Boston College 28-21 Win Over Rutgers in Red Bandanna Game

Boston College Honors Welles Crowther

Boston College turned an emotional night into a hard-fought victory Friday, as quarterback Mason McKenzie threw a 78-yard touchdown pass, ran for another score and the Eagles held off Rutgers 28-21 in the annual Red Bandanna Game.

The victory gave Boston College its first win of the season, improving the Eagles to 1-1, while Rutgers fell to 0-2 despite a strong second-half comeback attempt.

McKenzie Leads Boston College Offense

McKenzie delivered an efficient performance in his second game of the season, completing 18 of 29 passes for 252 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also provided a spark on the ground, scoring on a 10-yard run late in the first quarter to give Boston College a 14-0 advantage. The Eagles carried a 20-7 lead into halftime before Rutgers began to fight its way back into the game. Making his first start for the Scarlet Knights, quarterback AJ Surace completed 18 of 27 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw four interceptions.

Rutgers cut the deficit to 20-14 when Surace connected with KJ Duff on a 4-yard touchdown pass. The Scarlet Knights had another opportunity late in the third quarter, but Boston College stopped them on fourth-and-1 at the Eagles’ 11-yard line. It was one of three occasions when Rutgers was stopped on fourth down deep in Boston College territory.

Eagles Answer With Big Plays

Boston College regained control early in the fourth quarter when McKenzie rolled to his right and found Dawson Pough wide open downfield. Pough was approximately 10 yards behind the nearest defender when he made the catch and raced into the end zone for a 78-yard touchdown, putting the Eagles ahead 28-14 with 7:06 remaining.

Rutgers refused to go quietly. Duff came up with his second touchdown reception of the night, hauling in a 60-yard scoring pass to pull the Scarlet Knights within 28-21 midway through the fourth quarter.

With less than two minutes remaining, however, Boston College linebacker Anthony Palano came up with his second interception of the night at the Eagles’ 35-yard line to effectively seal the victory.

Concern for Boston College Linebacker Bodie Kahoun

The game was briefly overshadowed by a concerning injury to Boston College linebacker Bodie Kahoun. The 6-foot-2 redshirt sophomore was taken off the field by ambulance midway through the second quarter after leading with his head on a tackle.

Boston College announced that Kahoun had movement in all of his extremities and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

A Special Night at Boston College

The Red Bandanna Game carries tremendous meaning for the Boston College community. The annual event honors the memory of former Eagles lacrosse player Welles Crowther, a Boston College graduate who died while helping rescue more than a dozen people from the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11 attacks.

Crowther became known as the “Man in the Red Bandanna” because of the red bandanna he wore while helping others to safety. Boston College continues to honor his courage and sacrifice through the annual game. Friday night’s victory provided another memorable chapter in the tradition, with the Eagles overcoming a determined Rutgers comeback to earn their first win of the season.

Next Saturday Matchups

Rutgers will remain home next Saturday when the Scarlet Knights host No. 14 USC in Big Ten play. Boston College will also return home next Saturday, when the Eagles host Maine as they look to build on Friday night’s emotional victory.