The Streak Continues: BC Falls to 1-8 After Crucial Interception Seals Notre Dame's Victory

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CHESTNUT HILL, M.A.—The BC Eagles fought with grit and surprising tenacity, but ultimately could not stop history from repeating itself. Despite a monumental defensive effort, the Eagles fell to the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish $25-10$ on Saturday at Alumni Stadium.

The loss, which was far closer than the final score suggests, extends BC’s losing streak to eight games, dropping their record to a dismal 1-8 on the season. For Notre Dame (6-2), the victory was unconvincing but vital, keeping their 12-team College Football Playoff hopes alive as they enter the crucial final month of the season.

The Moment of Collapse: 94 Yards of Heartbreak

The game turned on a single, devastating play in the fourth quarter. Boston College, trailing only $18-10$ , was driving for the potential game-tying touchdown.

The Interception: Inside the Notre Dame 5-yard line, BC quarterback Grayson James was intercepted by safety Adon Shuler with $11:21$ left in the game, squelching the Eagles’ best chance to pull off the upset.
The Response: On the very next play from the $6$ -yard line, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love burst through the middle and outraced the defense for a stunning 94-yard touchdown run.

The sudden, back-breaking score pushed the lead to $25-10$ , effectively ending the contest and securing Notre Dame’s $10^{th}$ consecutive victory in the rivalry known as the “Holy War.”¹

BC Defense Stands Tall Against the Odds

Despite being 28.5-point underdogs, the Eagles’ defense gave the capacity crowd of $44,500$ something to cheer about early.

First Quarter Battle: The game was scoreless through the first quarter, with the BC defense refusing to yield against the high-powered Irish attack.¹¹
Keeping it Close: Thanks in part to a bizarre day of kicking from Notre Dame—which saw three missed field goals and a missed extra point—the Eagles trailed only $12-7$ at the half and were within a single score ( $18-10$ ) deep into the fourth quarter.

The Eagles’ defense forced three turnovers but ultimately could not overcome their own offensive setbacks.

Quarterback Carousel and Missed Opportunities

Boston College was forced to juggle quarterbacks again after starter Dylan Lonergan was replaced by Grayson James early in the second quarter after throwing an interception.

Grayson James’s Day: James finished the day completing $25$ of $37$ passes for $240$ yards and one touchdown, but his two costly interceptions—including the crushing pick inside the $5$ -yard line—proved fatal. He was also sacked five times by a relentless Irish pass rush.
A Ray of Light: The Eagles’ lone touchdown came on a $25$ -yard pass from James to Reed Harris in the second quarter.
Ultimately, the Eagles lost the total yardage battle $458-281$ as they fell to their worst record since $1978$ .

The Eagles, now eliminated from bowl qualification, have two more chances to play the spoiler role against SMU and No. 8 Georgia Tech before finishing the season against Syracuse.