Recap: BC 45, Louisville 42

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – True freshman running back AJ Dillon led the Eagles offense with a career-high four touchdowns and finished with a career-high 272 yards as Boston College (3-4, 1-3 ACC) upset Louisville (4-3, 1-3 ACC), 45-43, at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Senior defensive back Kamrin Moore made a key play at the end of the fourth quarter when he recovered a fumble to give the Eagles the ball at the Louisville 39-yard line. A series of Dillon rushes gave BC strong field position with three seconds left to play. Junior kicker Colton Lichtenberg converted the game-winning 27-yard field goal as time expired.

BC scored a season-high 45 points and rushed for 364 yards on the ground. This was the first time the Eagles defeated Louisville since 1994.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 45, Louisville 42
Records: Boston College (3-4, 1-3 ACC), Louisville (4-3, 1-3 ACC)
Location: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Attendance: 44, 679
Time of Game: 3:25
Weather: 84 degrees, sunny

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Dillon scored a career-high four touchdowns. He finished the day with 272 yards rushing, marking the first 200-yard rushing game for a BC player since Andre Williams rushed for 295 yards at New Mexico State on Nov. 9, 2013. The four rushing touchdowns tied for the third-best performance in BC single-game history. Andre Williams (2013 vs. Army) and Montel Harris (2009 vs. NC State) old the school record with five rushing touchdowns in a game.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Brown threw a career-long 42-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Thadd Smith for BC's first touchdown of the game. Brown also had a career-long 30-yard run.
Smith scored his third career receiving touchdown on a 42-yard pass from Brown.
Junior defensive end Wyatt Ray recorded his first career interception.

KEY MOMENTS
Sophomore defensive back Hamp Cheevers forced a fumble at the end of the fourth quarter that was recovered by Moore. Moore returned the ball for 111 yards, but fumbled it at the Louisville 39-yard line. Senior defensive back Isaac Yiadom to give the Eagles the ball and the Eagles used a series of rushes by Dillon to get into field goal position with just :03 left. Junior kicker Colton Lichtenberg kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 45-42 win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Louisville took an early 7-0 lead on the first drive of the game when, after a series of completed passes including a 34-yard pass to Jaylen Smith, quarterback Lamar Jackson threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kemari Averett at 11:38.
A 48-yard pass from Jackson to Dez Fitzpatrick set the Cardinals up on the BC 20-yard line. Jackson then rushed for a 20-yard touchdown at 3:36 to increase the Cardinals lead to 14-0.
After a collection of rushes by Dillon, Thadd Smith and an 18-yard rush by Brown to the Louisville 47-yard line, Brown connected with Smith for a 42-yard touchdown with 53 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 14-7.
Senior kicker Mike Knoll put a 46-yard punt at the Louisville 36-yard line, where U of L running back Reggie Bonnafon rushed up the middle for a 64-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive at 5:07 in the second quarter.
Junior wide receiver Michael Walker had a 32 yard return to set the Eagles up at the Louisville 48-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Brown rushed for 30-yards before Dillon carried four times to set the Eagles up on the 1-yard line. He then had a 1-yard touchdown rush with 51 seconds left in the half, pulling the Eagles within a touchdown at the half, 21-14.
Graduate quarterback Darius Wade entered the game after an injury to Brown, and led the drive that put the teams level at 21-21. He connected with sophomore wide receiver Chris Garrison for a 15-yard catch, then completed back-to-back passes to Jon Hilliman and junior tight end Tommy Sweeney. A nine-yard pass to sophomore tight end Ray Marten set the Eagles up at the Cardinals 6-yard line. Two plays later, Dillon rushed for a 3-yard touchdown run at 5:03 in the third quarter.
The Eagles took a 28-21 lead at 2:28 when Hilliman rushed for a 6-yard touchdown run. The drive included a 33-yard rush by Dillon and a 20-yard pass from Wade to Sweeney, which set BC up at the Cardinals 6-yard line.
An interception by Wyatt Ray at the end of the third quarter gave the Eagles the ball at the Louisville 22-yard line. Dillon rushed for eight yards and Wade threw a 3-yard pass to Hilliman. On the following play, Dillon rushed for an 11-yard touchdown at 14:55 in the fourth quarter to push BC's lead to 35-21.
Jackson capped off a six play, 84-yard scoring drive when he completed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Fitzpatrick at 12:13 to make it 35-28.
On the first play of the following drive, Dillon fought off the Cardinals defense and rushed for a 75-yard touchdown score at 11:59 to give the Eagles a 42-28 lead.
Jackson topped off a 10-play, 79-yard scoring drive - in which he had 19- and 20-yard runs - with a 9-yard touchdown rush at 8:59, cutting the Eagles' lead to 42-35.
The Cardinals tied the game with 5:03 left to play as Jackson rushed for a 41-yard touchdown to finish off a six play, 83-yard scoring drive.
At the end of the fourth quarter, Cheevers forced a fumble that was picked up by Moore, who gained yardage on the return, but then fumbled it at the Louisville 39-yard line. Yiadom recovered the fumble to maintain possession for BC, and after a series of Dillon runs, BC was on the Cards' 10-yard line with three seconds left. Lichtenberg kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal to give BC a 45-42 victory.

UP NEXT
The Eagles return to action against Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 12:30 p.m. The ACC Regional Sports Network will televise the game live, including NESN locally in New England. The BC IMG Radio Network will have the game on the radio, including 850 AM in the Boston area.

Next Event

Team Stats

Anthony Brown

Hamp Cheevers

Jeff Smith

Players Mentioned

Anthony Brown

Hamp Cheevers

AJ Dillon

Chris Garrison

Jon Hilliman

Mike Knoll

Colton Lichtenberg

Ray Marten

Kamrin Moore

Wyatt Ray

Thadd Smith

Tommy Sweeney

Darius Wade

Michael Walker

Isaac Yiadom

Players Mentioned

Anthony Brown

Hamp Cheevers

AJ Dillon

Chris Garrison

Jon Hilliman

Mike Knoll

Colton Lichtenberg

Ray Marten

Kamrin Moore

Wyatt Ray

Thadd Smith

Tommy Sweeney

Darius Wade

Michael Walker

Isaac Yiadom