Quarterback Thomas Castellanos threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as Boston College rolled past Duquesne 56-0 in Bill O’Brien’s home head coaching debut on Saturday at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The Eagles (2-0) scored on five consecutive drives following a 3-and-out start and led 42-0 at the half. With 350 yards, it marked the first time BC had totaled at least 300 yards of total offense in the first half since 2019. The Eagles totaled 563 yards in the game, including 306 rushing.
Castellanos, who finished 9-of-10 passing, found Reed Harris and Kamari Morales for their first career touchdown receptions in the first half.
Extending the lead in the latter two quarters, Massachusetts native Datrell Jones and backup quarterback Jacobe Robinson ran for their first career touchdowns.
True freshman Turbo Richard registered a team-high 74 yards on 15 carries, while Lewis Bond led the receiving corps with five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Darius Perrantes was 8-of-18 passing for 62 yards and threw two interceptions for Duquesne (0-2), the defending Northeast Conference champion which has played FBS opponents in the first two weeks of the season.
Castellanos aired out passes of more than 25 yards to Jerand Bradley and Bond along the eight-play opening scoring drive, which Treshaun Ward finished off with a 4-yard run up the middle — his second score in as many weeks — at the 8:40 mark.
Boston College covered 94 yards on just five plays on the following series, doubling their lead on a 72-yard deep ball from Castellanos to Harris.
The third Eagle score came from the defensive side early in the second quarter, as Khari Johnson picked off a Perrantes pass and returned it 45 yards near the sideline for a touchdown.
The Eagle lead ballooned to 35-0 with two touchdowns in less than a two-minute span. After Morales’ 4-yard catch, Bond made his longest career catch on a 49-yard touchdown on just the second play of the following drive.
Ward’s 30-yard touchdown reception in the final minute of the opening half made it 42-0.
With Jacobe Robinson quarterbacking Boston College, Duquesne’s Kevin Kurzinger recovered a fumble to break the hosts’ scoring streak. The recovery the Dukes up for an eight-play drive, but Brian Bruzdewicz’s 31-yard field goal attempt with 9:17 left in the third quarter missed wide left.
Jones broke free for a 47-yard touchdown on the Eagles’ following nine-play, 80-yard drive.
Robinson scored on a 9-yard run late in the fourth to close the scoring.
–Field Level Media
