#2 BC @ #8 Virginia Tech

Pregame
Thursday night football on ESPN has become a staple of important games in the past few seasons. No longer the afterthought MAC game of yesteryear, ESPN has partnered with the Big East to bring in a number of giant games (including West Virginia v Louisville and Louisville v Rutgers last season along with #2 South Florida losing at Rutgers just last week). Being ranked #2 hasn't been a good omen for teams so far in October. First USC lost at home to Stanford, then Cal lost at home to Oregon State, before South Florida's close loss a week ago. Now Boston College goes on the road to Blacksburg, VA, at night, on Thursday. Three major reasons why it might be four straight weeks that #2 might go down. Don't overlook this Virginia Tech team that has won five straight after getting blasted by LSU in week 2, and with a win tonight will be right where most saw them being during the pre-season, at the top of the ACC and ranked in the top 5 with the lone loss coming to the Tigers.

First Quarter
The rain has been coming down for days now in Blacksburg which will just be another advantage for VT who wants to play a dirty, hard-hitting defensive battle. Virginia Tech hasn't done much on offense all season and will try and win this game with Beamer Ball. Half an inch of rain is expected over night with temperatures being mid-40s to low 50s.

The first possessions for both teams go nowhere with Glennon throwing a few incompletions and scrambling for a few yards. He is nowhere near the athlete that Tyrod Taylor is and it is showing already. The teams trade punts and VT goes to work again. Glennon really doesn't look comfortable in the pocket. You wouldn't know this was the returning starter from a year ago. Brandon Ore will do his best to lead the offense, but he won't find any rushing lanes if Glennon can't do something with his arm. VT punts again setting up BC inside their 20.

BC gains 8 on their first two plays, but Matt Ryan's 3rd down pass attempt is nearly picked off and BC punts again. There's a huge mistake for the VT special teams. A running into the kicker penalty gives BC a first down. Somewhat of an iffy call there. BC doesn't take advantage and ends up having to punt again and downs it inside the VT 5 yard line.

Tech puts together a couple of plays and gets the ball near midfield before the end of the quarter.
End of the 1st quarter
VT 0
BC 0

Second Quarter
Virginia Tech draws first blood on an 8 yard pass from Glennon to Royal. It was a 16 play drive going 91 yards in 7:13, which also is the longest scoring drive of the season for the Hokies

VT 7
BC 0
10:31 remaining in the half

Now its time to see if Ryan deserves the hype. Can he come down and answer in the VT score in the rain? The VT defensive line and linebacking core are doing a great job getting pressure. Ryan is hit on both second and third down with him going down for a sack on 2nd and throwing a poor pass on 3rd. The BC offensive line has not allowed any pressure this season, but the speed of the VT defensive line and their stunting is really causing problems. Back-to-back 3 and outs for BC sets up the Hokies at their 30 up 7-0.

Glennon can't keep the magic going with his feet and VPI punts. Ryan really has to do something on this drive, but the rain is really starting to come down. 6 minutes left in the half, get your team back in this, Matt. This game is getting sloppy with all the rain as two straight passes have been caught and then fumbled. BC has been able to retain possession and now is facing a big 3rd down. Soft coverage allows Ryan to find a man in an underneath route to pick it up. Back to back plays pick up 10+ yards and BC has now driven inside the VT 30 with under 4 minutes left in the half. Ryan is 9/16 for 54 yards and VT takes their first timeout.

A dropped pass and a 13 yard loss on a sack pushes BC back outside the VT 45 and they have to punt. The ball again goes into the endzone giving VT the ball at their 20 with 2:42 remaining. First play for VT and Chris Fowler totally jinxes them on the broadcast talking about how VT wants to be careful with the ball and not turn it over. Glennon never gets the snap from the backup center, and BC is set up inside the VT 20. Ryan has to throw it away on both 1st and 2nd down before BC goes to the draw trap that picks up the 1st. Wow, late flag for false start moves BC back to 3rd and 15 from the 24. That's their 5th penalty for 35 yards. Need to get something here to bring 3 back into play. Well overthrown to Challenger. Looks like the WR ran the wrong route as he turned to the inside and it looks like Ryan was looking for the corner route. BC chooses not to go for a 41 yard kick with the wet weather. Using a 3 man rush VT gets directly in Ryan's face and he's forced to throw it away on 4th and 15. Virginia Tech dodged a HUGE bullet there after turning the ball over inside their 20 yardline. VT actually gained 5 yards of field position off of that change of possession.

First down for the Hokie and Brandon Ore goes right up the middle of the BC defense all the way to the BC 40 for a gain of 34. That's Ore's longest run of the night and the longest run given up by the BC defense this season. On first down Glennon evades pressure and throws a strike for an 8 yard gain...but it is negated by a block in the back that was totally unnecessary. That moves the ball back onto the VT side of the field. After two more negative plays VT is content to just take the lead into halftime.
Halftime
#2 Boston College 0
#8 Virginia Tech 7


Third Quarter
Boston College gets the ball to begin the half at their 20 after a touchback. Ryan comes out firing and gets the Eagles across the 50 in under 30 seconds before a great play for an interception by Brandon Flowers at the VT 42. Brandon Ore gets the carry on first down for 2 yards upping his total to 60 yards on 10 carries for the game. Virginia Tech can't do anything on 2nd or 3rd down and punt the ball back to BC. Unfortunately for Matt Ryan's team and his Heisman hopes he isn't able to get anything going either and the teams trade punts again. Will Glennon be able to scramble and keep a drive going again like he was able to do in the first half?

After another series of traded punts Glennon finds Eddie Royal, the only deep threat on Virginia Tech, for a gain of 40 yards. The way the Virginia Tech defense is playing tonight, another 7 might make this lead insurmountable. Boston College has as many punts as first downs at the midway point of the 3rd quarter. Following the deep pass play Glennon throws in INT, but it is nullified by a very iffy defensive pass interference call that sets up a 41 yard FG for Virginia Tech.

VT 10
BC 0
5:33 3rd

Boston College needs some kind of a spark. Matt Ryan is a very pedestrian 12/28 for 95 yards and an INT. He hasn't gotten much help from WRs falling down and not making plays. The constant Virginia Tech pass rush hasn't helped him find a rhythm either. Virginia Tech comes out and makes a statement with this defensive stand. Boston College moves backwards and loses 21 yards and has to punt from within their own endzone. Another HUGE special teams mistake for Virgina Tech as they rough the punter and give Boston College a first down on a 4th and 31. The punter might deserve an Emmy nomination after the acting job he did on that one. Can Ryan find anything in the passing game? He is completely focused on the rush and not on finding his receivers. The screen passes aren't working against this quick pursuit Hokie defense. Again Ryan misfires on a 3rd down (3rd and 4) and BC gives the ball back. If VT had any kind of offense this game would be over. Johnny Ayers gets off his 8th punt of the night downed at the 33 with under 2 minutes to play in the 3rd quarter.

The Hokies are finally putting a sustained drive together again. If they score a touchdown this game is over. They're driving now as the 3rd quarter ends.

Fourth Quarter
Of course the VT offense stalls and is forced to punt. It is almost surprising that any points have been scored at all in this game. Announcers are talking about the difference in this VT team and the one that got destroyed in Tiger Stadium by LSU back in September. What are the voters going to do if VT keeps winning and moves up to #2 behind LSU?

BC facing a 3rd and 11 with 11:10 left in the game from their own 35. Again they aren't able to convert (which they haven't done the entire 2nd half) and have to give the ball back. BC is slowly running out of chances to do anything this game. They're really going to be in trouble if VT keeps converting on 3rd down and if BC keeps trying to arm tackle Brandon Ore. BC is the #1 rushing defense in the country statistically coming into this game, and the Hokies are moving the ball somewhat well for them.

The Hokies take 4 minutes off the clock and leave Matt Ryan with 6:09 to bring his team back. That's not going to help. First play on this drive and Ryan throws it right at safety D. J. Parker. The match-up zone works perfect and sets up VT inside the BC 30. Virginia Tech can't get any points, but they do eat over 2 minutes off of the clock and pin BC inside their 10. Matt Ryan can get his name back on the Heisman list after a horrid first 3.5 quarters if he can lead a comeback here. If not, BC's chances of the BCS in general might be gone.

Ryan does complete a few passes and quickly gets the Eagles inside the Virgina Tech 30 to the 27. Ryan then runs for a first down to get them inside the red zone for the first time today. On 3rd down Gunnell makes a fantastic catch for a TD (just their third 3rd down conversion of the game out of 15). That is a perfect throw by Matt Ryan. That was the exact type of drive I was talking about that Ryan just engineered. He made plays with his arm and his legs to move his team inside the redzone before throwing a perfect pass for 6. XP is good. We have a ballgame on our hands

BC 07
VT 10
2:11 left

Now comes the decision. BC has 2 timeouts left. Do they kick deep and hope to hold, or go for the onsides kick? Royal is the best weapon VT has and he's back deep to return. Boston College goes for the onsides kick and they have it! The ball didn't travel 10 yards, but a VT player came up to try and recover it and wasn't able to hang on. Matt Ryan lines up at the 34 with 2:07 to play. Two quick plays and BC is at the VT 40 with under 1:20 to play. With 0:58 left BC takes their 2nd time out.

Coming out of the timeout Ryan does a great job of keeping the play alive buying time before throwing a strike to get the ball inside the redzone with 40 seconds left. On 2nd down Ryan finds his TE open in the endzone for a touchdown, but it is coming back for a hold. VT continues to only send 3 but still are getting pressure. That's the 9th BC penalty for 83 yards. The Eagles are now at the 24 with 26 seconds left. An incomplete pass down the seam leaves them with 3rd and 20. Ryan buys time and avoids the 3 man rush to find Callender in the endzone for a touchdown. He was wideopen. It is unreal how Virginia Tech can have 8 men back in coverage and leave the top BC pass-catcher that open.

#2 BC 14
#8 VT 10
0:11 left

Virginia Tech gets the ball back but after 2 incompletions and a failed hook-and-ladder the game ends with BC pulling off the upset.

Final Score
#2 Boston College 14
#8 Virginia Tech 10