FOOTBALL
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Freshman Christian Lezzer (Clearfield) ended his rookie season as a back-up Sam linebacker and special teams player for Boston College in a tough, overtime New Era Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State at Yankee Stadium Saturday evening.
After Nittany Lion senior Sam Ficken kicked a 45-yard field goal with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game, both teams scored touchdowns in the extra period, but the Eagles failed on their extra point attempt and Ficken converted after MVP Christian Hackenberg’s fourth TD pass to give Penn State a 31-30 victory.
The meeting between the old rivals was the first since 2004 and attracted a Pinstripe Bowl record and partisan-Penn State crowd of 49,012 fans.
Walk-on freshman safety Seth Ford (Clearfield) dressed for the Nittany Lions.
Lezzer played in seven regular season games for Boston College, which finished 7-6 with a 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference record.
The 6-0, 210-pounder registered a sack for a nine-yard loss against then-No. 9 Southern Cal in his first appearance in Week 3 and also assisted on one tackle against Maine the following Saturday.