BC Football Surrenders 34 First-Half Points, Drops Fifth Straight Game in 41-10 Loss to Clemson

The Eagles, who had not lost five consecutive games in a season since 2015, were unable to score in the second half entirely.

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) runs through a tackle by Boston College Eagles defensive back Max Tucker (3) for a touchdown during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — On Saturday night, in Boston College football’s home tilt against the Clemson Tigers, the collapse started with a fumble.

Before the fumble, there was a sliver of hope for the Eagles. But once it occurred, that slight glimmer washed away like a block of driftwood bobbing out to sea—the ultimate nail in the coffin.

Down 14 points with exactly two minutes left in the second quarter, BC quarterback Dylan Lonergan dropped back in the pocket from Clemson’s 22-yard line on 2nd-and-9.

On the previous drive, the Eagles scored their first—and only—touchdown of the game, going 75 yards on 10 plays in just under four minutes. Running back Turbo Richard notched his fifth rushing touchdown of the season to cap off the scoring drive with a two-yard run up the right side to make the score 17-10 in the Tigers’ favor.

Clemson responded with a scoring drive of its own, as quarterback Cade Klubnik skipped into the endzone for a six-yard rushing touchdown to increase the Tigers’ lead to 24-10, but the Eagles came marching back on the following series.

In a quick instant, it was over.

Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown rushed around the edge and strip-sacked Lonergan, who barely reacted when he lost control of the ball. Lonergan appeared confused, as if the ball had been swooped out of the air by a hawk and vanished for good.

But that wasn’t the case at all, and the only thing that had vanished was BC’s chances of winning. The Eagles (1-5, 0-4 ACC) ultimately fell, 41-10, to the visiting Tigers (3-3, 2-2), increasing their losing streak to five straight games—the first time the program has lost five consecutive games since 2015.

After Lonergan fumbled, the ball filtered into the hands of Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker, who made the loose ball officially a BC turnover. It only took 31 seconds for the Tigers to score with Klubnik’s 38-yard passing touchdown to Bryant Wesco Jr., which made it 31-10.

That Klubnik to Wesco connection is something special 😮‍💨@CadeKlubnikQB airs it out and @Bryantwesco19 makes a great catch to haul in the TD!

📺 @accnetwork x @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/6m25puW4d9

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 12, 2025

And somehow, with just 1:23 left in the half, the Tigers scored again via Nolan Hauser’s 50-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired. 

After the Wesco touchdown, BC received the kickoff and was forced into a 4th-and-6 on its own 43-yard line. Instead of punting, BC head coach Bill O’Brien opted to go for it, which failed and resulted in a turnover on downs. The Eagles went into half time down 34-10—their second-biggest, first-half deficit of the season.

The Tigers finished the first half with 333 total yards of offense averaging 8.3 yards per play—not just per pass.

The Eagles’ secondary made Klubnik’s job look easy, handing out yards through the air as if they were cups of lemonade on a smoky-hot summer evening.

The senior quarterback, chosen as the 2025 Preseason Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year prior to the beginning of the season, went 22-for-30 passing for 280 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, including 48 yards on the ground and a rushing score on nine attempts.

Senior running back Adam Randall was the first player to score a touchdown for the Tigers with an eight-yard run to give Clemson a 10-0 lead with 4:05 left in the first quarter—its first points were recorded by Nolan Hauser on a 46-yard field goal—and he finished with 36 yards on 10 carries with the score.

Wesco led the Tigers’ wideout room with 106 yards on five receptions and a touchdown, while Antonio Williams trailed close behind with 85 yards on seven receptions.

The second half resembled more of a scrimmage for the second- and third-string players for both teams, with backup quarterbacks Christopher Vizzina for Clemson and Shaker Reisig for BC coming in to replace Klubnik and Lonergan, respectively, roughly midway through the third quarter.

It didn’t matter who was on the field for BC at that point as students stood up from their seats and exited Alumni Stadium in a lifeless manner as Clemson picked up the 41-10 road win.

Even a Tigers' defensive tackle recorded a touchdown—Peter Woods at the 13:05 mark of the second quarter to bring their lead to 17-3.

Gotta love the big man TD 🐅🏈

📺 ACCN || @35Pwoo pic.twitter.com/uDDfiL1cYA

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) October 12, 2025