The Fenway Bowl

Future ACC conference opponents Boston College and No.24 SMU are headed into Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts to square off in the Fenway Bowl. It was a notable matchup with distinct contrasts between the two teams' season trajectories and performances. SMU entered the game with an 11-2 record, having won nine consecutive games, including a victory in the American Conference Championship game over Tulane.

Boston College, on the other hand, had a shakier season. They started off their season with a loss at home against Northern Illinois. They then lost two straight games to Florida State and Louisville, following a close win against Holy Cross for their first victory. After the drubbing that the Eagles received from Louisville, BC ripped off five straight wins, beating the likes of Army, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse. Each of these teams finished the regular season with six wins. The Eagles, unfortunately, concluded the regular season with three consecutive losses by a combined margin of 58 points which included a 25-point blowout loss to Miami.

One key factor for SMU in the game will be the absence of their starting quarterback, Preston Stone, due to a leg injury he suffered against Navy. He was leading the way with 3,197 yards through the air and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 28:6. However, backup QB Kevin Jennings came into the bowl game after leading SMU with a win over Tulane in the AAC Championship throwing for 203 yards on 33 attempts and 1 touchdown, to go along with 63 yards on the ground, but he did have 2 interceptions.

Boston College's dual-threat quarterback, Thomas Castellanos, needed to deliver an exceptional performance today if Boston College had any chance to win against an SMU team that had ripped off nine straight wins, and averages 40 points a game. Castellanos leads the Eagles in passing (2,146 yards) and rushing (957 yards). He has been struggling all season with turnover problems, throwing 13 interceptions to just 15 touchdowns and had lost 2 fumbles. He also is a quarterback who had 2 games with over 100 yards rushing.

After taking the opening kickoff out to their own 31-yard line, SMU marched down on 8 plays to get to the Eagles 38-yard line, only for Jennings to show off his feet by scrambling around for a loss of 5 yards and fumbling the ball and Boston College recovered. The Eagles moved down the field 30 yards on 8 plays to kick a 45-yard field goal and took an early 3-0 lead.

After an SMU punt, followed by a Boston College missed 45-yard field goal, and the two teams trading punts, and it was not until the second quarter where a touchdown was scored. The honors went to SMU when LJ Johnson Jr. scampered into the endzone on a 14-yard run to put the Mustangs up 7-3. Boston College responded in-kind with a 77-yard march down the field culminating in their own 6-yard touchdown run by Kye Robichaux, taking the lead back 10-7. Only to have SMU march right back down the field in 10 plays and take the lead with a 6-yard pass from Jennings to Knighton, finishing out the half with a 14-10 lead.

The third quarter started the same way the second quarter finished, with a longish drive of 42 yards by Boston College until Castellanos was intercepted by SMU’s Kilgore on the SMU 20. Kilgore then fumbled but luckily, for the Mustangs, recovered by Nwokobia on the SMU 15-yard line. The Boston College defense stood tall and only allowed 7 yards on the ensuing SMU drive, forcing a punt.

The third quarter ended with the two teams trading off punts, and SMU having their longest drive for the rest of the game, where they moved 60 yards only to have their 45-yard field goal blocked by Boston College’s defensive back KP Price. Momentum had shifted in Boston College’s favor to start the fourth quarter, and the Eagles seized the opportunity. Traveling 72 yards on 8 plays, finishing it off with a 15-yard touchdown run by Castellanos.

The following drive, SMU took the kickoff to their own 35-yard line but could not muster a 1st down and going for it on 4th and 3, Boston College stood pat, and forced the turnover on downs. 3 plays later, Castellanos scored his second rushing touchdown of the game when he took the zone read 14 yards and leaped over a defender from the 3-yard line to score, with 9:48 remaining in the game. Boston College’s defense only allowed SMU’s offense to grind out 30 total yards on their final 2 drives to finish the game.

SMU did not score at all and only crossed the 50-yard line once in the second half. The SMU offense, which has sputtered since Stone's injury, continued its struggles when it needed to shine the most. On paper, SMU was supposed to steam roll Boston College, they were favored by 13.5 points.

Despite throwing an interception to start the half, Castellanos took control of the game in the 2nd half. He finished the game rushing for 155 yards on 21 attempts and scoring two touchdowns both in the 2nd half. His performance is something that BC can lean on to build for next season if he does not go into the transfer portal. He is also only the 6th ACC quarterback in history to throw for 2,000 yards, and rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

James Paige