Boston College's second-half turnaround against Georgia Tech came down to cleaner execution and a ground game that continued to find success from start to finish.
The Eagles entered halftime trailing 13-12 after committing nine penalties for 91 yards. By the end of the game, BC had eliminated its penalty issue and rushed for 278 yards in the second half alone, powering its way to a 49-27 victory on Saturday
.
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Head coach Bill O'Brien credited the team's halftime adjustments for the turnaround, particularly the ability to clean up mistakes.
"I think we hurt ourselves," O'Brien said of the first half. "You know, we had nine penalties in the first half. That's brutal. We got to stop doing that."
O'Brien said the players recognized what needed to change as they entered the locker room at half time, and committing zero penalties the rest of the way was ultimately the outcome.
"That's really who we are," said O'Brien. "The team you saw in the second half, to me, that's our football team. [We] played good complementary football."
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The Eagles also continued to rely on their rushing attack, which proved nearly impossible for Georgia Tech to contain.
BC accumulated 399 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 43 carries, averaging nine yards per attempt. Sophomore running back Bo MacCormack III led the way with 155 yards and three touchdowns, and quarterback Mason McKenzie added 166 rushing yards and two scores.
McKenzie called the rushing production "a testament to the offensive line," which created openings for the backs to exploit. He also pointed to plays the Eagles had used against Virginia Tech
three weeks ago, when he scored two rushing touchdowns.
"The O-line did an unbelievable job today of kind of opening up those creases," McKenzie continued. "Bo did a great job of getting downhill and finishing his runs. ... When you can run the ball downhill, that opens everything up."
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MacCormack echoed McKenzie's praise, crediting the offensive line, tight ends and wide receivers for creating space. With starting running back Evan Dickens sidelined for the season
, MacCormack and the other backs relied on their teammates up front to keep the offense moving.
"When they're moving people downfield and opening up holes, it's easy for us to do our job in the backfield," MacCormack said. "Can't say enough about how great of a game they had."
Rather than abandoning what worked, BC continued using the same plays in different ways throughout the second half, according to McKenzie. O'Brien said the offensive line's success made it difficult to justify moving away from the rushing attack.
"It was a game where you knew you could call a run and it was going to gain yards because those guys were moving people," O'Brien said.
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BC's defense also contributed to the second-half surge.
Cornerback Charlie Comella intercepted Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza twice after halftime. His second interception resulted in a 55-yard pick six, extending BC's lead and helping put the game out of reach.
For MacCormack, the performance reflected the trust the team has built throughout the season, particularly after a difficult start.
He said the Eagles have emphasized daily improvement in practices and workouts to build confidence in the team's ability to execute.
"I think a big thing that we talk about here is just trying to get better every single day," MacCormack said. "I think we built trust with each other."
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As BC prepares for its next game against Duke, O'Brien cautioned the Eagles against getting carried away by their second consecutive conference victory. The team, he said, must maintain the discipline it showed after halftime and continue building on its performance.
"That's the key: You can't be too high. You can never be too low," O'Brien said. "And you really got to enjoy it tonight."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/bostoncollege as Instant Analysis: How BC Cleaned Up Penalties, Relied on Rushing Attack to Beat Georgia Tech
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