Boston College takes Virginia down a notch
Anthony Brown set the tone on Boston College’s third play from scrimmage.
Pinned at his 6 and facing third-and-5, the redshirt freshman quarterback took a deep drop, sidestepped two defenders in the end zone and took off, gaining 15 yards and a first down.
That drive ended 12 plays later with Colton Lichtenberg’s 30-yard field goal, and Brown added three touchdown passes to lead the Eagles to their second consecutive road win Saturday, 41-10 against a Virginia team that had won four straight.
The Eagles (4-4, 2-3 ACC) held Virginia (5-2, 2-1) to 247 yards.
Thadd Smith took a jet sweep 76 yards down the sideline for a touchdown with 4:16 remaining in the first quarter, and after a threeand-out for Virginia, Kobay White took an inside screen 76 yards down the middle of the field for another score and a 17-0 lead.
Brown finished 19 for 24 for 275 yards. BC also ran for 237 yards.
Virginia came up well short in its bid for a fifth straight victory and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2011, and linebacker Micah Kiser said the Cavaliers might have been their own worst enemies as a result of the success they’ve enjoyed.
“We kind of need that,” he said of the lopsided setback. “Humbles you. We were riding really high, probably a little bit too high, so you get humbled and come back on Monday ready to work.”
The Eagles, who last week beat Louisville 45-42, sacked Kurt Benkert three times and had him on the run. His frustration showed in the second quarter when, scrambling left and about to go out of bounds, he threw a left-handed backhand pass that Will Harris intercepted.
(At) Georgia Tech 38, Wake Forest 24: Quarterback TaQuon Marshall scored on 49- and 70-yard runs, the second with 1:57 remaining for the Yellow Jackets (4-2, 3-1). He finished with 163 yards on 23 carries. KirVonte Benson added 136 yards and an 11-yard score, and Qua Searcy broke loose for a 42-yard TD run.
John Wolford returned after missing a game with a shoulder injury and completed 17 of 30 passes for 252 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, but the Demon Deacons (4-3, 1-3) lost their third straight. They blew a 21-10 second-quarter lead.
(At) No. 14 Virginia Tech 59, North Carolina 7: Josh Jackson threw three touchdown passes, and the Hokies (6-1, 2-1) scored on fumble, interception and punt returns. North Carolina (1-7, 0-5) got into Virginia Tech territory three times, turned the ball over three times and finished with 172 yards.
Pittsburgh 24, (at) Duke 17: Darrin Hall rushed for career highs of 254 yards and three touchdowns, including 92- and 79-yarders before his go-ahead 4-yarder with 10:48 to play, as the Panthers (3-5, 1-3) overcame a 17-7 deficit and handed Duke (4-4, 1-4) its fourth straight loss.