Boston College 48, New Mexico State 34: Williams, Amidon Break Records As Eagles Escape

Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

The good news for the Boston College Eagles is that ugly wins still count in the standings.

On Saturday afternoon in Las Cruces, the Eagles defeated the New Mexico State Aggies, 48-34. With the win, Boston College improves to 5-4 (2-3) on the season and will have a chance to clinch bowl eligibility on Senior Day next week. This was the Eagles’ first road win since November 2011, breaking a nine-game road losing streak.

Two new Boston College records were set during the contest:
• Alex Amidon became the Eagles’ all-time leading receiver with 2,499 career yards, passing Rich Gunnell for the top spot. Amidon had 88 receiving yards in the win.
• Andre Williams broke the single-game program record for rushing yards in a game with 295, passing Montel Harris’s record from 2009 in his second 200+ yard performance this season.

Williams, just 255 yards shy of tying Mike Cloud’s single-season record (1,726), is well positioned to set another new mark by the end of the year.

Further, Myles Willis ran for a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown; it was Boston College’s first kickoff score since 2006.

The Eagles played a very shaky, inconsistent game for long stretches, and the defense had a poor first three quarters of the game. New Mexico State moved the ball with relative ease and the Aggie quarterback, Andrew McDonald, was barely touched by a pass rush that had the Eagles near the top of the nation in sacks prior to Saturday. It was not until a late interception by Steven Daniels, following Andre Williams’ first of two long touchdown runs, that the Eagles were able to hold the momentum for good.

Boston College turned the ball over twice: the first time was on a muffed punt by Dave Dudeck after the game’s first possession, and the second came on an Amidon fumble in the second half.

Though the game was a victory and the Eagles have a chance to send themselves to a bowl with a win next week, there are going to be some serious conversations inside the Yawkey Center over the next few days. Give New Mexico State some credit for leaving it all on the field, but an ACC program should never struggle this badly against a 1-8 non-AQ football team. Struggle they did, and mightily. Boston College is lucky to have gotten out of New Mexico with a win.

The Eagles will play their final home game next Saturday against North Carolina State.