Survives anxious fourth quarter, holds off Rutgers in Red Bandanna game

Mason McKenzie kept Boston College’s offense moving through a tense fourth quarter, rallying to beat Rutgers 28-21 in the annual Red Bandanna game on Friday night at Alumni Stadium. The redshirt junior transfer from Division II Saginaw State threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, then added 95 rushing yards and another score. BC improved to 1-1 and will host Maine next Saturday at 2 p.m. McKenzie had two interceptions, but Middle linebacker Anthony Palano delivered a standout home debut with nine tackles, two fourth-quarter picks, a sack, and tackles for loss. Rutgers struggled to sustain scoring drives after BC’s three takeaways. The game followed a solemn 25th anniversary commemoration for Welles Crowther, remembered as “the man in the red bandana.”