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Boston College Shocks Louisville With Game-Winning Field Goal

By: Justin Cohen

Louisville, Kentucky

Following Boston College’s 23-10 home loss to Virginia Tech, Head Coach Steve Addazio told the media that he had no timetable as to when the Eagles program would start winning football games more consistently.

The Eagles’ visit to Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium to face the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals, led by Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, may have been their start.

The Cardinals raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with Jackson’s 22-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end Kemari Averret from Atlanta and then a 20-yard touchdown run by Jackson. 

It looked as if Boston College was once again going to continue their struggling ways, with little productivity on the offense side of the ball. The Eagles entered the game ranked as the 121st team in Division I college football for scoring. 

But with under one minute left in the first quarter, redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Brown connected with Senior Wide Receiver Thadd Smith for a 42-yard touchdown pass to cut the Cardinals lead to just one possession.  

After each team scored a touchdown and the Cardinals lead 21-14 at the half, Boston College would be the only team to score in third quarter.  

Two rushing touchdowns, a three-yard run by freshman running back AJ Dillion—then his third of the game—and a six-yard run by junior running back John Hilliman from New Jersey. 

Dillion would then cut loose for a 75-yard touchdown run, for his career-best fourth touchdown of the afternoon, to put the Eagles up 42-28 with 11:59 to go in the game. 

With plenty of time left on the clock in the fourth quarter and Jackson calling the plays behind center for the Cardinals, it was only a matter of time before Louisville would catch up to the Eagles.

In a four-minute span, Jackson showed his Heisman Trophy worth with a nine-yard touchdown run with 8:59 to play and then a 41-yard touchdown score with 5:03 to play. The wild and back and forth game was tied, 42-42.

If things could not get any crazier, Boston College’s senior defensive back Isaac Yiadom recovered a fumble, as Jackson attempted to lead the Cardinals down the field for a potential game winning score.

Instead, the game was decided on the foot of Eagles kicker Colton Lichtenberg. The junior kicker from Savannah Country Day, held his nerves in front of 44,679 fans and sealed the victory for Boston College with a 27-yard field goal in front of a stunned Louisville crowd.

Lichtenberg, who missed a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter and had been an unimpressive 11 of 21 during his career on field goal attempts, helped the Eagles escape a tough road test and win their first ACC Conference game of the season. 

“We have a lot of things to work on, no question about that,” said Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino. “So, we get back in the meeting room, back on the practice field and work as hard as we possibly can.”

Dillion lead the offensive charge for the Eagles with 272 total yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries. Four Boston College receivers averaged over 14 yards per catch throughout the game.

Boston College is now 3-4 (1-1 in ACC) and will next face Virginia in Charlottesville on Saturday, October 21.

“We have played nothing but really good football teams,” Addazio said following the victory. “Our issue has been that we had a hard time closing out because we get gassed down the end. So, for us to finish, to stand and finish today, I’m so proud of our kids for finding a way to get that done.”

Despite the loss, Louisville had several very impressive performances, including by Jackson, who combined for 512 total yards and accounted for five touchdowns. 

Meanwhile, redshirt freshman wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick had seven receptions for 127 total yards and one touchdown, while junior Wide Receiver Jaylen Smith accounted for six total receptions for 118 yards, averaging 19.7 yards per catch.

The 4-3 (1-3 in ACC) Cardinals next travel to Tallahassee to face a struggling Florida State program, which is currently 2-3 (2-2 in ACC) on the young season. 

The Seminoles lost their standout redshirt sophomore quarterback, Deondre Francois, with a patellar tendon injury in his left knee during the Seminoles opening game of the season against top-ranked Alabama.