Looking for Three-in-a-Row: Eagles Steamroll Georgia Tech Ahead of ACC Clash with Duke

If you are a Boston College Eagles fan (4-3, 2-2), Saturday afternoon’s performance at Georgia Tech was exactly what you had been waiting to see. After spotting the Yellow Jackets a 10-0 first-quarter lead, the Eagles went to work. Powered by an offensive line that completely controlled the line of scrimmage, BC ran through and around the Georgia Tech defense to the tune of 399 yards on the ground and five touchdowns.

It marked BC’s highest single-game rushing total since a 496-yard outburst against Syracuse on November 2, 2019. The 49-27 victory vaulted BC over the .500 mark overall and leveled their ACC record at 2-2. For the first time since the season began, bowl talk is officially surfacing around the program.

Dominant Ground Attack Powers the Eagles

The defining storyline of Saturday’s victory was BC’s relentless rushing attack. The Eagles controlled the clock for 33 minutes, racking up 28 first downs—22 of them coming on the ground—while averaging a staggering 8.5 yards per carry.

Running back Bo McCormack put on a show, rushing for a career-high 155 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries while averaging 7.5 yards per touch. Quarterback Mason Mackenzie delivered an equally explosive dual-threat performance, setting a career high with 176 gross rushing yards (170 net yards) and two rushing touchdowns. Mackenzie didn’t need to throw often, finishing 9-of-17 for 101 yards and a touchdown through the air.

On defense, cornerback Charlie Comella delivered a game-changing performance with two interceptions returned for a combined 70 yards. His second interception was a 47-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter, marking the first multi-interception game of his career. The defensive unit logged three sacks on the day, led by defensive lineman Anthony Palano, who registered a team-high nine tackles (8 solo, 1 assist) and a tackle for loss.

The primary flaw on the day was the kicking game, particularly in the first half. A missed field goal and two missed extra points had the coaching staff searching for answers—answers that ultimately came via a punishing ground game.

Previewing Duke: Key Matchup to Close October

This Saturday, BC travels to Durham to face the Duke Blue Devils as they look to finish October on a high note and extend their winning streak to three games. The Blue Devils enter at 5-2 overall, 2-2 in the ACC, and 3-1 at home, coming off a hard-fought 19-16 road victory over Virginia last week.

Duke Team Profile & Key Stats

• Scoring & Efficiency: Duke averages 30 points per game and has converted 23 of 28 red-zone trips, with 16 resulting in touchdowns.
• Offensive Output: The Blue Devils average 5.3 yards per carry with 13 rushing touchdowns, alongside 7.45 yards per pass attempt and 12 passing touchdowns.
• Passing Game: Quarterback Walker Eget has thrown for 1,440 yards on 122-of-197 passing with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, though he has yet to record a 300-yard passing performance this season.
• Ground Attack: Running back Nate Sheppard anchors the backcourt with nine touchdowns while averaging 125 yards per game (875 total yards). After rushing for over 100 yards in each of his first four games, Sheppard has been held under 100 yards in his last three outings.
• Defensive Leader: Linebacker/defensive lineman Kevin O’Connor leads Duke’s pass rush with a team-high four sacks.

BC holds a slim 5-4 advantage in the all-time series against Duke. The programs have not met since November 4, 2022, when the Eagles earned a 38-31 victory at Alumni Stadium.