Boston College held on for a 22-16 victory over Maine on Saturday, extending their record to 2-1 but falling short of meeting key performance goals ahead of Atlantic Coast Conference play. Despite entering the game as heavy favorites, the Eagles struggled with turnovers, red-zone inefficiency, and missed opportunities against an underdog Black Bears team.
Quarterback Mason McKenzie threw two interceptions in the contest, while Boston College converted only four of 14 attempts on third and fourth down. The Black Bears (1-3), who had previously lost by large margins to Appalachian State and Merrimack, capitalized on several Eagles mistakes, keeping the game close throughout.
Boston College failed to score a touchdown on five red-zone trips, a shortcoming acknowledged by head coach Bill O’Brien, who took responsibility for the offensive struggles in scoring territory. "I have to watch the film, but not good, right? It starts with me. I have to do a better job with the plays down there," O’Brien said.
Mason McKenzie passed for 173 yards and a touchdown but also had two interceptions. Safety KP Price led the defense with two interceptions, marking six picks in Boston College's last two games, and contributed to limiting Maine's scoring chances. Running back Evan Dickens rushed for 102 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, while wide receiver Johnathan Montague Jr. added a touchdown reception in the opening quarter. Luca Lombardo contributed two field goals from 26 yards.
The Eagles started strong, with Syair Torrence forcing a fumble on Maine’s opening kickoff, which Juan Zabal recovered. Early pressure from linebacker KJ Sampson resulted in a safety that extended Boston College’s lead to 9-0. Nevertheless, several stalled drives inside the red zone, including two failed fourth-down conversions from inside the 15-yard line, underscored the Eagles’ offensive challenges.
Midway through the second quarter, McKenzie briefly left the game after appearing shaken up but returned quickly. Moments later, Maine responded with a 27-yard field goal by Samuel Tremblay to narrow the gap. Maine quarterback Eddie Buehler connected with Nick Laughlin on two touchdown passes, including a 7-yard score late in the fourth quarter, bringing the Black Bears within six points.
Defensive standout Anthony Palano recorded 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss, and made a key stop on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the lead. Despite Maine outscoring Boston College 16-6 after the first quarter, the Eagles managed to hold on.
Boston College secured the win when Dickens converted a crucial first down with just under two minutes remaining, effectively ending Maine’s comeback hopes. However, the effort highlighted lingering issues in execution, which disappointed some fans as the student section thinned well before the final whistle.
"A win’s a win," Price said, while noting the team’s need for improvement to maintain fan engagement. Boston College now turns focus to its ACC opener against Virginia Tech, scheduled for Saturday at noon in Chestnut Hill.