3-and-Odell: Six days after Taggart's firing, FSU stuns Boston College
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Make it 3-and-Odell.
Six days after Florida State fired head coach Willie Taggart, the Seminoles on Saturday pulled off a stunning 38-31 victory at Boston College under interim head coach Odell Haggins.
FSU won both of its games under Haggins when he was interim head coach at the end of the 2017 season.
This win, which was the most dramatic of the three, improves the Seminoles' record to 5-5 on the season and 4-4 in the ACC. With a win next Saturday against Alabama State, FSU can secure a bowl berth after missing the postseason last year.
After the game, FSU's players doused Haggins with Powerade.
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After Boston College tied the game at 24 with less than three minutes remaining, FSU quarterback James Blackman hit junior receiver D.J. Matthews on a crossing pass over the middle on second-and-11.
Matthews broke one tackle after the catch, then spun around a pair of BC defenders on his way to a 60-yard touchdown -- his last few yards coming through the air on a dive to the pylon.
The Seminoles then added another late touchdown on a 66-yard run by backup quarterback Jordan Travis -- his second of the day. Travis, who hadn't played a snap all season, scored earlier on a 26-yard quarterback keeper after faking a handoff.
Boston College (5-5, 3-4) scored another touchdown with 14 seconds remaining to make the final score 38-31.
Florida State actually led by 10 points in the third quarter but gave up a field goal early in the fourth quarter and a touchdown with 2:33 remaining.
The Seminoles' defense struggled early against Boston College's power running game. The Eagles marched 75 yards on 14 plays on their first drive to take a 7-0 lead. They later put together a six-play, 61-yard drive to take a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
But FSU responded immediately with a 74-yard touchdown strike from James Blackman to Tamorrion Terry to make it 14-10. And the Eagles missed a field goal before halftime -- their second missed field goal of the first half -- to keep the game there at the break.
With that long score, Terry now holds the FSU record for touchdown catches of 70-plus yards with four. He had been tied at three with Ron Sellers, Rashad Greene and Peter Warrick.
Stay connected with Warchant.com for complete postgame coverage from Chestnut Hill.