SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 1, 2014
Boston College 33, Virginia Tech 31: Tyler Murphy accounted for three touchdowns and Alex Howell kicked the go-ahead 44-yard field goal with 4:12 to play as the visiting Eagles became bowl eligible for the second consecutive season.
Murphy rushed for 122 yards – including a 57-yard touchdown with 2:59 remaining – and passed for 110 yards and two TDs for Boston College (6-3, 3-2 ACC). Myles Willis scored on a 68-yard run for the Eagles, who rushed for 258 yards and averaged 5.5 per carry to survive blowing a 23-10 lead after three quarters.
Michael Brewer passed for 345 yards and two touchdowns on 31-of-48 and rushed for a score for the Hokies (4-5, 1-4), who have lost three in a row and must win two of their final three games to be bowl eligible. Isaiah Ford finished with seven receptions for 75 yards and Ryan Malleck caught a 5-yard TD with 28 seconds remaining to pull Virginia Tech within two points.
Murphy’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Outlow extended Boston College’s lead to 20-10 with 7:52 left in the third quarter and Matt Milano recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set up Joey Launceford’s 19-yard field goal two minutes later. Brewer’s 1-yard run with 11:51 to play pulled Virginia Tech within 23-17 and the Hokies marched 75 yards on 11 plays on their next possession – including a fourth-and-5 conversion from the Eagles 24 – before Brewer connected with Bucky Hodges three plays later for a 24-23 lead.
Marshawn Williams capped a 95-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run on the game’s opening possession to put the Hokies ahead 7-0. Murphy hit Charlie Callinan for an 8-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second quarter to tie the contest, but after Joey Slye’s 27-yard field goal two minutes later pushed Virginia Tech ahead again, Willis busted loose up the middle for his long touchdown to give the Eagles a 14-10 advantage with 8:10 left in the half.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Virginia Tech has played in a bowl game in 21 consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in the nation (Florida State, 32). … Murphy has rushed for 965 yards, tops among FBS quarterbacks. … The Hokies lost for the first time this season when scoring first.