Luke Kuechly returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, giving the Boston College Eagles a ten point lead and the game-clinching score as BC proceeded to defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 24-17, in the season finale for both teams on Friday afternoon at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.
Kuechly, who will likely leave the team to enter the NFL Draft, finished with nine tackles, snapping his FBS-leading streak of 33 straight games with double digit tackles. However, Kuechly did break the school record for tackles in a career (previously 524 tackles by linebacker Stephen Boyd) and finished with 532 career stops.
Boston College finished the season at 4-8 (3-5 ACC), winning three of its final five games. Miami wrapped up the first season under Al Golden (who had his four-year contract extension announced during the game) at 6-6 overall (3-5 ACC).
Miami scored two early touchdowns - one on a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jacory Harris (23-for-39, 245 yards, TD, 4 INT) to LaRon Byrd with 12:37 left in the first quarter and another on Lamar Miller's 79-yard touchdown run with 4:49 to go in the opening quarter.
Chase Rettig (13-for-17, 196 yards, 2 TDs) connected with Chris Pantale (four catches, 70 yards, 2 TD) on a nine-yard touchdown with 5:47 left in the first, tying the game at the time for Boston College. Nate Freese connected on a 30-yard field goal with 14:28 to go in the second half, accounting for the only points of the second quarter.
Nearly four minutes into the second half, Rettig connected with Pantale for his second score, this time from 32 yards out to give the Eagles a three-point lead, 17-14. Kuechly's pick six with 14:48 of the fourth quarter sealed the deal for BC, although Jake Wieclaw made a 49-yard field goal with 14 seconds left for Miami.
Rolandan Finch rushed for 96 yards on 22 carries to pace the Eagles' ground game and Bobby Swigert had four catches for 67 yards. Hampton Hughes, Sean Duggan and Donnie Fletcher each had an interception for Boston College.
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