SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 29, 2014
Boston College 28, Syracuse 7: Myles Willis returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Tyler Murphy threw for a score as the host Eagles dismantled the Orange in both teams' regular-season finale.
Murphy went 13-of-17 for 160 yards while Tyler Rouse and Jon Hilliman each had a rushing score for Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC), which will find out its bowl fate early next month. The Eagles' defense dominated from start to finish, allowing only 128 yards and holding the Orange to 1-of-11 on third down.
Syracuse's A.J. Long was 7-of-18 for 59 yards with an interception before giving way late to Austin Wilson, who threw a pick on his second attempt of the game. Jarrod West contributed 45 receiving yards to lead the Orange (3-9, 1-7), who finished with their worst record since going 3-9 in 2008.
Willis took the opening kickoff basically in a straight line, facing minimal opposition en route to a 95-yard sprint to the end zone. Syracuse answered on Long's 4-yard TD run late in the opening quarter, but the Eagles took the lead for good on Murphy's well-thrown 26-yard scoring strike to Sherman Alston with 70 seconds to go in the first half.
Hilliman's 7-yard TD run pushed the lead to 21-7 after Long was intercepted by Mike Strizak early in the third quarter. Rouse's 42-yard gallop capped the scoring with 8:43 left in the contest as Boston College halted a two-game skid.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Syracuse scored 47 points in its final five games of the season. ... Boston College committed 100 yards worth of penalties after totaling 85 yards in its previous three games. ... Rouse led the Eagles with 59 yards on the ground while Prince-Tyson Gulley wrapped up his Orange career with a team-high 28 yards on six carries.