October 25, 2007

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

? Box score

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Maybe it's time to take these guys from Boston seriously. You'll hear a lot about them in the coming weeks.

You'll also hear vehement protests from disbelieving fans in the Southeast, Midwest and on the West Coast who won't accept that some snooty private school in New England - whose football identity is based on one improbable touchdown pass - should seriously be considered a national-championship contender.

They might have a point. Yet it's hard to argue that second-ranked Boston College, which Thursday night captured an amazing 14-10 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Virginia Tech with perhaps the second-most improbable touchdown pass in school history, might be a special team in a special year.

Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback Matt Ryan, who was frequently inconsistent and sometimes inept for more than 3 1/2 quarters, threw two touchdown passes in the final two minutes to keep the Eagles (8-0, 4-0) unbeaten and presumably no lower than second in the next BCS standings.

Facing third-and-20 just two plays after a holding penalty nullified a touchdown pass, Ryan rolled left to avoid pressure and buy time.  He spotted tailback Andre Callender, who had drifted across the goal line.

Ryan threw back right across the field, and his arching 24-yard pass just cleared an outstretched hand of a Virginia Tech defender and fell into Callender's hands in the end zone with 11 seconds left.

"We called two posts and two corner routes to see if we could get somebody free in the end zone," Ryan said. "There was nothing free at first. But the offensive line did a good job to keep the play alive. 'Dre' snuck out on his own and came up behind them.

So great, in fact, that it conjured memories of former Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie's game-winning "Hail Mary" touchdown he threw against Miami en route to winning the 1984 Heisman Trophy.

Ryan's pass wasn't quite as dramatic, but could prove far more important. Flutie's Eagles were not in the championship race. Because of their unlikely rally, Ryan's Eagles clearly are - although that might not sit well in other parts of the country.

LSU is behind Boston College in the BCS standings, yet posted a  dominating 48-7 victory over Virginia Tech earlier this season. Suggesting that BC might deserve a shot at the national championship ahead of LSU would make every Cajun in Louisiana hotter than Avery Island peppers.

Before Thursday night's rally, BC's most impressive victory this year may have been its 38-28 season-opening victory over ACC rival Wake Forest, which later lost at home to now-reeling Nebraska.

But BC is bucking trends ? the trend of second-ranked teams losing (it had happened three weeks in a row) and the trend of Virginia Tech dominating at home in Thursday night games. The Hokies were 8-1 on Thursday night in Lane Stadium before Ryan's winning throw.

"I mentioned earlier on in the week the mark of a good quarterback is winning," first-year Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "Matt Ryan, what he did tonight, along with the receivers and the whole crew there in the last three minutes of the game ? that was special.

"I told the kids that things like that will happen to them in special years, and I think that's one of those type of years here."

"Special" is a kind way to term this college football season. Bizarre is another.

Ranked teams have fallen like the hard rain that pelted Lane Stadium. And for about 56 minutes it appeared Boston College would, too.

The Eagles are built around the nation's stingiest run defense, an offensive line that had allowed only six sacks and Ryan's excellence. Yet, Virginia Tech tailback Branden Ore rushed for a season-high 97 yards, and the Hokies battered Ryan like a piņata by sacking him three times and knocking him down on several other occasions.

For most of the game Ryan was upstaged by Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, who wouldn't have been playing if starter Tyrod Taylor's sprained ankle had sufficiently healed. Glennon finished 15 of 25 for 149 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 23 yards.

Those statistics aren't overwhelming, but they're still much better than those Ryan amassed through three quarters and were good enough to boost the Hokies (6-2, 3-1) to a 10-0 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Ryan was 14 of 33 for 101 yards and an interception through three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, he was 11 of 19 for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

Most of that was produced after a Virginia Tech punt backed up BC at its 8 with just over four minutes remaining. Ryan then directed a nine-play, 92-yard drive that he capped with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell with 2:11 left.

After Tyronne Pruitt recovered the ensuing onside kick, Ryan methodically moved the Eagles downfield to the winning score.

"This one is tough to handle," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "I give Boston College credit. They made the plays at the end.

"I thought everybody on our football team gave great effort. We just didn't get it done at the end."

After he threw the game-winning pass, Ryan raced to the sideline, knocked down Jagodzinski while they were celebrating, then threw up.

Several thousand Virginia Tech fans - and many in other parts of the country - probably felt like doing it, too.

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.