Boston College erased a 12-point deficit with back-to-back touchdowns before halftime and held off Pitt for a 27-21 win in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Mason McKenzie threw for a career-high 295 yards on 17-for-28 passing, finding Javarius Green and Landon Wright for touchdowns. Wright’s 69-yard reception on the opening play of the second half helped the Eagles (3-3, 1-2) pad a lead that they never relinquished.
Early in the fourth quarter, McKenzie connected with Wright again for 53 yards to set up an Evan Dickens 1-yard rushing score one play later.
Pitt (5-2, 2-2) opted to start true freshman Corey Dailey at quarterback after splitting reps with fifth-year Holden Geriner during the week. Dailey was 11-of-25 passing for 193 yards, a 75-yard touchdown to Cataurus Hicks (five catches, 135 yards) on the game’s first play from scrimmage, and two interceptions.
Thirteen penalties for 133 yards and three turnovers doomed the Panthers in their second straight loss.
Following the Dickens score, Pitt stayed alive on Antonio Chadha’s third field goal — a 38-yarder with 8:13 remaining — before Raoin Strader’s second interception with 2:12 to go. However, the Panthers could not find a winning drive, as Dailey’s deep ball was picked off by Charlie Comella.
After Dailey’s 75-yard strike to open the scoring, Boston College’s first series saw the Pitt defense force a three-and-out in only 1:26 before adding to its lead when Bryce LaFollette’s punt was blocked in the back of the end zone for a safety.
The visitors then made it 12-0 on Chadha’s 28-yard field goal, capping an 11-play drive.
Boston College finally responded late in the first quarter, stringing together a 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Bo MacCormack III punching in a 1-yard touchdown.
The Eagles entered halftime with a 14-12 lead after holding the ball for 10:03 across two second-quarter possessions.
Pitt was flagged for 71 penalty yards during the first of those drives, but Danny Edgehille’s 2-yard touchdown catch was called off due to an illegal shift and Strader intercepted McKenzie on the next play.
After the Panthers converted a fourth-and-1 during the ensuing series, a diving interception by KP Price near midfield gave the hosts the ball back and led to a go-ahead touchdown. Johnathan Montague made a jump ball catch along the sideline, setting up Green’s 11-yard scoring catch with 51 seconds left before halftime.
Just as Pitt started fast off the opening kick, Wright beat a defender to score his touchdown, upping the Eagles lead to 21-12 before Chadha answered with a 29-yard field goal.
The Boston College defense stood tall in the red zone later in the quarter, holding Pitt to a 42-yarder from Chadha in the final minute of the third.