Harris runs for 142 yards, Boston College extends Maryland skid to 7 with 19-17 victory

Harris leads Boston College over Maryland 19-17

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Montel Harris ran for 142 yards, Dave Shinskie threw a 66-yard touchdown pass, and Boston College beat Maryland 19-17 Saturday to seal the Terrapins’ first 10-loss season.

Steve Aponavicius kicked four field goals for Boston College (8-4, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). But the standout senior was wide right on a 31-yarder, ruining what had been a perfect season. Aponavicius made 37 straight conversions and was 12-for-12 on field goal tries before the third-quarter miss.

He did, however, secure the victory with a 42-yard field goal with 3:59 left — the Eagles’ only points of the second half.

Maryland used a 28-yard touchdown pass from Jamarr Robinson to Torrey Smith to close the lead to 19-17 with 1:34 to go, but Boston College recovered the onside kick.

Harris carried 41 times in his seventh 100-yard game of the year. Next up for the Eagles: An invitation to a bowl game for the 11th consecutive season.

The Terrapins (2-10, 1-7) finished with seven straight losses and a school-record 10 defeats. The skid has raised questions about the job security of coach Ralph Friedgen, who has two years left on a contract that pays him $2 million annually.

Maryland was penalized eight times for 65 yards and managed only 61 yards rushing.

Aponavicius kicked three field goals in the first half, including two in the final 4 minutes, to help Boston College take a 16-10 lead.

Starting at quarterback for Maryland after being sidelined for two weeks with a knee injury, senior Chris Turner began his final college game by directing a 66-yard drive that produced a field goal.

But Turner was roughed up on the next two possessions, failed to get a first down and was replaced by Robinson. Turner did, however, play most of the second half and finished 11 for 17 for 101 yards.

The Eagles gained 119 yards in the first quarter in going up 10-3. After Shinskie and Colin Larmond hooked up on a third-and-17 for a 66-yard touchdown — BC’s longest pass play of the season — Aponavicius kicked a field goal on BC’s next drive.

Maryland pulled even behind Robinson, who went 4 for 4 for 50 yards in a march that ended with a 3-yard TD run by Da’Rel Scott.