BOSTON — — The holes just kept opening up. Boston College was determined to fight its way to a victory.

Backup quarterback Grayson James threw an 18-yard touchdown to tight end Jeremiah Franklin on a fourth-and-1 play late in the game, and Boston College held off Syracuse 37-31 on Saturday in the 100th anniversary of the first meeting of the schools.

The Eagles (5-4, 2/3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rushed for 313 yards, snapping a three-game losing streak and moving one win away from bowl eligibility in coach Bill O’Brien’s first season.

“I guess that’s what we’re meant to be, right?” O’Brien said of his team’s style. ‘We’re in Boston. We are in a city built on strength, determination and courage to overcome adversity. That is what we are.”

Kye Robichaux ran for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Jordan McDonald had 133 yards with a score for BC. James completed 5 for 6 passes for 51 yards.

“Once we got the idea that they were rolling, they were felling it, I kind of knew where everything was going to go,” Robichaux said of the offensive line.

Kyle McCord went 31 of 48 for 392 yards and two touchdowns for Syracuse (6-3, 3-3).

“They passed the ball well,” said Orange first-year coach Fran Brown. “Coach O’Brien has coached me better. When we got into situations to stop them, he went to something else.

BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos limped off the field after the opening drive of the third quarter. He had completed just 2 of 7 passes for 14 yards with a TD and interception.

McDonald’s 13-yard score gave the Eagles a 30-21 lead late in the third.

McCord’s second TD pass, a 12-yarder to Darrell Gill Jr. early in the fourth, cutting the score to 30-28 before James’ pass to a wide-open Franklin over the middle.

Syracuse erased an early 14-point deficit and took the lead on LeQuint Allen’s second TD run of the game, a four-yarder midway through the third quarter.

BC answered back and tied it three plays later on Robichaux’s 14-yard run.

The Dutch team has not scored a touchdown in the first quarter since October 4.

“I’ll have to figure that out in practice,” Brown said.

After a frustrating loss to Louisville when they blew a 20-0 lead before a bye week, the Eagles started fast, opening the two-touchdown lead midway through the second on Castellanos’ 9-yard TD pass to Lewis Bond.

CONSOLATION SCORE

The Eagles took a 23-21 lead after a safety when Donovan Ezeiruaku – part of a group sack that forced McCord’s fumble deep into Syracuse territory – kicked the ball and it went through the back of the end zone as he tried to peck. it up.

“You know, that doesn’t look good on me,” Ezeiruaku said, smiling. “I’m proud to be an athlete. The boys gave me some encouraging words.”

TAKEAWAY

Syracuse: It was the second week in a row that the Dutch fell into an early hole. This time, the explosive offense led by McCord couldn’t save them as their run defense was terrible.

Boston College: The offense became one-dimensional in the first half as the Eagles only threw for 14 yards. Castellanos had success running last season, but teams appear to have caught up and the seams he broke through have closed.

NEXT

Syracuse: California next Saturday.

Boston College: Next Saturday at No. 13 SMU.

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