Jurkovec throws 3 TDs; BC beats Pitt in OT on missed PAT
BOSTON (AP) — Phil Jurkovec threw three touchdown passes to Zay Flowers — the last a 25-yarder in overtime — and ran for a score as Boston College beat Pittsburgh 31-30 on Saturday night when the Panthers missed an extra-point attempt to end the game.
Jurkovec, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, was 19 of 35 for 358 yards passing as the Eagles (3-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) rebounded from a frustrating close loss to then-No. 12 North Carolina. Flowers had six catches for 162 yards.
Kenny Pickett completed 25 of 48 passes for 266 yards for Pittsburgh (3-2, 2-2). He threw two TD passes, ran for a score, and then limped off the field late in the third quarter but returned in the next series to throw an interception.
On BC’s first possession in OT, Jurkovec threw a strike down the middle to Flowers in the end zone on third-and-10.
Pickett hit Taysir Mack with a 3-yard TD pass, but Alex Kessman missed wide right on the PAT. He had hit a 58-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in regulation. BC’s Aaron Boumerhi was wide left on a 52-yarder as time expired to force overtime.
Pittsburgh rallied from a 10-point deficit.
Vincent Davis’ 4-yard scoring run sliced it to 24-21 late in the third. The Panthers took over at their own 38 with 3 1/2 minutes to play and marched to BC’s 26. Max Richardson sacked Pickett on third-and-5 for a 15-yard loss before the game-tying field goal.
Jurkovec hit Flowers with a 77-yard TD pass down the middle on the second play after halftime to give the Eagles a 24-14 lead. Jurkovec also found Flowers with a 44-yard strike in the left corner of the end zone early into the second quarter.
BC led 17-14 after an entertaining first half that was filled with pass interference calls, three long scoring drives — two by the Eagles — and over 300 combined yards passing.
In a matchup of the conference’s second and third ranked quarterbacks in yards passing per game, (Pickett was second and led with 1,123 total yards), both teams came out up-tempo on their first possession and drove easily before things settled down in the second quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Pittsburgh: The Panthers’ defense came into the day second in the nation in fewest yards allowed per game but was picked apart. After giving up a late scoring drive in a loss to N.C. State last week, they’ll have to fix things quickly with tough matchups at Miami and against Notre Dame the next two weeks.
Boston College: Seems a bit ahead of schedule under first-year coach Jeff Hafley, but if Jurkovec keeps playing the way he is they’ll be a tough matchup for anyone.
UP NEXT
Pittsburgh: At No. 7 Miami on Saturday.
Boston College: At Virginia Tech on Saturday night.
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