BOSTON (AP) With a pair of former Boston College standouts on the sidelines, the Eagles moved closer to gaining bowl eligibility.

Kye Robichaux ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns, Thomas Castellanos threw for another score and surging BC beat Connecticut 21-14 on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.

With 1984 Heisman Trophy winner and former BC QB Doug Flutie on the sideline, at one point tossing signed footballs into the student section in the opening half, the Eagles (5-3) relied on a steady ground game piling up 246 yards to hold off the Huskies.

“As a kid I grew up watching highlights, I always liked watching old football games,” Robichaux said. “Of course I've seen the Hail Mary play and everything. When I got here, it was kind of an emphasis on my recruiting trip. They wanted to give me the history and everything. You kind of learn the history behind Boston College and everything. It's hard not to be a part of, it pushed my decision to be here.”

Former coach Tom Coughlin, a two-time Super Bowl winning head coach with the New York Giants following a stint at BC from 1991-93, was also on the sideline. He engineered one of the biggest upsets in school history when the Eagles knocked off No. 1 Notre Dame on a game-ending field goal in 1993.

The pair were in town with players from the ’83 team (when Flutie played) and ’93 that were honored during the first half. Coughlin spoke to the team Friday night.

“That was special. It was special for me, it was special for the team," BC coach Jeff Hafley said. “He hadn't been back in a really long time. I kept trying to get him here. ... He's a legend around here. In my eyes, he's one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game.”

Castellanos completed 16-of-24 passes for 151 yards but had an interception in the end zone just before the half and fumbled the ball away. He was pulled for the opening series of the third quarter after being looked at by the medical staff at halftime.

Leading the nation in rushing yards by a quarterback coming into the day, the sophomore transfer from Central Florida carried 14 times for 45 yards.

Cam Edwards ran for 89 yards and Ta’Quan Roberson completed 11-of-24 passes for 130 yards with no TDs or picks for UConn (1-7).

BC’s backup QB Emmett Morehead, who lost his job in the opening half of the first game, went 4 for 5 for 36 yards in one series.

The Eagles took a 14-7 lead midway into the second quarter when Castellanos flipped a short pass to running back Alex Broome, who took it in for a 6-yard score directly in front of Flutie and Coughlin.

Robichaux’s second score, a 13-yarder late in the third quarter, made it 21-7.

Edwards’ 30-yard TD run sliced it to 21-14 early in the fourth.

SERIES HISTORY

UConn beat BC 13-3 at home last season, its only win in the series (1-13-2) that started in 1908.

“(BC) is a different looking team than last year when we played them,” UConn coach Jim Mora said. “Last year, they looked pretty ordinary. This isn’t a cut to them, this is a compliment to what they’ve been able to do in populating their roster with really good players. They’re big, they’re physical, they’re tenacious, they’re violent.”

THE TAKEAWAY

UConn: It doesn’t get any easier for the struggling Huskies, who travel to Knoxville, Tenn. and face the Volunteers next week. … Their strength coming in was their rush defense, but BC moved the ball relatively easily.

Boston College: After failing to qualify for a bowl last season, the Eagles have four shots to pick up their sixth win in their final four games in league play.

UP NEXT

UConn: At No. 21 Tennessee next Saturday.

Boston College: Returns to ACC action when it plays at Syracuse on Friday night.

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