Boston College Overcomes Slow Start for Comeback Win

© Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Boston College Eagles (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) completed a come-from-behind win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (3-2) in a thriller on Sept. 28 in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The short-handed Eagles defended their home turf with a 21-20 win in a game they did not lead until the last three minutes of the contest.

Transfer running back and former Hilltopper Kye Robichaux led an anemic Eagles offense with 18 carries for 81 yards and an early touchdown run. The Boston College defense carried the team in the comeback, forcing three timely turnovers to shift the game's momentum.

Game Summary

When news broke that starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos would be out against Western Kentucky with an injury, many wondered how the Eagles offense would respond. Early in this game, they struggled to establish any momentum without their leader. The Hilltoppers took advantage of the Eagles' slow start and had no problem moving the ball early. After an untimely interception from Eagles' quarterback Grayson James, Western Kentucky capitalized on a short field and scored a touchdown to take a 14-0 lead at the start of the second quarter.

The Eagles' offense finally began to settle into the game and find a rhythm. A methodical, 13-play, 74-yard drive resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run from Robichaux against his former team. Western Kentucky quickly drove down the field in retaliation but were held to just 3 points. The Hilltoppers took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

After an uninspiring performance throughout the day, the Eagles' defense finally came up with a pivotal interception off a tipped pass late in the third quarter. The offense took advantage of the rare Hilltopper mistake and charged down the field. James capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush on third-and-goal to pull within one score at the start of the fourth quarter.

The momentum had swung completely toward Boston College. The Eagles came up with another clutch turnover, forcing a fumble on quarterback Caden Veltkamp and recovering on the Hilltoppers' 20-yard-line. The offense came through, taking a 21-20 lead on James' 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerand Bradley.

Western Kentucky began a promising drive from their own 5-yard line but was stopped on fourth-and-10 from close to midfield to end their hopes of a last-second win.

Turning Point for Boston College

Down six points, the Boston College defense needed to force a stop to give their offense a chance to win the game with just six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Veltkamp dropped back to pass on third-and-5 from his own 20-yard line and was hit from behind by star defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, forcing a fumble. The Eagles' defense recovered, setting up their team in prime position for the go-ahead score.

What It Means

For Boston College, the comeback win saves what has been a promising start to the season. Head coach Bill O'Brien has established positive momentum overall for the program early in his tenure, and the absence of Castellanos will be noted when reviewing the poor performance from the offense.

The concern for the Eagles going forward is the defense. To this point in the season, they have relied on a bend-but-don't-break approach that has worked because of their ability to create opportunistic turnovers. This defensive approach hurt the Eagles in this game, as the Western Kentucky offense was able to dictate the game flow and the Eagles' offense was not able to get into a rhythm as a result. Boston College will turn their attention toward the Virginia Cavaliers (3-1, 1-0) as conference play kicks into full gear next week.

© Eric Canha-Imagn Images

For Western Kentucky, the last-second loss will sting after blowing a 20-7 fourth-quarter lead. Still, there were many positive takeaways from the performance, and the Hilltoppers have asserted themselves as one of the favorites to bring home the Conference USA title.

In addition, Veltkamp has performed well in relief for injured starting quarterback TJ Finley, giving head coach Tyson Helton a tough decision to make at the position when Finley returns. Veltkamp will hope to continue to impress as Western Kentucky goes into their early season bye week next week.