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Eagles Escape Virginia With Win 14-10

Boston College traveled to Virginia for the first time in series history and won the game to improve to 4-0 all time against the Cavaliers. The Eagles improved to 4-2 in conference with the win and 7-3 overall, while scoring their first road victory of 2009. The Eagles passing game struggled for the balance of the game, but the hung in there thanks in large part to Virginia’s offensive ineptitude.

Beginning of Game Features the Punters

If you are a fan of offense, this game did not start to your liking. BC was able to generate 67 yards of offense on the opening drive, largely behind the legs of Montel Harris (38 rushes, 151 yards), but the drive ended in the end zone with the ball in Virginia’s hands. Dave Shinskie (12/26, 147 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) threw his first of two interceptions by telegraphing the targeted receiver.

After the turnover, the defenses continued to control the game. Virginia put togehter a 10 play drive, but for only 37 yards and was forced to punt. BC responded with a three and out, Virginia answered with their own three and out, and BC reponded in kind. Virginia threw together a seven play, 15 yard drive to set up a field goal try, which was missed, leaving the score deadlocked and the first quarter winding down. But, BC was finally able to respond.

Shinskie was three for five on the drive with 52 of the 70 yards including a 10 yard passing score to Justin Jarvis to put the Eagles on the scoreboard first. The teams returned to their earlier form after the touchdown as the rest of the half was two BC punts, one Virginia punt, a BC interception of Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell (21/41, 221 yards, 1 INT), and Virginia’s possession to end the half and hurry to the locker rooms.

Second Half Begins Where First Left Off

The Cavaliers opened the second half with the ball, but still no fire. They sandwiched a three play BC drive with two four play drives, all ending in what else, but punts. On BC’s ensuing possesssion, backed up and again failing to generate any offense, BC punted, but Ryan Quigley was hit giving the Eagles a reprieve, moving the ball up and giving them a first down. Little did they know at the time, but this was how Virginia was going to get on the board. Shinskie hit Chris Cook on his second interception of the day, however, far more costly as Cook took this one to the end zone to even the game at seven.

The Eagles, struggling with a team they should be able to beat answer the game changing Virginia play with another three and out. With the passing game struggling, BC continued to put the ball in Shinskie’s hands to attempt to move down the field and continued to fail. Vriginia made the Eagles pay by stringing together their best drive of the day to that point. They moved 60 yards in 10 plays culminated with the go-ahead field goal.

BC Finally Moves the Ball

Harris was finally given the ball and he just started gashing the Virginia defense to move the Eagles into Cavalier territory in two plays with runs of 21, nine, and four. After back to back BC penalties, Shinskie completed his only two pass attempts of the series, hitting Colin Larmond, Jr. (2 rec, 13 yards) for 11 and Chris Pantale (4 rec, 41 yards) for 12 to keep the chains moving. Harris’ number was called on the next five plays, with the exception of a pass attempt resulting in a 15 yard gain on a Virginia pass interference penalty. That left BC with a fourth and goal on the one, which Frank Spaziani elected to go for. On the quarterback keeper, Shinskie was able to plunge over the line, putting BC ahead to stay, 14-10. Harris rushed for 45 yards on eight attempts on the drive.

The Eagles continued to go to Harris with the lead as they tried to kill clock and they wore Virginia down. The Eagles were able to generate first downs and though they were forced to punt, they managed 41 yards on 11 plays and, more importantly, took 4:38 off the clock. The punt left Virginia on their own 21, but they mounted their best offense of the day. BC settled into a prevent defense with a soft middle, as they were clearly guarding the sidelines. If Virginia was going to win the game, they were going to have to do it in the middle of the field, keep the chains moving, and battle the clock.

They drove 67 yards on 11 plays in just under two minutes. Sewell was five-for-six with a 12 yard run to open the drive, getting his team down to the BC 21. After two incompletions, Sewell hit Rashawn Jackson for a nine yard gain, setting up a fourth and one on the BC 12. With nothing opening up, Sewell ran up the middle and was hit by two BC defenders for no gain, ending the game and sending the Eagles home victorious. Rich Gunnell, as usual, was clutch in the passing game, pulling down three balls for 75 yards.

Looking Ahead

BC returns home to face North Carolina who are also 7-3 (3-3 ACC). The Eagles are 2-3 all-time against the Tar Heels, but 1-0 at home, beating them in 1984 in Chestnut Hill. The brief series began with a loss at North Carolina in 1981, continued with a BC victory in the 2004 Continental Tire Bowl in BC’s final Big East season. They met in the Eagles debut year in the ACC in 2005 and then again last season, both North Carolina home victories.

In other conference news, Clemson’s emphatic victory over North Carolina State almost closes the door entirely on BC’s hopes of a third consecutive Atlantic Division title. The Eagles would need to defeat North Carolina and Maryland and watch Clemson fall to Virginia next week. Clemson obviously needs only the win or a single BC loss to wrap it up. The division winner will face Georgia Tech, who, after a slow start, wrecked Duke to wrap up their second Coastal title.

Tags: Boston College, College Football