Ten and a half months ago, Boston College football took down then-No. 17 Southern Methodist in the 2023 Fenway Bowl 23–14 largely thanks to former BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ heroics.
Under center for the Eagles, Castellanos logged 102 passing yards, 156 rushing yards, and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, guiding BC to its first bowl win since 2016.
Nearly a year later, a new quarterback was the signal caller in BC’s Week 12 matchup against No. 14 SMU after Castellanos was benched on Tuesday and officially announced his departure from the team on Thursday.
“Tommy’s not on the team,” BC head coach Bill O’Brien said when asked about his reaction to Castellanos’ decision to leave the team. “We wish Tommy the best.”
With Castellanos out of the picture, Grayson James took over the Eagles’ offense and immediately went to work, racking up 237 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown, keeping BC in the game for all four quarters.
“[He] did a good job,” O’Brien said of James’ performance. “Very proud of Grayson stepping into that situation. We got a lot of confidence in Grayson—Grayson did a good job—we just didn’t do enough. In all three phases, didn’t do enough, didn’t coach it good enough.”
The Florida International transfer and the Eagles (5–5, 2–4 Atlantic Coast) fell just short, as SMU (9–1, 6–0) sacked James on back-to-back plays in the final minutes of regulation forcing a turnover on downs before scoring a silencing touchdown to defeat BC 38–28.
“At the end of the game, we got a chance to get the ball back,” O’Brien said. “We stop them. Take two sacks—take a sack on fourth down. Just not good. Got to coach it better.”
The Eagles kept the score within 10 points throughout the entire contest, giving them a chance at a comeback in those final moments.
After SMU missed a field goal in its opening drive, the Eagles had a quick three-and-out and were forced to punt. Liam Connor booted the ball a measly 32 yards to set the Mustangs up with excellent field position, and they got the scoring started by taking a 7–0 lead.
Kevin Jennings connected with Roderick Daniels Jr. who scurried into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown.
The Eagles punted just one more time in the game, taking their chances going for it on fourth down instead.
“It was a lot of ‘Gonna go for it on fourth down,’” O’Brien said. “We’re trying to score touchdowns, going for it … How many times did we go for it on fourth down—six or seven?”
BC’s next drive ended on a turnover on downs after the Eagles elected to go for it on 4th-and-short, once again setting SMU up with pristine field position, which the Mustangs used to add three points to the scoreboard.
The Eagles responded in the second quarter, though.
After going for it on fourth down twice, Kye Robichaux capped off BC’s third drive of the game with a two-yard scamper into the end zone to make it a 10–7 game.
SMU marched back down the field and less than four minutes later reestablished a two-score lead with a Brashard Smith four-yard touchdown.
The final minutes of the first half were action-packed. BC scored a touchdown when James threw a bullet pass to Kamari Morales for a 13-yard touchdown to make it 17–14 with 1:03 left on the clock.
Jennings then threw an interception to Carter Davis on the first play of SMU’s drive, but James returned the favor and gave the ball right back to the Mustangs with an interception of his own. SMU then notched a field goal to head into halftime up 20–14.
“That was a terrible sequence of plays,” O’Brien said of the end of the first half.
James and the Eagles received the ball in the third quarter and went back to work. James connected with Reed Harris for two 19-yard completions before taking matters into his own hands and scoring a 20-yard rushing touchdown.
SMU immediately responded, though, and converted on a two-point conversion to take a 28–21 lead with 8:52 left in the third. A field goal on the next SMU drive reestablished its 10-point lead.
With just under 6:00 left in the game, Robichaux put the Eagles on his back, and with four straight runs totaling 25 yards, he found the end zone to make it 31–28 and keep BC’s hopes of a comeback alive.
After the Eagles stopped the Mustangs’ offense, they had just under four minutes to score. But James tanked two sacks leading to a turnover on downs, and the Mustangs ran the clock out, avoiding an upset at the hands of BC and remaining undefeated in ACC play.
“I mean, we got a tough team,” O’Brien said. We have a tough football team, [but] we’re not there yet. Like I said, give SMU credit. They’ve got a good team, they’re a potential playoff team … If you’re going to win a game like that, you have to, you know, make plays in critical moments.”
