Syracuse Falls to Boston College in Season Finale

Saturday, November 29

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

12:30 pm

Syracuse University

3-9 , 1-7

Boston College

7-5 , 4-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Boston College

Syracuse Falls to Boston College in Season Finale

11/29/2014 3:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Dyshawn Davis, Cameron Lynch with 10 tackles each in final career game

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The Syracuse defense held Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) to 120 yards less than its season rushing average, but the Eagles outscored the Orange 21-0 over the last three quarters to post a 28-7 win in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Alumni Stadium.

Syracuse senior linebackers Cameron Lynch and Dyshawn Davis each made 10 tackles to lead an Orange defense that recorded a season-best 11 tackles for loss and limited BC to 142 yards rushing on 49 attempts (2.9 yards per carry). In the process, Syracuse (3-9, 1-7 ACC) bottled up Eagles quarterback Tyler Murphy, who ran for a season-low 20 yards after entering the game second among FBS quarterbacks at 96.3 rushing yards per contest.

Jarrod West caught five passes for 45 yards on the day to pace the Syracuse offense and finished his career fifth on the school's all-time receptions list (134) and seventh in career receiving yards (1,836).

The Eagles didn't waste any time grabbing the lead. Myles Willis returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give Boston College a 7-0 advantage 12 seconds into the contest.

Syracuse answered the score late in the first quarter. After a 10-yard punt return by Ritchy Desir to the Boston College 43 gave the offense a short field, Ervin Philips broke free for a 16-yard run on first down. A 9-yard completion from AJ Long to Philips on the next play had the Orange in business at the Eagles' 18-yard line. Four plays later, Long scampered into the end zone from four yards out to cap the drive, and Cole Murphy added the point after to make it 7-7 with 1:43 left in the opening period.

Boston College looked to pulled ahead in the latter stages of the first half after driving to the Syracuse 10, but a pair of tackles behind the line of scrimmage by Lynch forced BC kicker Mike Knoll to try a 36-yard field goal. He pushed it wide and the score remained tied with 4:48 to play in the second quarter.

After Syracuse went three-and-out on the ensuing series, the Eagles had another chance to regain the lead and this time they took advantage. Murphy connected with Sherman Alston on a 28-yard scoring pass with 1:10 to go in the half to put the home team in front, 14-7, at the intermission.

Two plays into the second half, Mike Strizak picked off Long deep in Orange territory. The turnover set up a Jon Hilliman 7-yard touchdown run that extended the Boston College margin to 21-7.

The Orange struggled to get anything going offensively and punted on its next three possessions. That set the stage for BC running back Tyler Rouse, who put the game out of reach with 8:43 to play by breaking off a 42-yard touchdown run to close the scoring.

Long finished the day 7-for-18 passing for 59 yards. Prince-Tyson Gulley led the Orange ground game with 35 yards on seven carries.

Murphy was 13-of-17 for 160 yards and one touchdown for the Eagles. Rouse toted the ball nine times for a game-high 59 yards.