BC's Miracle Comeback Bid Falls Short Against FSU

Phil Jurkovec’s return saved Boston College’s season.

But Alec Sinkfield’s almost saved the Eagles from ACC mediocrity.

It wasn't a return from injury but from his own 15 yard-line.

Following what could have easily been a knockout punch—a second-half opening touchdown that gave Florida State a 26-3 lead—Sinkfield went 45 yards on the ensuing kickoff.

“I just felt that's what we needed,” second-year head coach Jeff Hafley said. “We just needed one guy to go out and make a play.”

It jumpstarted the first of BC’s three touchdown drives, igniting a 20-point comeback that featured a 44-yard Zay Flowers juke fest, a diving Travis Levy catch, a patented Jurkovec-Flowers deep shot and a handful of gritty runs from Jurkovec, who was thrown around by FSU’s defensive line in the first half.

Except, when it mattered most, BC stalled in FSU territory. Jurkovec threw what was essentially a game-ending interception from the Seminoles' 37-yard line, and the Eagles swallowed a heartbreaking 26-23 defeat and will now finish under .500 in ACC play for the first time since 2016.

BC (6-5, 2-5 ACC) didn’t pop with the offensive fireworks in the first half like it did at Georgia Tech. A week removed from averaging a season-high 8.7 yards per play, the Eagles gained just 2.7 yards per play over their first two quarters.

FSU (5-6, 4-4) made a home for itself in the Eagles’ backfield in the opening two quarters, piling up six TFLs and sacking Jurkovec three times—that number probably would have been doubled had Jurkovec not evaded and bounced off Seminoles defensive linemen. But he still took a beating. BC was missing right guard Christian Mahogany, however, the pressure was coming from every direction.

“I think that part of their game plan was to hit me early and to try to throw off the quarterback’s rhythm,” Jurkovec said. “But you just try to stay in rhythm as much as possible. And stay in the pocket, which I could have done a better job [with].”

FSU’s play on defense and special teams set up its offense for the game-opening touchdown.

Midway through the first quarter, Seminoles punter Alex Mastromanno pinned BC at the 1-yard line. Then the FSU defense forced a three-and-out, which resulted in the Seminoles’ offense getting the ball back at midfield.

FSU quarterback Jordan Travis kept the drive alive with his legs, converting a 3rd-and-7. After that, a Vinny DePalma face mask penalty slingshotted FSU into the red zone. The Seminoles entered the game having scored on 25 straight red zone trips, the third-longest active streak in the FBS. They continued that Saturday.

Travis easily dodged BC defensive tackle Khris Banks and lofted a pass for wide receiver Ontaria Wilson. The redshirt junior weaved his way around a few Eagles before diving to the pylon to put FSU up, 7-0.

BC was sticking to the run on early downs, and it wasn’t working. Not with its collection of backs and not with Jurkovec.

The problem was, Jurkovec didn’t have much to work with in the passing game, either. With little time to throw, the redshirt junior often found himself just trying to get the ball away before taking a sack, like when he miraculously completed a pass to tight end Joey Luchetti while being dragged to the turf.

The next play, Jurkovec called his own number but slid short of the sticks. A targeting penalty on FSU safety Jammie Robinson put BC in field goal range, though. For Connor Lytton, that is.

Lytton built on his impressive true freshman campaign with a 46-yarder to get BC on the board.

That’s all the Eagles would get in the first half.

Meanwhile, FSU answered right back with a seven play, 85-yard touchdown drive that was fueled by the Seminoles’ stable of running backs. Jashaun Corbin took a Travis pass 20 yards. Both Corbin and Treshaun Ward had runs of 10-plus yards during the series. But it was Lawrance Toafili who finished things off. He lined up out wide, caught a screen pass and made a bee-line for the pylon.

“We needed to play faster today,” Hafley said. “They got us out in space. They really spread us out, and their players made our players miss. We gotta get more people to the ball, and we gotta play better with our eyes. I don't think it was just pure fundamentals of tackling. We flat out missed some.”

Jurkovec, who rushed for 59 yards on 17 carries, moved the chains on the ground three times in a row on the Eagles’ next drive: twice on quarterback sneaks and once because of a 16-yard scramble.

A 21-yard Sinkfield run vaulted BC into the red zone. That’s where Pat Garwo III was stopped in his tracks on a 4th-and-2. FSU immediately swung the momentum, thanks to a 41-yard pass from Travis to Wilson. The Seminoles were their own worst enemy in the second half.

Penalties spoiled the drive and haunted FSU all day. When all was said and done, the Seminoles had 13 infractions for 120 yards.

FSU still ended up getting points, though. Keir Thomas sacked Jurkovec for a loss of six, and then, backed up against his own end zone, Jurkovec threw a screen pass to Travis Levy, who was instantly tackled for a safety.

The Seminoles tacked on three more points before the half, courtesy of a 26-yard connection between Travis and tight end Camren McDonald and, ultimately, a 36-yard Ryan Fitzgerald field goal.

To add insult to injury, the Seminoles got the ball to start the second half and orchestrated a 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in Travis’ third and final touchdown pass of the game: a 15-yarder to Malik McClain.

That’s when Sinkfield’s kickoff return breathed life into the Eagles. It gave BC great field position and sparked a 40-yard scoring drive that ended with a Garwo touchdown run on 4th-and-Goal.

Seminoles penalties forced another Mastromanno punt. Once again, though, he pinned the Eagles inside their own 5-yard line.

Nevertheless, BC started a 96-yard march to the end zone. Zay Flowers made the drive a lot more manageable, shaking three FSU defenders out of their cleats on a 44-yard catch-and-run. Levy kept things going with a leaping reception on 3rd-and-15 and Jurkovec powered behind a Tyler Vrabel block on 4th-and-Goal for another BC touchdown.

The Eagles’ two-point conversion passing attempt fell incomplete, however, an FSU three-and-out set the stage for BC’s next scoring drive.

All it took was four plays, the last of which was a 36-yard touchdown pass from Jurkovec to Flowers.

“It wasn’t even supposed to be a go ball,” the junior wideout said. “It was supposed to be a screen. But Phil saw that I had 1-on-1 … so he adjusted the call and gave me a go.”

BC’s defense, which allowed just 14 total yards in the fourth quarter, held again, partly because of an FSU delay of game penalty on 4th-and-1 from midfield.

The Eagles got the ball back with eight minutes to go, trailing, 26-23.

As the drive developed, Hafley and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. started to milk the clock. BC was chugging along, riding Garwo, who carried the ball nine times during the series.

BC crossed midfield but then came to a screeching halt. Garwo was shut down on 2nd-and-8. Jurkovec’s third down pass intended for Gill was incomplete and his fourth down, pressure-induced throw was intercepted by FSU’s Akeem Dent.

The Seminoles ended the game the same way they ended the first half, running out the clock and throwing the ball away as time expired to avoid a Herculean BC return.

A 23-point comeback would have been the Eagles’ largest second-half comeback in program history.

By far.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, that’s what a once-promising season has become.

A bunch of would haves and could haves.