Florida State narrowly avoids upset vs. Boston College

By Spectrum Sports Staff Florida

PUBLISHED 12:56 AM ET Nov. 23, 2014

Quarterback Jameis Winston led top-ranked Florida State 66 yards to put Roberto Aguayo in position for a 26-yard field goal with three seconds remaining and the Seminoles remained perfect with a 20-17 victory over Boston College on Saturday.

Florida State (11-0, 8-0 ACC, No. 3 CFP) had been plagued by slow starts throughout the season and the Seminoles went into the fourth quarter tied 17-17 with the Eagles. But with less than five minutes left, Winston helped engineer another game-winning drive.

The Seminoles have now won a school-record 27 consecutive games.

Florida State took over on its own 26-yard line after Boston College missed a 43-yard field goal with 4:37 left and the Seminoles drove to the Eagles' 8-yard line. Rashad Greene, who had two big drops in the first half, caught back-to-back passes for 11 and 15 yards to move the Seminoles within field goal range. The drive took 4:34 off the clock.

"Tremendous job to eat the clock and (win) the game," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said.

Greene set a school record for career receptions (254) and yards (3,613). Greene also set the school record with a reception in his 40th consecutive game.

Winston finished with 281 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. He has thrown at least one touchdown in 24 consecutive games.

The Seminoles scored on their opening drive for the first time since Oct. 11 against Syracuse. They took a 17-10 lead into halftime after scoring on three of four first-half drives, not including a kneel-down to end the half.

The Eagles (6-5, 3-4) stuck with their run-first philosophy throughout and finished with 240 yards on the ground. Quarterback Tyler Murphy bounced a read-option around the left end for a 21-yard score midway through the third quarter to tie the game at 17. Joey Launceford missed a 43-yard field goal with 4:37 left that would have given Boston College the lead.

Jon Hilliman finished with 73 yards rushing on 14 carries and the Eagles averaged 4.7 yards per carry against an FSU defense that couldn't stop the run. Marcus Outlow added 61 yards and Murphy finished with 48 and the touchdown.

"I'm truly disappointed," Boston College coach Steve Addazio said. "I feel like we really had a good opportunity in this game. It's not a lack of effort. We just needed to make some more plays to win this game."

The game came at the end of a traumatic week in Tallahassee. Players wore ribbon decals on their helmets after an alumnus and attorney shot and wounded three people early Thursday at a school library. Police killed the gunman after he refused to put down his gun.