Spartans Edge Boston College in Double-OT Classic
It was a night to remember in East Lansing, and Michigan State football fans probably still haven’t caught their breath. The Spartans pulled off a 42-40 double-overtime thriller against Boston College, a game filled with mistakes, momentum swings, and moments of pure grit.
At the center of it all was quarterback Aidan Chiles, who turned in a gutsy performance. He battled through a scare late in regulation, when he appeared to tweak his left knee, but refused to stay down. Instead, he came back in overtime and carried his team on his shoulders. In the first OT, Chiles connected with fullback Jay Coyne for a touchdown, only for Boston College to answer right back. Then, in the second OT, the Eagles took the lead again, but Chiles wasn’t finished. He powered into the end zone on a quarterback draw to tie the game, and when the Spartans needed a two-point play to win it, he rolled right, looked back across the field, and found Omari Kelly in the back corner of the end zone. That pass sealed one of the most dramatic wins Spartan fans have seen in years.
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Chiles finished the night 19-of-29 for 231 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 39 rushing yards and the crucial second-overtime score. He was sacked four times and pressured constantly, but his toughness set the tone. Helping him out was running back Makhi Frazier, who picked up 81 yards on the ground, and receiver Nick Marsh, who hauled in two touchdowns among his five catches.
The game itself was anything but smooth. The Spartans turned the ball over, committed penalties, and saw several key players banged up. Kelly fumbled a punt early, giving Boston College prime field position, but linebacker Jordan Hall came up with a huge defensive play, stripping the ball near the goal line and saving a touchdown. Later, Hall himself went down with an injury before eventually returning. Mistakes piled up on both sides—MSU was flagged six times, while the Eagles drew eight penalties of their own.
Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan was outstanding in defeat, throwing for 390 yards and four touchdowns. He picked apart Michigan State’s secondary at times, especially in the first half, when the Eagles built a 21-14 lead. Spartan fans even booed at halftime, frustrated by the lack of urgency on offense before the break. But the defense toughened up after halftime, and big plays from veterans like Malik Spencer and Armorion Smith helped keep the game within reach.
Special teams made a difference, too. Kick returner Alante “Cadillac” Brown gave the Spartans two huge returns, including a 63-yarder that set up a touchdown. Kicker Martin Connington drilled a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter, and punter Ryan Eckley pinned Boston College deep with a perfectly placed 55-yarder.
When it was all over, the Spartans were 2-0, with Youngstown State on deck and a looming trip to USC for the start of Big Ten play. The win wasn’t pretty, but it was proof that this team can take a punch, get back up, and fight to the end. For Michigan State fans, that’s exactly the kind of heart they’ve been waiting to see.
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