive culminating in a one-yard touchdown run from Turbo Richard, bringing the score to 20-8 after a failed two-point conversion. Momentum continued to swing in favor of BC on the ensuing possession, with Victor Nelson blocking the Nebraska punt, and Omar Thornton returning it to the two-yard line. Jordan McDonald finished the job, finding the end zone from two yards out to make it a 20-15 game after Liam Connor’s successful PAT.

Nebraska regained possession and ultimately did not relinquish it, running the clock out to end the game at 20-15.

Grayson James went 25-for-40 passing for 296 yards under center for the Eagles. His 296 passing yards are the fifth most in a bowl game by an Eagle and the most since Matt Ryan’s 256 in the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl. Lewis Bond and tight end Jeremiah Franklin each caught a team-high six passes. Bond led the way with 94 receiving yards. His 67 receptions on the year are the sixth most in a single season in program history.

Linebacker Daveon Crouch led all players with 14 tackles; a career-high. He added two tackles for loss and a sack.