No letdown this time around
Irish wallop BC to give coach Kelly 100th win at ND
BOSTON — Notre Dame has a history of following big victories with letdowns against rival Boston College.
This time, the Irish wound up making some history for their coach at the Eagles’ expense.
Ian Book passed for three touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 2 Notre Dame overcame an early deficit to roll to a 45- 31 victory Saturday against BC.
The Irish’s eighth consecutive victory in the series between the only Catholic institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision gave coach Brian Kelly his 100th career triumph at the school, tying him with Lou Holtz for second in history. He is just five behind legendary coach Knute Rockne.
‘‘ One hundred wins,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘ I was gonna say it felt like 100 years. But it’s not something I spend time thinking about. I will when I’m not coaching anymore. It means I’ve had a lot of good players, a lot of good coaches. I’m fortunate to be at Notre Dame that long. It’s not easy to win that many games at Notre Dame.’’
Coming off a thrilling victory against then- No. 1 Clemson, the Irish ( 8- 0, 7- 0 Atlantic Coast Conference) racked up a season- high 561 yards against the Eagles.
The last time Notre Dame beat a top- ranked team was 1993. The next week, the Irish were upset by BC on a last- second field goal.
Book made sure there would be no similar letdown. He finished 20- for- 27 for 283 yards and ran for 85 yards. His last two games have been about as well as he has played in his three seasons as Notre Dame’s starter.
‘‘ I just knew that there was more for me,’’ Book said. ‘‘ I knew I could take an extra step. It’s starting to add up, and I think I’m just trying to take it to the next level. . . . I think I’m just elevating at the right time.’’
Receiver Ben Skowronek caught all three of Book’s touchdown passes, but he also had one of the Irish’s three fumbles on the day. C’Bo Flemister ran for two touchdowns for Notre Dame before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his left leg.
Quarterback Phil Jurkovec, a transfer from Notre Dame playing against his former team for the first time, finished 18- for- 40 for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Eagles ( 5- 4, 4- 4).
Jurkovec said he has been dealing with the aftereffects of a separated throwing shoulder he suffered Oct. 31 against Clemson. His throwing was limited leading up to the game last weekend against Syracuse, and he acknowledged his arm is still not 100%.
‘‘ I wanted it badly,’’ he said. ‘‘ It was a game we had circled on the schedule. It was very disappointing to lose it.’’
BC hung tough in the first half, recovering a pair of fumbles by the Irish, but the Eagles scored only six points off the miscues.
Their defense also had few answers for Book, who took advantage of Notre Dame’s length at receiver throughout the game to produce five pass plays of 20 or more yards.
BC opened a 10- 3 lead in the first quarter before the Irish outscored the Eagles 28- 6 the rest of the first half. BC had a chance to cut into a 24- 16 deficit late in the second quarter after recovering a fumble by Notre Dame star Kyren Williams at the Irish’s 42, but the Eagles gave the ball right back with a fumble three plays later.