Grayson James threw for a pair of second-half touchdowns and six passes of at least 25 yards as Boston College defeated Pitt 34-23 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
James finished 20-of-28 for 253 yards, helping the Eagles (7-5, 4-4 ACC) to their second straight and third win in four games. He connected with Reed Harris (three receptions, 85 yards) and Kamari Morales for scores, with the former scoring for the second week in a row.
Jordan McDonald and Kye Robichaux rushed into the end zone to help the Eagles open up a 13-0 lead that they would never relinquish, reaching the seven-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2018.
Despite Nate Yarnell throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns in place of injured starter Eli Holstein, Pitt (7-5, 3-5) suffered its fifth consecutive loss since a 7-0 start.
Gavin Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s first two touchdowns before Konata Mumpfield finished a 144-yard day on eight receptions with one of his own.
Boston College sacked Yarnell six times. Standout defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had 10 total tackles (4 1/2 for loss) and 3 1/2 sacks.
After Pitt closed within 20-17, James hit Jeremiah Franklin on a third-and-10 scramble to continue a key eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive that Harris finalized on a 28-yard jump-ball in the front corner of the end zone with 2:33 left in the third quarter.
Pitt’s fumbled snap on 4th-and-2 turned the ball back to James, whose 15-yard dot to Morales with 6:12 remaining added insurance. A Lewis Bond conversion on fourth-and-4 set the table.
Mumpfield made a 15-yard touchdown reception with 3:59 left.
A play after James completed his third 25-yarder of the first quarter over the middle to Franklin, Jordan McDonald broke out for a 36-yard touchdown run to give Boston College a 6-0 lead with 1:53 left. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful following a bad snap.
James’ 53-yard strike to Harris set up the Eagles to extend their lead to 13-0 on Robichaux’s 2-yard run with 6:35 left before halftime.
Pitt used a 75-yard drive to score in the ensuing eight plays. Facing third-and-11, Yarnell found a wide-open Bartholomew for an 11-yard score, cutting the Panther deficit to 13-7.
Yarnell then drove the Panthers into opposing territory in four plays, but Neto Okpala’s pressure and tipped pass landed in the hands of defensive tackle Ty Clemons for a 55-yard interception return with 33 seconds left before halftime.
Pitt’s Ben Sauls snuck in a 57-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired.
After a fourth-and-2 hold inside their own territory, Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s last two passes of an eight-play, 65-yard drive, including a five-yarder with 7:50 left in the third to make it 20-17.
–Field Level Media