ACC Football: BC loses at home 23-10 to Virginia Tech

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We know that life in the ACC is not an easy one. Week after week some of the best teams in the country, as well as the conference, get to strut their stuff every Saturday. For the Boston College Eagles, it means playing three top 25 teams in the past four games.

To survive such a stretch execution becomes an important piece of the puzzle. And for the Eagles that part of the equation has not been found.

Saturday night at Alumni Stadium BC’s defense did all it could to keep the team in their game VS Virginia Tech. It was a much different story for the offense. Yes, they gained 344 total yards for the game and Virginia Tech finished with 431, but they were only 2-15 on third down, 0-2 on fourth down and missed a FG early that could have given them a lead. Their only red zone conversions was a 32-yard FG with three minutes left in the first quarter.

It added up to an another tough night at the office for Head Coach Steve Addazio and his team as the Eagles fell to the Hokies 23-10.

Boston College’s defense showed right off the bat they came to play. On the Hokies first drive of the game freshman QB Josh Jackson ( 22-33, 322 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int) dropped back to pass. His attempt was tipped at the line of scrimmage by BC Lineman Zack Allen (10 tackles, 2 for losses) and picked off by DB Issac Yiadom. It set up the offense deep in Virginia Tech territory to start the game. But the Eagles could do nothing with the turnover and settled for a 40-yard field goal try that was missed wide left by Colton Lichtenberg.

The Hokies would take the break and show the Eagles what to do with it. The very next time VT had the ball, it took them four plays to find pay dirt. Jackson hit WR Sean Savoy (9 catches for 139 yards and a TD) in stride for a 53-yard catch and run into the end zone for a 7-0 Virginia Tech lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, the BC offense showed a little life. Freshman signal caller Anthony Brown ( 13-30, 166 yards) completed a 22-yard pass to RB Jon Hilliman out of the backfield. A defensive personal foul penalty once again set up the Eagles in a great position. All they could muster was another FG try, this one from 32 yards out which split the uprights getting Boston College on the board down 7-3 after one quarter.

The second period saw the Hokies score all the points. First, placekicker Joey Slye, who before the night was over would become Virginia Tech all-time leading scorer with 373 points, knocked one through from 34-yards out to up VT lead to 10-3.

Later in the same quarter, an 11-play drive was finished off by a 23-yard touchdown run by Travon McMillian ( 17 carries 89 yards, 1 touchdown) The march downfield featured five completed passes and two runs. It gave Virginia Tech a 17-3 halftime advantage.

In the third, the only scoring was done by VT. A 29-yard FG by Slye made the score 20-3 Hokies. The story of the quarter was the field position the Eagles offense dealt with, as they were pinned deep on their side of the field the whole period. As the coach said afterward “it made it tough to generate anything offensively”.

Another Slye field goal this one from 26-yards out gave VT a 23-3 lead halfway through the fourth. BC’s offense finally put something together late to make the game interesting. A trick play, a throwback from WR Jeff Smith, who at one time was a quarterback, to Brown who found himself all alone down the left sideline. The play was good for 25-yards and an Eagle touchdown that made the final score 23-10.

In his post-game remarks, Coach Addazio said his team “fought hard for four quarters”. He was not happy with two things. First, the third-down conversion rate of 2-15. Coach called it “Poor”. Second, the early missed opportunities his team had. The missed FG as well as a fourth and two from the VT 23-yard line, an incomplete pass with the score 17-3 at the time. Coach thought it was the right move to make by going for it, but the execution of the play was not.

The Coach did get his feathers ruffled a bit when he was asked how to get his team to execute better. His response was that he “loves this team and when it gets turned around it will be a beautiful thing to watch”. He also said he needs to prepare his team better.

For his part QB, Brown said: “he needs to put the ball in better places”. His right shoulder which bothers him some in last week win over Central Michigan was fine this week according to him.

If there was good news, it would have to be the play of DE Harold Landry who recorded three sacks to tie a career-high and Allen who was all over the field on defense.

It has been said before, the schedule does not back off. As the Eagles hit the road for their next two games. First up a trip to Louisville to take on the Cardinal.

With the win, the Hokies improve to 5-1 and 1-1 in league play. BC falls to 2-4 and 0-3 in the conference.