BC dominates 2nd half, takes down Hokies
Defensive stops key to victory
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Boston College has become a player to be taken seriously in the Atlantic Division of the ACC. The No. 22 Eagles dominated on both sides of the ball in the second half yesterday and pulled out a 31-21 victory over Virginia Tech before 65,632 at Lane Stadium. BC improved to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference while avenging a 49-0 blowout loss here in 2016. BC won its Coastal Division crossover games against Miami and Virginia Tech in consecutive weeks and will host No. 2 and reigning ACC champion Clemson Saturday at Alumni Stadium. Clemson remained unbeaten (9-0, 6-0) by pasting Louisville, 77-16, at Memorial Stadium. “We’ve handled our business and now we have an opportunity to play the No. 2 team who is playing just lights out football,” said BC coach Steve Addazio. “God knows we’ve got our work cut out for us to go back home to Chestnut Hill and play a huge bigtime football game. I hope our fan base is as energized as our team is right now.” BC outscored Tech 24-7 in the second half with timely passing from quarterback Anthony Brown, who was an efficient 7-of-8 for 121 yards and a touchdown after halftime. BC enjoyed a 219-111 advantage in rushing yards and 75 came from an unlikely source. Tailback AJ Dillon, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, finished with 96 yards on 24 carries that included a 3-yard touchdown run in the first half. But Dillon was forced out of the game on BC’s first drive of the third quarter when he reinjured his ankle in a collision out of bounds. Dillon initially hurt the ankle in the second half against Temple and missed consecutive games against N.C. State and Louisville. His status for Clemson is uncertain. “Our mindset in the second half was we have the best running back in the country and we have to get him going and then of course he took that shot and he just wasn’t able to go,” said Addazio. Third down specialist Travis Levy replaced Dillon and took the Eagles’ next man up mentality to another dimension. The 5-foot-11, 205pound sophomore rushed for 75 yards on 11 carries with touchdown runs of 1 and 29 yards in the second half. “I’m ready every game so the next man up mentality, that’s what it is,” said Levy. “They say Blacksburg is a tough place to play and it was today and the crowd is loud and we handled it very well.” Trailing 14-7, BC’s defense opened the second half inspired and imposed consecutive three--and-outs on the Hokies offense. The Eagles tied the game 14-14 on an impressive five-play, 70yard drive with 7:37 remaining in the third. Levy completed the drive with a 29-yard surge through the middle of defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s Lunch Pail front seven for his first rushing touchdown of the season. The Eagles’ 14th interception of the year and first by Brandon Sebastian was con- verted into a 21-14 lead. Tech quarterback Ryan Willis’ pass to Damon Hazelton was tipped to Sebastian, who returned it to the Hokies 19. Following a holding call against BC, Brown completed a 22-yard pass behind the Hokies coverage to tight end Korab Idrizi with 3:58 on the clock. Kicker Colton Lichtenberg closed out the scoring with a 28-yard field goal with 2:31 to play.