Tyler Murphy (2) ran all over the USC defense. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
BOSTON — Rebuilding Boston College, heavy underdogs against No. 9 USC, ran the visiting Trojans into the ground and held off a late charge to post a 37-31 upset win on Saturday night.
Graduate senior quarterback Tyler Murphy, a transfer from Florida, ran for 191 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown late, and passed for 54 yards. The Eagles rushed for 452 yards and five TDs in their first win over a ranked team since 2008.
BC had dropped 12 straight to teams in the Top 25. It was also the program’s first win over a top-10 team since 2004.
The Eagles, totaling 506 yards of offense, ran up the huge ground numbers against a USC team that had allowed 285 yards on the ground in its first two games, both wins. The rushing total was the second highest in school history.
Freshman running back Jon Hilliman ran for two touchdowns, rookie wide receiver Sherman Alston took a reverse 54 yards for a score and sophomore running back Tyler Rouse also scored.
The Eagles spotted their visitors a 17-6 lead and then roared back — dominating on both sides of the ball and special teams.
Boston College scored 24 straight points before USC quarterback Cody Kessler went 8 of 9 through the air and took his team to a touchdown with 3:43 remaining.
Murphy then pulled off his long run, but Kessler came right back, throwing his fourth touchdown pass with 1:18 left.
USC then tried an onside kick that was recovered by Boston College wide receiver Shakim Phillips.
Hilliman, who totaled 89 yards on 19 carries, ran for 22 yards on the first play and 17 more on two more carries — and the Eagles were able to run out the clock before their fans stormed the field.
The Eagles sacked Kessler five times, with linebacker Josh Keyes making 5 1/2 tackles for loss in the win that lifted BC to 2-1.
One of Kessler’s TD passes was a 51-yard swing pass to running back Javarious Allen.
Andre Heidari kicked a 52-yard field goal for USC and Joey Launceford hit a 25-yarder for Boston College.
Kessler, who dissected Boston College in last year’s 35-7 USC win in Los Angeles, finished 31 of 41 for 317 yards. Allen, the No. 2 rusher in the Pac-12 with 100-yard games in each of the first two, netted just 31 yards and his team just 20 in the loss.
The Boston College defense was strong on USC’s first two possessions, but the Trojans scored the next three times they had the ball to go ahead 17-6.
Kessler hit three passes on the first scoring drive, capping the march with an 8-yard touchdown toss to junior wide receiver George Farmer.
With their drive stalled on the next try, Heidari kicked a 52-yard field goal to make it 10-0. It was his second field longer than 50 yards this season.
Boston College marched to a score fueled by sophomore running back Myles Willis’ 52-yard run, with Murphy running right on the option and pitching the ball to Rouse for a 4-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. Joey Launceford missed the extra point.
USC came right back. Adoree’ Jackson returned the kickoff 49 yards and Kessler hit Allen on a screen on the third play, with Allen cruising into the end zone from 49 yards.
Murphy ran for 39 yards and passed for 17, getting Boston College down to the USC 3 before Hillman scored his first college touchdown. This time, Launceford converted, hearing a bit of a mock cheer from the crowd.
Boston College took the lead with 1:27 left in the half on the nifty end-around by Alston.
NOTES: A late-afternoon and early evening rain stopped just after kickoff. … Boston College players all wore something red, including shoes, in honor of the late Welles Crowther, the former Boston College lacrosse player who saved at least 12 people in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, at the cost of his own life. People described Crowther as “The Red Bandana Man” and the red bandana was the theme of the night. … USC hosts Oregon State in a Pac-12 game next Saturday, and Boston College is home for FCS foe Maine in the third of four straight home games. … Former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, whose battle with ALS led to him being the catalyst for the Ice Bucket Challenge, was honored with a video tribute at halftime.
