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Boston College Tops TechBoston College Tops Tech
Danny Karnik
Football

Boston College Tops Tech

Georgia Tech's injury-depleted defense overwhelmed by Boston College in 49-27 defeat

THE FLATS – Boston College ran for 399 yards against Georgia Tech’s injury-depleted defense in a 49-27 win over the Yellow Jackets on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field.

Georgia Tech led 13-12 at halftime, but 305 of Boston College’s 500 total yards, including 278 of its 121 yards on the ground, came in the second half, as the Eagles grinded down a Tech defense that was missing eight players that have made starts over the course of this season, including three defensive ends and two defensive tackles.

The Yellow Jackets scored on the opening series of the game and were threatening to make it 14-0 on their second possession when they drove to inside of Boston College’s 1 yard line. However, two would-be touchdowns were revoked by penalties (a false start and a hold) and the Jackets had to settle for an Aidan Birr field goal that made it 10-0.

After racking up 135 yards on their first two drives of the game, Tech managed just 127 yards over its next six possessions, as BC turned the early 10-0 deficit into a commanding 28-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Tech’s offense got back on track with 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the final period, but it was too little, too late, as Boston College pulled away for its third-straight win at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Tight end Kevin Roche, Jr. and wide receiver Dalen Penson were bright spots for Georgia Tech, as Roche matched his career high with six catches, including his first-career touchdown in the first quarter, and Penson set a career high for the second-straight week with 88 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, freshman safety Chris Hewitt, Jr. made 11 tackles in his first-career start.

Boston College’s 399 rushing yards were tied for the third-most ever against Georgia Tech. Quarterback Mason McKenzie and running back Bo MacCormack III led the way with 170 and 155 yards on the ground, respectively, and combined for five rushing touchdowns (three for McKenzie, two for MacCormack).

Georgia Tech looks to snap a two-game skid next Saturday (Oct. 31) when it travels to Pitt. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

Kevin Roche, Jr.'s 4-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was the first TD of his careerKevin Roche, Jr.'s 4-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was the first TD of his career

Postgame Notes

Team Notes
  • Georgia Tech fell to 2-5 on the season and 1-3 in ACC play.
  • Georgia Tech lost for only the fourth time in its last 16 games at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. 
  • Georgia Tech fell to 8-6 all-time against Boston College.
  • The Yellow Jackets dropped its third-straight home game to Boston College and fell to 3-5 all-time at home against BC.
  • Boston College’s 500 total yards, 399 rushing yards, and 49 points were the most allowed by Georgia Tech this season (prev.: 482 total yds. at Stanford – Sept. 26; 299 rushing yds. and 45 points vs. Tennessee – Sept. 12). 
  • BC’s 399 rushing yards were tied for the third most ever allowed by Georgia Tech and the most since the Yellow Jackets allowed 411 rushing yards against Clemson on Aug. 29, 2019.
  • After going eight-straight from Nov. 15 of last season through Sept. 19 of this season without scoring on an opening possession, Georgia Tech has scored on its opening possession in three of the last four games with a field goal at Stanford (Sept. 26) and touchdowns against Duke (Oct. 10) and today vs. Boston College. The only time in the last four games that Georgia Tech has not scored on their opening possession was last Saturday at Virginia Tech, when they fumbled at the VT 3 yard line.  
  • Kevin Roche Jr.’s 4-yard touchdown reception to cap the opening series of the game was the first touchdown by a Georgia Tech tight end this season.
  • Attendance of 47,239 was Georgia Tech’s 10th-straight crowd of at least 45,000 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, its longest streak since it had 10-straight crowds of at least 45,000 from 2014-16.
Individual Notes
  • So. WR Jordan Allen’s 43-yard reception on the opening series of the game was his longest reception of the season (prev.: 31 at Stanford – Sept. 26).
  • The 43-yard pass to Allen was also Jr. QB Alberto Mendoza’s longest pass of the season at the time (prev.: 42 to WR Dalen Penson vs. Colorado – Sept. 3). Mendoza topped it in the fourth quarter with a 46-yard pass to Penson.
  • Mendoza also had his longest run of the season on the opening series of the game, a 27-yarder (prev.: 22 at Stanford – Sept. 26).
  • So. TE Kevin Roche, Jr.’s 4-yard touchdown reception to cap the opening series of the game was the first touchdown of his career. 
  • Roche matched a career high with six receptions (prev. vs. Tennessee - Sept. 12 and at Stanford - Sept. 26).
  • Penson’s 88 receiving yards were a career high (prev.: 86 at Virginia Tech – last Saturday).
  • Making his first career start, Fr. S Chris Hewitt Jr.’s 11 tackles were a career high (prev.: 4 at Stanford – Sept. 26).
Making his first-career start, freshman Chris Hewitt, Jr. had a career-high 11 tacklesMaking his first-career start, freshman Chris Hewitt, Jr. had a career-high 11 tackles

Multimedia

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference (Video)

ACC Digital Network Highlights

ACC Digital Network Condensed Game

Around Social Media

2026 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL TICKETS

Single-game tickets for Georgia Tech’s tworemaining home dates this season – versus  Louisville (Saturday, Nov. 7) and Wake Forest (Saturday, Nov. 21) – start as low as $30. Tickets for the all-new Wreck Deck premium experience in the Fanning Center start at $150.

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Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

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