Dylan Lonergan threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns in his Boston College debut, leading the Eagles to a season-opening, 66-10 win over FCS foe Fordham on Saturday afternoon at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Lonergan (26-of-34 passing) found three different receivers for scores, including Jaedn Skeete twice in the first half. Jordan McDonald and Reed Harris also caught touchdown passes from the redshirt sophomore Alabama transfer.
Lewis Bond had a career-high 11 catches for 138 yards to add to the Boston College offense, which racked up 556 total yards.
Defensively, Daveon Crouch had six tackles, a sack and a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Grayson James relieved Lonergan in the final quarter, going 5-for-5 for 190 yards and a score.
The Eagles posted a 21-3 halftime lead before scoring 24 third-quarter points en route to their first 60-point output since 2018.
Fordham was held out of the end zone until quarterback Gunnar Smith’s 1-yard touchdown run with five minutes left.
Lonergan led his new team on a 13-play, 71-yard scoring drive to start the game. After hitting Bond four times along the way, McDonald caught an 11-yard strike in the middle of the end zone to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead in a 6:24 drive.
Fordham’s first series resulted in a 46-yard Bennett Henderson field goal, but the hosts needed just 2:39 to drive 84 yards and score again. Bond caught a 27-yard pass to start the drive and a 32-yarder to reach the red zone, setting up Skeete’s wide-open, 11-yard score with 3:19 left in the first quarter.
After four straight punts, the Eagles put together a two-minute scoring drive to take a 21-3 lead before halftime. With 26 seconds left, Lonergan found a leaping Skeete and turned to the end zone for a 13-yard score.
Crouch intercepted Smith’s second pass attempt of the second half for a 28-yard touchdown just 13 seconds into the third quarter.
Boston College’s first two offensive scores of the second half came after the defense forced a three-and-out. Luca Lombardo extended the lead to 31-3 with a 48-yard field goal that bounced off the upright before the following series ended with Harris catching a 17-yard Lonergan pass in the back corner of the end zone.
Charlie Comella’s blocked punt helped set up the Eagles’ next score, as Turbo Richard had a 4-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds left in the third.
Returnee Alex Broome and true freshman Bo MacCormack III rushed for touchdowns on late James-led scoring drives.
James capped the Eagles’ scoring with a 22-yard pass to another rookie in Dawson Pough with 1:55 left.
