Boston College’s Saturday afternoon loss to UConn extended the Eagles’ losing streak to six, putting any preseason hopes of a bowl game on extremely thin ice.
Offensively, the Eagles were able to move the ball in certain stretches throughout the game but couldn’t find any consistency—especially in the red zone—to keep up with the Huskies.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end, the Eagles couldn’t hold up against the Huskies’ air attack, which ultimately helped UConn take command of the game in the third quarter.
When the clock hit triple-zeroes, it was those elements that ultimately resulted in the Eagles’ sixth straight loss and formed BC’s longest losing streak since 2015.
Here are two observations from BC’s loss to UConn:
Red Zone Rumblings
Shortly before Saturday’s noon kickoff, ESPN’s Pete Thamel announced that Grayson James would start under center for the Eagles, marking a shift away from Dylan Lonergan.
James is a senior signal caller who took over the keys to the offense during the second half of last season. James appeared in six games, throwing for 1,202 yards, sporting an efficient 63.9 completion percentage and a 6:2 touchdown-interception ratio.
With James under center on Saturday, the Eagles were able to stack first downs but struggled to convert when they reached the red zone.
Though BC scored every time they reached the red zone, that included two field goals and just one touchdown.
What’s more alarming is that those two field goals came after stalled drives within 10 yards of the endzone—one on the 4-yard line and the other at the 7-yard line. If the Eagles were to capitalize on those missed opportunities, they would’ve opened the third quarter with a larger halftime advantage and potentially withstood the Huskies’ third-quarter burst.
Other than a few stalled drives, the Eagles’ offense was able to hum at some points, specifically thanks to the run game.
Senior running back Jordan McDonald got a large share of the touches, taking 24 carries for 123 yards—both season-highs, despite being partially injured, according to head coach Bill O’Brien. McDonald averaged 5.1 yards per run as the workhorse back.
Before Saturday, sophomore running back Turbo Richard had gotten a large share of the carries.
Beyond McDonald, the Eagles’ zero turnovers were also a positive. It was BC’s first turnover-free game since its season-opening win over Fordham on Aug. 30.
In the passing game, wide receiver Lewis Bond remained BC’s top target, hauling in five catches for 69 yards.
The issue was not a stagnant offense, like it has been in the past few weeks—BC put up its most first-half points since its game at Stanford earlier this season. But red zone failures limited the effectiveness of its offensive production, and the Eagles found themselves looking at yet another loss.
UConn’s Air Attack
Headed into Saturday’s clash, UConn’s aerial attack was firing on all cylinders, as quarterback Joe Fagnano threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns in the Huskies’ last game—a win over FIU.
It was yet to be seen if the Huskies’ offense could keep that momentum going on the road against an ACC opponent, though. The last time UConn played an ACC team, they fell 27–20 in overtime to Syracuse.
Fagnano extinguished any and all doubts, though, throwing for 362 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He is yet to throw a pick this season.
The Huskies depended on their passing game early and often. Their air attack really kicked into high gear during the third quarter when they overcame a halftime deficit and claimed control of the game.
Fagnano’s two passing touchdowns in the third quarter—a 43-yard reception, followed by a 14-yard reception—morphed a four-point halftime deficit into a double-digit lead for UConn.
In the early stages of the fourth quarter, the Eagles kicked a short field goal to cut the lead to 31–23, making it a one-score game. UConn head coach Jim Mora trusted his quarterback, though, and it paid off.
After trading punts, the Huskies’ quarterback executed a game-sealing touchdown drive, capped off by a 38-yard touchdown pass, to put the game on ice.
Fagnano ripped his pass out wide to Skyler Bell, who dodged a couple of tacklers on his way to the endzone, putting the nail in the coffin. Bell was a thorn in the side of the Eagles’ defense, catching 10 balls for 125 yards and the game-clinching touchdown.
It was clear that the Huskies had used their bye to rest up and diagnose holes in the Eagles’ defense, and it showed as BC’s young secondary looked incapable of stopping UConn’s offense at any point.
