Nearly 40-point favorite Boston College avoids embarrassing loss; holds off Maine 22-16

BOSTON (AP) — Evan Dickens ran for a 39-yard touchdown, Mason McKenzie added a 31-yard scoring pass and Boston College slogged its way to a 22-16 non-conference victory over Maine on Saturday.

McKenzie, a redshirt junior that transferred from Saginaw Valley State, completed 14-of-21 passes for 173 yards but was picked off twice.

Eddie Buehler went 22 for 32 with 201 yards, two TDs and a pair of inceptions for the Black Bears (1-3).

Coming off an emotional victory over Rutgers in their annual Red Bandanna Game, the Eagles (2-1) led 19-10 at halftime despite their uninspiring performance.

A nearly 40-point favorite, BC was stopped twice on 4th-and-1 plays inside Maine’s 20-yard line in the opening quarter, and McKenzie was picked off two plays after leaving briefly with an apparent leg injury after a defender rolled on him making a tackle.

“I think what would be safe to say is that: ‘I’ve got to do a better job,”’ BC coach Bill O’Brien said. “It starts with me. There’s some things that we just have to do a better job, especially offensively. A lot of missed opportunities. We had the ball inside the 10-yard line, I don’t know, probably four, five times. Didn’t do a good job executing down there.”

Maine cut it to 22-16 on Buehler’s second TD pass to Rick Laughlin, a 7-yarder with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game, but BC converted two first downs and ran the clock out.

“In the end, it’s a win,” O’Brien said. “I’ve been doing this a long time and you can never take for granted winning.”

Dickens burst through the middle for his score, making it 7-0 early in the opening quarter.

It became 9-0 when Maine center Jack Boutaugh was flagged for holding in the end zone.

McKenzie hit Johnathan Montague with his TD pass after BC failed on a fourth down the second time.

Buehler’s 5-yarder to Laughlin cut it to 19-10 at the half.

Short on short yardage

BC was stopped on a straight-ahead play on fourth-and-1 at Maine’s 15-yard line on their first possession after recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff.

Then, on their third time with the ball, the Eagles were stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Black Bears’ 5.

Trailing 22-10 early in the fourth, Maine came up short on a 4th-and-goal from BC’s 5.

“Definitely a lot to clean up,” said BC linebacker KP Price, who had two interceptions. “We’re not down on ourselves. … We’ve definitely got a lot to tighten up on.”

The takeaway

Maine: It’s certainly a positive staying with a Power Four school.

Boston: With their first Atlantic Coast Conference game coming next week, the Eagles have a lot to fix.

“Absolutely, these guys will come in here (Sunday) and be ready to go to work,” O’Brien said, when asked if the timing of a lackluster showing can be good before conference play.

Up next

Maine: At Elon next Saturday in a Coastal Athletic Association matchup.

Boston College: Hosts Virginia Tech Saturday in its ACC opener.

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