The Boston College Eagles scored 14 points in the fourth quarter that proved to be the deciding factor Saturday as WKU football dropped a 21-20 heart breaker on the road.
In a game dominated by defense, Boston College had just enough of a second half spark to avoid a Hilltopper upset. The Eagles forced three turnovers, held WKU to 108 total yards in the second half, and kept WKU from crossing midfield on all but one drive in the fourth quarter.
“Tough one,” Head Coach Tyson Helton said. “Hats off to Boston College. They found a way to win. Proud of our guys. They kept battling and they made plays. We needed to find a way to win there at the end, but we didn’t get it done. But we’ll bounce back. We’ll get back home and get ready for conference play. Our guys fought hard.”
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Caden Veltkamp had 232 yards passing and added 16 yards on the ground. He threw for two touchdowns, but threw two interceptions and fumbled.
Senior running back Elijah Young had 107 scrimmage yards, 85 rushing and 22 receiving. WKU overall ran for 123 yards. Redshirt junior River Helms had his best game of the season, hauling in four passes for 72 yards.
What kept the Hilltoppers in the game was the defense, holding the Eagles to just 111 yards rushing and forced two turnovers. WKU scored 10 points off turnovers and forced five BC punts.
“I thought defensively we could keep them in check… and we did,” Helton said. “We needed to go make some plays offensively in the second half. We just didn’t finish the drives. We kicked two field goals. Then we went into the fourth quarter and needed to go put the ball in the end zone and we didn’t get it done. Defensively, guys battled hard. It’s our job offensively to go get those points for them.”
First Quarter
WKU got the ball first, and Veltkamp and the offense got going quickly. The 10-play drive stalled at the BC 18-yard line, where Veltkamp was stopped short on a fourth down run.
BC’s opening drive resulted in a punt after five plays, giving the ball back to the Hilltoppers at the WKU 37-yard line. WKU went on an 8-play, 63-yard drive, including a 33-yard pass from Veltkamp to tight end River Helms, finding the endzone on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Kisean Johnson.
BC went three-and-out on the following drive, before getting the ball right back on an intercepted pass.
Second Quarter
Three plays later, BC quarterback Grayson James’ pass was intercepted by senior linebacker Keondre Williams, giving WKU the ball to start the second quarter.
The Hilltoppers capitalized, scoring off Veltkamp’s second touchdown, finding redshirt sophomore Easton Messer for a 3-yard touchdown making it 14-0 WKU.
The two teams traded punts late in the second quarter. The Eagles went on a 13-play, 74-yard drive, ending in a touchdown run by former Hilltopper running back Kye Robichaux.
With two minutes left in the half, WKU drove 71 yards in 12-plays, ending the drive with a Lucas Carneiro field goal. The Hilltoppers went into the locker room up 17-7 over the Eagles.
Third Quarter
The Eagles opened the third quarter with a 3-play drive that resulted in a fumble, forced by redshirt junior defensive back Kent Robinson and recovered by senior defensive back Devonte Matthews.
The Hilltoppers marched all the way to the BC 17-yard line, where they settled for Carneiro’s second field goal of the game after a 12-play, 36-yard drive, stretching their lead to 13 points at 20-7.
On BC’s second drive, a sack by redshirt sophomore lineman Deante McCray forced a punt after a 10-play drive.
The Hilltoppers answered with their own 10-play drive, but it ended with an interception. A screen pass went off receiver Michael Mathison’s hands and into the arms of BC defensive back Cam Arnold, handing the ball to the Eagles at the BC 43-yard line.
Fourth Quarter
BC cashed in the interception with a touchdown, finding the endzone on a 1-yard touchdown run by James to end a 9-play, 57-yard drive. The WKU lead still remained at six, 20-14.
The Hilltoppers went three-and-out on their next drive, punting after a holding penalty and a Veltkamp sack by BC star edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Despite a pass interference penalty that extended BC’s next drive, the Hilltopper defense forced three straight incompletions, forcing a punt that put them at the WKU 12-yard line.
A drive that started off great with an Elijah Young hurdle ended in disaster as Veltkamp got hit on the release by Ezeiruaku, forcing a fumble and giving BC the ball at the WKU 20.
BC cashed in on the fumble with an 8-yard touchdown throw by James, giving BC their first lead with 3:33 left in the fourth, 21-20.
WKU now entered desperation mode, down one with under four minutes left. Starting at the WKU 8-yard line, Veltkamp threw three straight incompletions. On fourth down, he found redshirt senior Dalvin Smith for a crucial conversion. WKU gained 31 more yards on the drive, ending with three straight Veltkamp incompletions, resulting in a turnover on downs.
A read-option run for 13-yards by James and two kneel downs ended the game, giving the Eagles the one point victory 21-20.
WKU will look to bounce back Thursday, Oct. 10, against conference foe UTEP.
Sports reporter Michael Givner Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
