Tallahassee, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Roberto Aguayo atoned for an earlier
miss, hitting a 26-yard attempt with three seconds left in regulation, which
kept top-ranked Florida State’s win streak alive with a 20-17 victory over
Boston College at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Jameis Winston finished 22-of-32 for 281 yards and a touchdown to Nick O’Leary
for the Seminoles (11-0, 8-0 ACC), who extended their string to 27 consecutive
victories.
Rashad Greene totaled 106 yards on eight receptions and O’Leary added three
catches for 59 yards. Dalvin Cook registered 76 yards on 14 carries and Karlos
Williams posted an early rushing score.
Florida State can attain back-to-back 12-0 seasons with a victory in its
season finale next week against Florida.
Tyler Murphy ended up with 73 yards and a touchdown each through the air and
on the ground for the Eagles (6-5, 3-4), who did their best but dropped their
fifth straight game to FSU.
Jon Hilliman led BC with 73 yards on 14 attempts, while Shakim Phillips posted
a TD reception in defeat.
Winston and the Seminoles began the deciding drive on their own 26, and a 10-
yard run by Williams got things going. Three plays later, Williams added a 5-
yard run to pick up another fresh set of downs, and though a false start later
gave FSU 1st-and-15 from the BC 45, a completion to Greene made up that
distance.
Cook’s seven-yard run was good enough for a first down at the Eagles’ 15-yard
line, and he made two more small gains sandwiched around a pair of Boston
College timeouts.
Winston nearly bobbled the snap on 3rd-and-4 from the BC 9-yard line, but Cook
inched his way up the middle. After a Seminoles timeout with seven seconds to
play, Aguayo’s boot was true.
Williams’ 3-yard run capped a successful opening drive for FSU, a 14-play, 75-
yard march taking almost 6 1/2 minutes off the clock.
BC got on the board with a long drive of its own, making it 7-3 on a 40-yard
field goal from Mike Knoll.
Aguayo hit from 37 yards away with nearly 4 1/2 minutes played in the second
quarter and the hosts regained a seven-point edge.
Although BC went three-and-out on its next series, Winston was picked off by
Ty-Meer Brown deep in Eagles territory and five plays into that drive, Murphy
found Phillips alone over the middle for a 49-yard TD and 10-10 game.
It took Winston and his offense just seven plays to reach the end zone, on
O’Leary’s 30-yard scoring reception as the rains began. The Seminoles
maintained that seven-point edge to the break.
The visitors’ initial drive of the second half stalled at their own 40, but
Murphy’s 21-yard run to the near-left pylon with 6:12 remaining in the third
forged a 17-17 deadlock.
Florida State moved 52 yards in eight plays, but Aguayo then hooked a 37-yard
try wide left.
Early in the fourth quarter, Boston College began a drive at its own 8-yard
line and moved to the FSU 25, bleeding almost nine minutes off the clock in
the process. The Eagles could have gone ahead, but Alex Howell pushed his 42-
yard try wide right with 4:37 to play.
Game Notes
Florida State hasn’t lost to Boston College since Oct. 3, 2009 in a 28-21
decision at Chestnut Hill and hasn’t lost at home to the Eagles since Oct. 21,
2006 in a 24-19 result … Greene managed to set a program record for career
receptions (254) and yards (3,613) while also producing a new school mark with
a catch in his 40th straight game … Boston College ends its regular season
in Syracuse next Saturday … Murphy completed 6-of-10 passes, with Josh
Bordner misfiring on his only attempt … Marcus Outlow picked up 61 yards on
12 rushes for BC … Boston College outgained Florida State by a 240-110
margin on the ground.
