BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Doug Flutie's Miracle in Miami pass with 41-21 win over NC

BOSTON -- — Boston College coach Bill O'Brien showed his team the final drive that led up to Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass 40 years ago, expressing the need for them to play a complete game.

They didn't need any late drama on Saturday after blowing out North Carolina early.

Quarterback Grayson James threw for a touchdown and ran for another, and BC celebrated the anniversary of Flutie’s pass with a 41-21 victory over North Carolina.

“In this room on Friday. I showed them the last drive of the Miami game,” O'Brien said. “When you have the '84 team here, they were 10-2, ranked fifth in the country, Heisman Trophy winner in the house, you’ve got to play well.”

Ryan Turner added a 78-yard interception return for BC (6-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), which became bowl eligible under first-year coach O’Brien. It’s the second straight and eighth in the last nine years the Eagles have a bowl opportunity.

“You know what he's done, done for this program. Just being able to see guys come back like that and support, it's awesome,” James said of Flutie being on the sideline. “It makes us want to put on a show for them.”

Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field before the second quarter. He hit Gerard Phalen with a 48-yard TD as time expired in BC’s Miracle in Miami on Nov. 23, 1984.

Making his second straight start after O’Brien benched Thomas Castellanos, James, a transfer from Florida International, completed 18 of 27 passes for 192 yards and no interceptions.

Castellanos left the team after he was benched.

Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton, who entered the day second in FBS in rushing at 142.2 yards per game, was held to 53 on 11 carries. Jacolby Criswell completed 16 of 30 passes for 176 yards with three interceptions for North Carolina (6-5, 3-4), which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

“I'm really surprised,” Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said. “I thought they played hard, they kept trying, they were frustrated some. They were disappointed some, but I did think they tried hard.”

With BC leading 17-7 after the Tar Heels scored on a 95-yard kickoff return by Chris Culliver, Eagles linebacker Joe Marinaro picked off Criswell and returned it to North Carolina’s 32.

Three plays later, James hit Reed Harris with an 18-yard fade into the right corner of the end zone with 40 seconds left in the first half, moving BC ahead 24-7.

James had a 3-yard TD run, pushing the Eagles ahead 10-0 early in the second quarter.

Criswell threw an off-balance pass under pressure that Turner picked off before racing down the left sideline for a score that put it away early in the third.

“I came down. I knew someone was behind me trying to get my ankles,” Criswell said. “As soon as I came down, tried to throw it out of bounds, I guess all my momentum going down, the ball just floated up and went right to him.”

The takeaway

North Carolina: A week after becoming bowl eligible, the future of Brown could become a hotter topic this week after his team looked overmatched.

Boston College: With the addition of James, the offense looks like it fits O’Brien’s style much better. He’s more of a drop-back passer as opposed to Castellanos, who liked to break out of the pocket often.

Up next

North Carolina: Hosts North Carolina State next Saturday in its regular-season finale.

Boston College: Faces Pittsburgh at home in its final regular-season game Saturday.

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