BOSTON – Garrett Grayson went beyond the playbook for the game-winner.
Grayson threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Charles Lovett on a fourth-down play with 1 minute, 2 seconds left, lifting Colorado State to a 24-21 victory over Boston College on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 21-17, Colorado State took the ball over at its own 10 with just more than five minutes to play and moved it to the Eagles’ 12. After sputtering on a couple of plays, Grayson had one last chance.
On the game-winning play, Grayson had time in the pocket and found Lovett in the back right corner of the endzone.
“I’ve never thrown to that route on that play even in practice,” Grayson said. “We’ve practiced that play thousands of times. I’ve never thrown that pass in any practice or any play – anything.”
Grayson completed 28-of-42 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns for Colorado State (3-1), and Dee Hart rushed nine times for 116 yards, including a 43-yarder that moved the ball deep in Boston College’s territory on the game-winning drive.
“This is kind of a signature win for the program,” said Grayson, who was picked off twice in the first half. “Coach (Jim McElwain) told us all this is a win that when everybody comes back for their 10, 20-year reunions, you all talk about it and say, ‘Hey, remember that time we beat Boston College.’”
Jon Hilliman carried 24 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Tyler Murphy ran for a score for Boston College (3-2).
Murphy, who entered the day leading all quarterbacks in rushing with 500 yards, carried 16 times for 79 yards. He also completed 12-of-18 passes for 169 yards with an interception.
Boston College safety Sean Sylvia knocked the ball out of receiver Rashard Higgins’ hands one play before the game-winner.
“They made the plays at the very end that needed to be played, and we did not,” Eagles’ head coach Steve Addazio said. “That’s the ballgame right there.”
Boston College led 21-17 early in the final quarter and was in Colorado State territory when Murphy was picked off at the 19 by Bernard Blake.
“In that situation, I’ve just got to throw the ball away,” Murphy said. “It was a big mistake and ended up costing us.”
The Rams then moved into Eagles’ territory but were held on a fourth-and-2 at the 38 when linebacker Steven Daniels tipped Grayson’s pass.
With temperatures in the low 80s and even hotter on the turf field, both defenses seemed to wear down at the start of the second half.
After Colorado State had a long drive to tie the game at 14, the Eagles responded by going 82 yards in 11 plays, with Hilliman’s second touchdown run of the day – a 5-yarder – pushing the Eagles ahead 21-14 late in the third quarter. Murphy converted a fourth-and-1 at the 7 before the score.
Jared Roberts’ 33-yard field goal cut it to 21-17 just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Colorado State had taken the ball to start the second half and drove it 82 yards in 10 plays, tying the game on Treyous Jarrells’ 6-yard run.
The Eagles led 14-0 midway into the second quarter.
Former Eagles and current New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and running back Andre Williams were on the sidelines and introduced to the crowd in the second quarter.
After the Eagles’ second interception of the first quarter, the Eagles marched 80 yards in 11 plays, with Hilliman capping the drive with a 4-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. Murphy had a couple of big plays on the drive, hitting Marcus Outlow for a 31-yard pass and running for 16 himself on a third-and-10 from the Rams’ 20.
On its next possession, Boston College took the ball 96 yards in 11 plays before Murphy scored his 7-yard touchdown run. On the first play from his own 4, Hilliman broke up the middle for 52 yards.
The Rams then got on the scoreboard when Grayson hit Higgins with a 21-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter.
The Eagles’ Alex Howell missed a 40-yard field goal attempt as the first half ended.
The Rams marched into Boston College territory twice early into the game only to have Grayson intercepted twice. The first time they moved to the Eagles’ 35. On the second trip, they were prepared to attempt a 40-yard field goal after defensive back Bryce Jones’ catch was ruled out of the endzone, but a reversed call gave the Eagles the ball at the 20. The play was ruled a catch and touchback.
